Why go to Penang Hill?

A refreshing change from the hustle and bustle of island life, Penang Hill transports visitors back to a calm and cooling atmosphere with plenty of culture, heritage, nature and food! Penang Hill (or formerly known as Flagstaff Hill or Bukit Bendera) is the highest peak at 833 metres (2,732ft) above sea level. Visitors can get a panoramic view of the island of Georgetown and on a sunny and clear day, parts of mainland Penang can also be seen.There is a viewing deck that sits atop of the apex of the hill and the train station - The Skyway gives stunning 360 views of the Pearl Island.

Uniqueness of Penang Hill.

To get to Penang Hill, a funicular train system is available every half hourly starting from 6.30am - 11.00pm daily. The half hour journey to the top will take visitors through two stations with a tiny historical museum that depicts the history of the train service. Many runners and hikers also come to Penang Hill to test themselves on the winding roads and fascinating tropical flora and fauna. Expect to find Monkey Plants and Slipper Orchids aplenty. If you’re lucky, you might also be able to spot some Dusky Leaf Monkeys, Black Giant Squirrels and the Greater Racket-Tail Dongo bird!

Other things to do here.

Penang Hill also offers visitors a glimpse of its diversity. There is Penang Hill Hindu Temple (Sri Aruloli Thirumurugan) one of the oldest Hindu temples in Penang. It also houses Masjid Bukit Bendera (Penang Hill Mosque) which serves the community that mostly works for Penang Hill Railway Station. There is also an Owl Museum which features artworks and pieces of these cute critters, evoking a playful creativity and child like fascination. The Owl Museum opens daily from 9am to 6pm with tickets charged at RM10 for adults while children get free access!

What to bring home?

Turn your hands into works of arts from the famous Penang Hill Henna Artists. For a bit of fun, you too can get yourself done up by these experienced artists who have been serving tourists since 1994. They also provide face painting, body art and super fast air brush tattoos using safe ingredients - making it very kid friendly.

For those who are keen to take some munchies home, be on the look out for the Famous Penang Hill Kacang Putih stall under the giant tree at the upper station. Selling a variety of nuts, chickpeas, chips and other spiced goodies, the friendly stall owner Mr. Sathivel will provide you with playful chatter and recommendations on his many spiced concoctions! Worth a visit for a truly Penang snacking experience.

Getting around.

There are 3 ways to get to the top of Penang Hill -

1. Walk up from the Botanical Gardens - you have to be fit as the inclines are steep.

2. Take a 4x4 vehicle ride from the Botanical Gardens - a little on the expensive side (RM160) per vehicle of 4 but this will also bring you back down.

3. Take the famous railway which has a range of pricing including a VIP pass which lets you board ahead of the crowd thus enabling you to get the better view both going up and coming back down.

If you are coming from mainland Penang, getting to Penang Hill by bus is relatively easy depending on the location you are from ;

RAPID BUS - 204(FROM JETTY TO BUKIT BENDERA)

PRICE : RM2.80

RAPID BUS - 204(FROM KOMTAR TO BUKIT BENDERA)

PRICE : RM2.00

HOP ON HOP OFF BUS

TOUR PACKAGE : CITY ROUTE

BUS OPERATION TIME : DAILY – 9.00AM TILL 8.00PM

BUS STOP INTERVAL : 20 – 30 MINUTES

Who should I go with?

Solo
Couple
Groups
Friends
Family

Insiders’ tips.

Try and avoid popular weekends and peak holiday periods.

Opening hours.

The Penang Hill funicular train schedule opens Daily at:

6.30a.m - 11.00p.m (Last train from top station)

The Ticketing counter will be closed daily at: 10.30p.m

Locals will be charged RM3 for return tickets while one way tickets are charged RM2. For foreign tourists, adults will be charged RM30 while children RM5.

To avoid the hassle of waiting in queue, get the VIP fast lane pass at RM60 for adults and still RM5 for children.

Budget.

The only available accommodation on Penang Hill is Bellevue Hotel - an old style bungalow hotel with a total of just 12 rooms. With rooms ranged from RM300 - RM390, you can get awesome views of Georgetown for the terrace especially at night. The hotel is also an aviary for tropical birds, complete with its own botanical garden and collection of endangered plant species gathered for a research programme!

Total cost (accommodation,food, entertainment, fare) estimated around RM450-RM550++

Add Trip Date

Trip overview

Day 1 - Ipoh, Penang See detailed itinerary

Kellie's Castle

Gua Tempurung

Esplanade Hawker Centre

Day 1 summary

Day 2 - Penang See detailed itinerary

Penang Hill

Trekking in Penang National Park

Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm

Day 2 summary

Day 3 - Penang, Alor Setar See detailed itinerary

Batik painting at Penang Batik Factory

Wat Nikrodharam Buddhist Temple

Albukhary Mosque

Day 3 summary

Day 4 - Alor Setar See detailed itinerary

Kedah State Art Gallery

Food hunting in Alor Setar

Lembah Bujang Archaeological Museum

Day 4 summary

Day 5 - Langkawi Island See detailed itinerary

Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls

Sky-trekking at Langkawi Skytrex Adventure Park

Underwater World Langkawi

Day 5 summary

Day 6 - Langkawi Island See detailed itinerary

Langkawi Sky Bridge

Kayaking at Langkawi's Mangrove Forest

Bar hopping in Pantai Cenang

Day 6 summary

Day 7 - Langkawi Island See detailed itinerary

Scuba diving at Pulau Payar Marine Park

Day 7 summary

Come & partner with us

Collaborators

Add Collaborators to {{ trip.name }}

{{ title }}

Login