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Penang National Park – Get Lost in the Jungle

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Penang National Park (Taman Negara Pulau Pinang) is one of my favorite places in the world. Therefore, I am writing this post with special care as you can expect. On the tiny island of Penang, this national park (the smallest in Malaysia) is located just an hour and a half from the city of George Town.

Undoubtedly, it is a place that I know I will return to soon, since there is the possibility of free and wild camping. My explorer soul asks me to spend at least one night there with the dreamy sunsets and the liberating murmur of the jungle.

HOW TO REACH penang national park

To reach the National Park in Penang, you need to take the 101 bus from Georgetown. We took it at Lubuh Chulia Street. I’ll leave you the following map so you know the route (direction towards Teluk Bahang). Price is 4 MYR (1 €) and the journey lasts one and a half hour. First bus leaves at 5:30 AM and the last one at midnight.

Once you arrive, there will be a bunch of locals that will offer to take you to the different beaches in Penang National Park on a boat. My personal suggestion is to not do it even if it saves you the walk. Walking through the National Park was one of the most incredible strolls I have ever taken.

Pier at the entrance of Penang National Park Malaysia

Pier at the entrance of Penang National Park

ROUTE THROUGH THE PENANG NATIONAL PARK

Before starting your trek through the park, you will pass a booth where you need to provide your names, Passport number and tell them if you plan to camp there. Entrance is free, but I understand they want to keep control of who enters and exits the park.

Additionally, there’s a huge sign with the park’s map and the different existing routes. In this map, we saw that the Canopy Walkway, one of the main attractions was closed. It is a 250 meters long wooden bridge, suspended among the trees at 15 meters from the ground. If you find it open by chance, you would need to pay 5 MYR at the visitors’ registration office to traverse it.

Map of Penang National Park Malaysia

Map of Penang National Park

Our trekking goal for that day was to get to point D of the map (the most popular beach in the park, called Teluk Duyung, although better known as Monkey Beach). There, we would spend the morning and eat. After that, we would go back to point A and continue to point F (Pantai Kerachut). As we read, this is the beach where the best sunsets are seen from around the national park.

In total, we spent 1 hour and a half one way + another hour of return + another hour of going + another hour and a half of return. 5 hours of trekking at 30 degrees and with an unimaginable humidity. Nonetheless, it turned out to be a very good experience – one of the highlights of our 20-days Southeast Asia trip.

TREKKING TOWARDS MONKEY BEACH

The route, while not easy, gets more pleasant thanks to the beautiful views. Even though the way is quite well-trodden (weed has been removed and there exist wooden bridges to cross the most complicated sections), humidity makes it harder. I had never sweat that much before.

With no preparation, we only took a single bottle of 1.5 liters of water for the two of us, which we finished before arriving at Monkey Beach. Considering the high temperatures and humidity, we suggest carrying at least two 1.5-liter bottles per person to Penang National Park.

Nature in Penang National Park Malaysia

Nature in Penang National Park

We read in many blogs that it was difficult or even impossible to find monkeys in the Penang National Park, however, the magic became reality much earlier than we had anticipated.

Note: this was the first time I saw monkeys in the wild. Though the Zoos personally gave me horror, seeing these animals in freedom was a very special moment.

TELUK AILING

While it kept getting more and more complicated along the path, at the same time, we kept finding more and more surprises. We saw a giant lizard, mind-blowing butterflies, and wondrous beaches like the one I show you in the picture called Teluk Ailing. Point C in the map.

Southeast Asia Trip. Teluk Ailing. One of the beaches in Penang National Park.

Teluk Ailing. One of the beaches of Penang National Park.

You can’t get lost on the path, and after an hour and a half of walking, we found a rock that indicated we were about to reach the first stop.

Signage of Monkey Beach Penang National Park Malaysia

Monkey Beach Signage

MONKEY BEACH PARADISE

Just before arriving, we saw monkeys again. This time, they were guarding the bridge that makes way to the Monkey Beach.

Monkey on the beach Monkey Beach in Penang National Park Malaysia

Monkey on the beach Monkey Beach in Penang National Park

Once we crossed the bridge, with caution to not let these monkeys steal something from us (yes, these monkeys are used to steal food, mobile phones or whatever they can to visitors, so watch for your belongings and close your backpacks), we arrived in PARADISE.

The beaches of Penang National Park are some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.

An Amazon girl in Monkey Beach (Penang National Park) Malaysia

An Amazon girl in Monkey Beach (Penang National Park)

We were practically alone, together with a couple of local people who sold some water to us.

The beach is very long and the sand is fine and white, which makes the water cloudy if there are any waves. It was not the best beach for snorkeling.

LUNCH at MONKEY BEACH

Something I loved here were huts that were built under the palm trees where visitors can sit and eat on the wooden tables or rest from the sun. I was obviously expecting a local to come and ask us to pay a fee for using the hut. But no! They were totally free and they came only to say hello.

Please, tie your belongings to the tables and chairs well. It is very common that while you are in the water, a monkey would come and take everything it can, especially backpacks that have food inside them.

Our cottage in Monkey Beach (Penang National Park)

Our cottage in Monkey Beach (Penang National Park)

On the day before, we bought things to eat for our day in the Penang National Park (bread, cheese and dragon fruit) after touring George Town.

Dragon Fruit at Monkey Beach Penang National Park Malaysia

Dragon fruit

We went through the whole beach from one point to the complete opposite, but we didn’t follow the trail to reach the Muka Head lighthouse. We didn’t have enough time for that or for reaching the Pantai Kerachut beach before sunset.

Boat at Monkey Beach (Penang National Park)

Boat at Monkey Beach (Penang National Park)

Between the palm trees you’ll find swings and lianas to enjoy your time at the beach.

Swing at Beach Monkey (Penang National Park) Malaysia

Swing at Beach Monkey (Penang National Park)

Liana in Beach Monkey (Penang National Park)

Liana in Beach Monkey (Penang National Park)

TREKKING towards PANTAI KERACHUT

At 2 o’clock, we picked everything up and went back to where we had come from, to take the path to Pantai Kerachut.

On the way, at Teluk Ailing, we found this huge and friendly lizard that was so comfortable having a sunbath until he saw us.

The jungle became much thicker on the way to this beach. It was evident that this beach is less visited than the first one. You could not see wooden bridges like the previous ones, and the road was full of sand and earth, with more slopes and branches.

On the way to Pantai Kerachut (Penang National Park) Malaysia

On the way to Pantai Kerachut (Penang National Park)

I prefer this route instead of boarding the coast, you go across the forest like in the first path we went through.

Once again, we had problems because the lack of drinkable water, and we were really worried about this. After a long walkabout, much longer than the one we did in the morning, we finally reached the bridge that enters the beach. Once again, we discovered another amazing place.

PaNTAI KERACHUT

To the left of the bridge, there is usually a meromictic lake. This type of lake is peculiar in a way that it contains two types of water that do not mix, sweet water with salty water (which comes from the sea).

From what we read in the Penang National Park guides, sometimes this lake appears and other days it does not. On the day we went, it was practically empty.

Access bridge to Pantai Kerachu (Penang National Park) Malaysia

Access bridge to Pantai Kerachu (Penang National Park)

At this beach, there was no one, not even a single tourist, not a ship, nor a local around. We could only see the dock that we had already seen in the beach pictures before our travel. There was where we wanted to see the sunset.

Pantai Kerachut (Penang National Park)

Pantai Kerachut (Penang National Park)

Pier at Pantai Kerachut (Penang National Park)

Pier at Pantai Kerachut (Penang National Park)

We couldn’t believe that the two of us were alone in that paradisiacal beach until we found the next sign (which by the way it wasn’t very visible).

Bath banning poster at Pantai Kerachut (Penang National Park)

Bath banning poster at Pantai Kerachut (Penang National Park)

Bathing on the beach was prohibited. There were some important dangers to take into account like mortal poisonous jellyfish, occasional 5-meter-high waves or steep slope at the bottom of the sea.

Anyway, and even sweating as we did, we didn’t swim. If you are going to visit such wildlife-filled places like this one, I recommend you to buy international travel insurance, because you never know what can happen. If this is one of the many trips you are going to take this year, the cheapest option is to buy annual travel insurance for frequent travelers.

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We toured the beach and went to the end of the pier to have a better view of the beach.

Pantai Kerachut from its pier (Penang National Park) Malaysia

Pantai Kerachut from its pier (Penang National Park)

And from there, we saw two huts hidden in the undergrowth, so we went immediately to look for someone who could sell us some water. We found a boy who said that the hut was an investigation center. Luckily, he told us that outside the hut there were a couple of showers and if we wanted, we could take a shower there. He also sold us the much needed drinking water. He also asked us if we were going to sleep there, and with regret, we had to reject. Next time we’ll camp here for sure.

CENter for the conservation of turtles

The other hut was a center for the conservation of turtles. I am a supporter of ethical tourism, and I was not happy entering there, but since it was free, I didn’t leave feeling like I had sponsored them.

Information poster of the Pantai Kerachut Turtle Conservation Center in Penang Malaysia National Park

Information poster of the Pantai Kerachut Turtle Conservation Center

The objective of this center was to locate the eggs laid by the mothers in the beach of Pantai Kerachut and protect the zone. Once the turtles are born, they take care of them until they are big enough and return them back to the ocean, without the risk of being a prey for predators, etc. Until this point, everything was perfect.

Turtles born 3 days ago at the Pantai Kerachut Conservation Center in Penang National Park

Turtles born 3 days ago at the Pantai Kerachut Conservation Center

The problem came when I found that they kept two totally healthy adult turtles in a dwarf bathtub, with no space to get out of the water, just for the sake of showing them to tourists. This fact bothered us enough.

To top it all off, no one watched the turtles. If I can have a wish, I would take the turtles away without them noticing it.

Adult turtles in a bathtub at the Pantai Kerachut Conservation Center in Penang National Park

Adult turtles in a bathtub at the Pantai Kerachut Conservation Center

sunset in the dock

When we got out, the sun was starting to set, so we stayed at the dock. Just like what we read, you can see the best sunsets of Penang National Park from here.

As a sunsets and sunrises freak, I know perfectly that certain sunsets can amaze you when you expect nothing from them, while totally opposite with others.

I had huge expectations of this sunset. I have seen many pictures featuring red skies, but our sunset didn’t even get pass the yellowish color in the end. It was still gorgeous, but I was expecting much more! Next time, we’ll carry our camping tents and will be there nights ahead.

Sunset at the pier of Pentai Kerachut (Penang National Park) Malaysia[:]

Sunset at the pier of Pentai Kerachut (Penang National Park)

Crossing the forest during the night

And only then, we realized it’s evening and we have a 1 hour and 20 minute return walk.

We collected our things as fast as we could and literally ran through the forest. We tried to advance as much as we could before it got dark. Unavoidably, it caught up to us.

We were in the middle of the forest in the dark, with more than an hour ahead of us. We didn’t take a flashlight with us, only a mobile cellphone that we used to light the path to walk. As I told you, this path was rougher than the one leading to Monkey Beach. We had to sidestep tree roots, branches, sand embankments. Nonetheless, it still was a magical and wild experience.

The sound of the forest during the night is different, or maybe it is just the fact that our other senses sharpened when we couldn’t see. We could perfectly hear the monkeys calling other monkeys. Maybe it was the cooler temperature, but the route wasn’t “long” at all. Before we even realized, we were back at the registration office, happy and fully eaten by mosquitoes (take repellent with you).

HOW TO CAMP AT PENANG NATIONAL PARK

I know that there are more than one of you who want to camp in this jungle. I want to let you know that there is a limited number of places per day. The accommodation is free, you simply have to bring your own tent.

There are areas for camping, since camping on the beach is prohibited to prevent damaging the turtle eggs. So please, if you want to help these animals, camp in the authorized areas. You have all the information about camping in the Penang National Park here.

To conclude, I just wanted to state that I am one of those who prefer to discover new places rather than traveling to places I already visited. However, it was different with Penang National Park. I have no idea what countries I will visit on my next trip to Asia, but I know Penang National Park will be on the itinerary again for sure.

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CHIEF ADVENTURER, TRAVEL GURU, AND MASTER PLANNER AT CAPTURE THE ATLAS
Hey there, I'm Ascen, your personal trip planner on a mission to help you craft the most incredible adventure of your life. While I'm based in Las Vegas, you won't find me there often. As a full-time traveler, I'm always on the go, exploring new destinations and capturing the world through my lens. From the enchanting shores of Almeria, Spain, where I grew up, to the far reaches of the globe, I'm here to provide you with detailed travel guides and practical tips to make your trip planning a breeze. Find out more about me here.
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9 replies on “Penang National Park – Get Lost in the Jungle

  1. Gerald Buotte says:

    I am reading this 2 days after visiting the park & unfortunately things have changed quite a bit since your visit.
    First of all, there is now an admission fee! 50RM for non resident & 10 RM for residents.
    I was informed by one of the boat employees that the trail to monkey beach was closed. Assuming he was only telling me this because he wanted me to pay 150RM to take the boat instead of the 50RM entrance fee I hiked it anyway. BIG MISTAKE! I got 200 meters from the beach & notice that there had been a previous land slide that wiped the trail out. Well I refused to turn around as I was completely exhausted & dreaded the almost 4KM hike back to the entrance, also I knew that if I could just reach the beach, I could catch a boat back to the entrance instead of having to hike
    So I foolishly crawled on my hands & knees over trees & rocks for about 10 meters & gratefully found the trail on the other side of the land slide. I eventually made it to Monkey beach & was overwhelmed how beautiful it was. I relaxed under a tree sipping on a coconut that a boy sold me for 10RM which was the best 10 ringgit I’ve ever spent. I stayed there the rest of the day swimming & taking photos, I ended up taking the very last boat back.
    Unfortunately, the only current way to get onto Monkey beach is by boat. Don’t do what I did, it’s much too dangerous.

    • Ascen Aynat says:

      Hi Gerald,
      Yes, it has been a while since our visit, so thank you for updating me on the current situation. I’m glad you were able to make the most of your visit to Penang National Park. I remember doing the hike to Monkey Beach, and it absolutely exhausted me.

  2. MA says:

    Thank you for posting this. It was super helpful to read – considering a trip with our two teenage sons. Looks amazing

  3. Pingback: Penang National Park - Visit Penang
  4. Masz says:

    I am local volunteer and I have organized corporate events at the turtle protection center. To correct your statement on the 2 adult turtle being kept for ‘showing to tourist’ is wrong. I have personally dealt with the Penang State Fisheries Department that oversees the management of the Turtle Center at Pantai Kerachut. The 2 Hawkbill species turtle shown on your picture is kept for research purpose. The center also rescued turtles that are sick and injured from the boat propeller and kept them temporarily in the water tank for treatment with regular visits from the state’s Department of Veterinar. The eggs incubation area are for safe hatching and to prevent the eggs from being sold at the black market. They do pay egg collectors to scout and save those eggs being laid by turtles in less-known beaches all over the state.

    I hope you can fix those statements as visitors to your blog may get a misunderstanding about the turtle being a showcase for tourism purposes which is not true. They carry out real conservation work here.

    You may contact the Penang State Fisheries Department if you need to clarify what i just mention. Thanks!

    • Capture the Atlas says:

      Thank you Masz for your comment. As we said, the thing we don’t like about this turtle conservation center is that they keep two HEALTH TURTLES IN A TINY BATH.

      From my point of view, it is not ethical for two turtles to spend their whole lives in these conditions, even if it is for research purposes. In addition, the turtles are not permanently under guardianship, so any tourist visiting the center can touch and disturb these turtles.

      I do not dispute that the center does an excellent job of protecting eggs and releasing offspring, but I believe that healthy adult turtles should not be kept in captivity indefinitely.

      I am happy to know that they rehabilitate turtles that have suffered an accident due to boat propeller, but I think they should release them as soon as the turtles are prepared for their life in freedom.

      Thank you again. I am excited knowing that a local volunteer has been reading this post. I hope you can change things to make the Turtle Center at Pantai Kerachut release those two adult turtles 🙂

      If that happens I will be happy to promote the Turtle Center at our social media.

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