At just 2300 hectares, Penang National Park is the smallest in Malaysia; it’s also one of the newest, having attained national park status in 2003. A Penang highlight, it has some interesting and challenging trails through the jungle, as well as some of the island’s finest and quietest beaches.
The park can be reached on Teluk Bahang–bound bus 101 (RM4) from George Town.
The park entrance is a short walk from Teluk Bahang’s main bus stop. It’s an easy 20-minute walk to the 250m-long canopy walkway, closed indefinitely for upgrading when we stopped by. From here, you have the choice of heading towards west to Muka Head or south to Pantai Kerachut.
The easiest walk is the 15-minute stroll west to Teluk Tukun beach where Sungai Tukun flows into the ocean. There are some little pools to swim in here. Following this trail along the coast about 10 minutes more brings you to the private University of Malaysia Marine Research Station, where there is a supply jetty, as well as Tanjung Aling , a nice beach to stop at for a rest. From here it’s another 45 minutes or so down the beach to Teluk Duyung , also called Monkey Beach, after the numerous primates who scamper about here on the beach. It's another 30 minutes to Muka Head , the isolated rocky promontory at the extreme northwestern corner of the island, where on the peak of the head is an off-limits 1883 lighthouse and an Achenese-style graveyard. The views of the surrounding islands from up here are worth the sweaty uphill jaunt.
A longer and more difficult trail heads south from the suspension bridge towards Pantai Kerachut , a beautiful white-sand beach that is a popular spot for picnics and is a green turtle nesting ground. Count on about one and a half hours to walk to the beach on the clear and well-used trail. On your way is the unusual meromictic lake , a rare natural feature composed of two separate layers of unmixed freshwater on top and seawater below, supporting a unique mini-ecosystem. From Pantai Kerachut beach you can walk about 40 minutes onward to further-flung and isolated Teluk Kampi , which is the longest beach in the park; look for trenches along the coast that are remnants of the Japanese occupation in WWII.
Several operators near the park entrance can arrange boat pick-up at various locations; from Teluk Duyung (Monkey Beach) the cost is RM40, Pantai Kerachut RM80, and from Teluk Kampi RM90.
