Penang Hill Visit

Let's go up the hills!

This is another 'must-see' attraction in Penang. It's actually a group of hills in the middle of the island, collectively called via a singular 'Penang Hill'. But its Malay name is 'Bukit Bendera' not 'Bukit Pinang'.

Why is the 'Malay name' not a translation of its 'English name' or vice-versa? Ah eh.., it is probably just a matter of choice, where the choice got semi-permanently stuck to the residents' tongues! Amusing!

It happened like this..,
British colonizers liked these hills because of the breezy cool weather compared to Georgetown town center's humid hot clime. So, they built rest-houses, residences, even offices up there. One prominent build was the house of the governor of Penang. Being a government edifice, it must have the Brit flag waving up there. So they built a flagstaff (flagpole) for that, eventually calling the area "Flagstaff Hill".

Flagstaff Hill.., the hill with a flag.., in Malay "Bukit Bendera" (yes, that's 'bandera' kumbaga sa atin pa). Thus, even to this day, the official Malay name of those hills remains to be, and still is "Bukit Bendera".

Bakit pag English eh "Penang Hill'? Bakit, me reklamo ka? Hehehe dahil sa ating mga visitors yan! Just like when you say 'Bohol Chocolate Hills'.., nakarinig ka ba na me nagsabi 'Chocolate Hills of Carmen'?

Ganun yun! And mind you, Penang Hill is not just about the wonderful views (although that's the most popular). It also has notable historic, historical, natural bio-diversity, adventure, even trivial attractions. Meron "trivial" talaga? Yes, that thing they call "Love Lock" whatever that is for! And it is popular baya!

Anyway, for this visit.., first-timer si MJ eh, we just went to the 'usual' viewing decks. How?

Oh, there are a number of ways to go up Penang Hill and/or any of its many peaks (which as we said above, are individual hills by themselves) depending on your interest and your mortal physical ability!

You can drive (cars or motorbikes), walk/trek/hike or even ride via the rail. Rail as in Train? U-huh!

A "Funicular Train": the most common (therefore most crowded) way to go uphill. Let's talk about it.

A funicular is a railway train that runs up and down a (very) steep slope, usually on a hill or a mountain just like what you see in the above picture. But do not shudder in fear yet, that is a "vintage" for display purposes only! While that one is real, it has long been replaced with modern air-conditioned coaches!

Here's the backdrop of a stage on top of the hill, showing the 3 coach models of this funicular, so far.

Look at the arrows at the bottom of the photo (don't mind the two kids, they were playing on the stage when I took that photo). The dates indicate date ranges when those coaches were in use - since 1922.

It's a pleasant ride going up to the hill's summit. You can see most of Georgetown as the train climbs.

Remember this photo from my previous story? This is the Penang Hill Railway's Lower Train Station.

As said in that previous story, that's where most Penang Hill visitors pass. Tickets are sold under that white canopy. If you purchased online, there is a separate counter where you show your booking code in exchange for a real ticket. It's a shorter line, but it's the same counter for group bookings. So, good luck! However, there is also a 'fast lane' at double the price, no lining up, and you sit in a waiting room!

The long lines are not only for buying a ticket, but also for boarding, since the coach capacity is only a hundred people at a time. When it gets full, you wait (in line) for the next coach. And the procedure is: 'fast lane' folks are boarded first (via another door from the air-conditioned waiting room). Remaining empty space (if any) is then filled with 'normal ticket' holders! If you're not taken, you wait for the next.

Is it possible that with a normal ticket, you could be waiting in line for ages? Ah hmm, mathematically theoretically possible, but the staff told me it has never happened yet! Yah, it looks highly remote that a total of more than a hundred people will all at the same time buy the 'fast lane' tickets. But possible!

Look at the blue arrow. It points to the front of the line of 'normal ticket' holders while they wait for the gate to be opened for them to board, after the rest of my fellow 'fast lane' ticket holders are settled in.

During this ride, there were only 17 of us who bought 'fast lane' tickets. That means, only the first 83 people from that very long line were boarded. The rest had to wait for the other coach to ferry them.

The ride by the way, is itself a wonderful experience, as you get to see the panoramic view of the city slowly unfolding while the train climbs the hill. That is if, you know where to sit - the rearmost portion!

So now you know that you should sit on the rearmost seat. That means the lowest portion of the train. And by the way too, you all face backwards while the train ascends - since that's where the seats face - so, all the more that the moving panorama will be fantastic, if you were seated at the car's lower end.

Here is a video clip I shot while we made the ascent from the lower station up to the top..,

Did you like it? Well, this was supposed to take less than 5 minutes (as said on their website). But this ride took us exactly 18 minutes due to those unannounced stops. Not that 18 minutes is long. In fact, I wish the ride could be slower to maximize the views. However, when this train stops in the middle of nowhere (not a station), and the cab precariously clings slanted on a steep slope, and no one (live or recorded) is explaining why is it so and for how long.., aba.., you start thinking about the unthinkable!

Magsabi man lang sana si Manong Driver na... "let us pray" hehehe, okay na yun!

Anyway, while many come just to experience that funicular ride, there are many things on the hill!

That big map at the plaza will be helpful to orient you to get bearings as to where everything is. There are many things to see or do, if you went to see or try all of them, a whole day would never be enough!

Let me show you random takes I had while roaming on the hill (aside from the first 3 pics above)!

Here's another view of the displayed old coach (another view of the picture above) circa 1923~1977..,

And this is the funicular train's historical information that I tried to enlarge (I hope you can read it)!

Other than natural endemic flora in the area, this decorative plant with blue flowers is beautiful!

Some of the multitude of padlocks at the "Penang Hill Love Lock"...

Trivial daw (as mentioned above).., eh bakit ka nagpa-kodak dyan aber? Asuuus, alams na!

At hindi lang isa ang pektyur! Not one... but two, even if under a hot noon sun! Trivial pala ha?!

Aba, pati sa pitcher plant for lovers, nagpa-kodak din! Ayun blanko yung katabing pitcher plant!

Response to above comment [defensive]: Just taking advantage dahil me kasama, so nagpa-kodak!

Hmm, why do I hear someone shouting "estoryaheeeee"!

Anyway.., there are many things to see or do in this wide place. These are hills, not a singular hill!

But undeniably, views of Georgetown (and even Butterworth) down below, is everyone's "must see"!

From one of the view decks, you could also see the food court and the arriving/departing trains!

Ah, just for a 'perspective', I also shot a video of one departing coach. I'll put that here when done!

Did you know meron din naman tayong ganyan sa Pilipinas? Yep, sa Tagaytay Highlands. Mas maliit nga lang, I think less than 50 ang capacity, and shorter ang travel distance, but newer than this one!

Anyway again, I like being in this 'Sky Terrace' by David Brown's for drinks and snacks with a view!

Cool atmosphere, excellent food, extensive bar selection, chillax music and fantabulous views...

If you want a classier colonial dining setting, just take the few more steps up to their restaurant!

Sa garden pa lang, andyan na ang menu! And you can dine on the grass... under the trees. Coolness!

You do not only have a view of the city down below, but even the historic edifices on these hills!

That is if you're like me, who does not have the energy to walk to all those places for a closer look! As said above, this isn't just one hill but a group of about seven peaks 'singularized' into "Bukit Bendera"!

Trivia: in the languages of our Visayas and Mindanao, "Bukid" is a hill or mountain. "Bukit" here!

Hint: how much more if you are seeing all of the above at sunset, where everything has that yellowish wash of sunlight, and those buildings/houses start to flicker with their own lights? Truly mesmerizing! But that's also when there are too many visitors, you kind of compete with them for almost everything!

I told my companion "sorry we can't stay until dusk, we have a dinner appointment at Batu Ferringhi"!

Okay, let's go back down! Oh, the upper station also has a waiting room for 'fast lane' ticket holders!

We recommend this 'fast lane' system to senior visitors, very young kids - and the impatient like me!

I also got to sit at the rearmost portion which becomes frontmost since it's going back down!
The chances of grabbing that 'choiciest' seat on this funicular train, for the views, is greater if you get the 'fast lane' tickets since you are boarded ahead of everyone else. Less competition for space hehe!

Alright, emerging out of the 'lower station' just cross to ride either a HOHO or Rapid Penang Bus!

Another hint: if you ride the HOHO Bus, like we did, it will still run its usual route - which we have done yesterday. Not that we did not like it today, but it took us a long time to eventually reach Gurney Plaza and transfer to the Beach Route HOHO Bus to Batu Ferringhi! Ah, I forgot there's a thing called "Grab"!

But it was fun, and educational, just the same!