Пенанг Хилл

Penang Hill is a hill resort comprising a group of peaks on Penang Island, Malaysia. It is located in Air Itam, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) west of the city centre of George Town. Penang Hill is also known by the Malay name Bukit Bendera, which actually refers to Flagstaff Hill, the most developed peak.

Penang Hill covers a number of hills, with the highest point at Western Hill which is 833 metres (2,733 ft) above sea level. The hill stands out prominently from the lowlands as a hilly and forested area. It was used as a retreat during the British colonial period, and is now a popular tourist destination in Penang.

The top of the hill is accessible via the Penang Hill Railway from its base station at Jalan Bukit Bendera, Air Itam. To date, this funicular railway system is the only one of its kind in Malaysia, transporting over a million visitors to the peak of Penang Hill as of 2014.

History

Captain Francis Light, founder of the colony in Penang, first plotted a horse track from the Penang Botanic Gardens waterfall up to the top of the hill in 1788. He cleared an area in order to grow strawberry, and it therefore became known as Strawberry Hill. Its official name however was Flagstaff Hill, which is still reflected in its name in Malay, Bukit Bendera (literally "Flag Hill"). The name was a reference to the flagstaff outside "Bel Retiro", which was the residence of the Governor of Penang built by Francis Light c. 1789. The area is however widely known as Penang Hill which is in fact a collective term covering a number of hills, and the other names such as Flagstaff Hill, Strawberry Hill are still used for specific peaks in the area. The hill became a cool retreat for the British colonists from the heat of the lowlands and threat of malaria, and many bungalows were built on the summit of Penang Hill for government servants and army. A Convalescent Bungalow was built in 1803.

One of the earliest buildings was built by David Brown on Strawberry Hill which was given to Brown by Francis Light. The house however burnt down and then rebuilt in the 19th century, and it is currently used as a restaurant. The post office was first opened in 1894, and a hotel, the Crag Hotel, was established in 1895 (closed since World War II). The first police station was built in 1929, and the building is still standing here on the same site.

In the early days the only way to the top of hill was to travel on foot or horseback, or be carried on a dooly (sedan chair). The first attempt at a mountain railway on Penang Hill began in 1897 but it proved unsuccessful; it was built between 1901 and 1905 but had technical faults.The Straits government then organized a new project to construct the Penang Hill Funicular Railway at a cost of 1.5 million Straits dollars. The railway was first opened to the public on 21 October 1923 and officially opened on 1 January 1924. The funicular railway led to a sharp increase in residential development as it become a location for the building of holiday villas and bungalows by Europeans and wealthy local Chinese towkays alike. It also led to its development into a major tourist destination in Penang. A major revamp was initiated in 2010, with the overhaul of the railway that allows for faster access to the hill, as well as construction of facilities for visitors, walkways and viewing decks. It receives well over a million visitors a year by 2012.

Geography

Penang Hill is mainly a hilly granitic mass. The hill system is higher towards the northern part with its highest point at Western Hill, at an elevation of 833 m (2,723 ft) above sea level. Other than Western Hill, there are a number of peaks in the region, such as Bukit Laksamana (Malay for Admiral Hill), Tiger Hill, Flagstaff Hill, Haliburton's Hill and Government Hill. Flagstaff Hill is 735 m (2,450 ft) above sea level. A number of small rivers and streams originate from the region. Sungai Pinang (Malay for Penang River) is the largest of the rivers, and it starts from a number of tributaries in the area.

Land use

Because Penang Hill has a cooler environment, it has been a popular holiday retreat. A number of bungalows were built around Flagstaff Hill. The northern part of the Hills are not well developed. Government Hill, Bukit Timah (Malay for Tin Hill) and others are designated water catchment areas and no development is permitted.

Some recreational potential exists at the upper reaches of the river where the water is relatively clean. In a number of cases, sudden changes in ground level have resulted in a series of small waterfalls and rapids, where bathing, dipping and picnicking are popular.

The lower terrain of the Hills is used mainly for agricultural and residential purposes.

Things to do

There are a lot of fun activities you can do at Penang Hill.

Love Lock

Tour Malaysia’s contribution to the world’s legacy of love as you stands 823 metres above sea level on the observation deck of the Bukit Bendera. Aptly launched on Valentine’s Day of 2014, the lover’s promenade hosts the promises of eternity for couples who seal their affection with creatively-decorated padlocks. There's no place more suited to profess your love than at Love Lock Penang Hill.

Viewing Deck

At the apex of the hill near to the train station the focus is on enhancing visitors experience, maximizing the stunning views and resolving space needs. Both soft and hard landscaping have been extensively used to augment the hilltop forest experience. The holding area has been expanded for shade and shelter while large viewing decks and pathways with luxuriant planting have been fashioned into the slopes to create a journey of discovery. Three viewing decks with gardens at varying heights provide changing panoramic vistas while two additional platforms at the lower level allow rest under natural forest shading. The Skyway will allow stunning 360° views while fulfilling all accessibility needs.

Curtis Crest

Curtis Crest is a world class eco-tourism facility on the fringes of a 130-million year old virgin rainforest on Penang Hill. It is opened to the public on 1st May 2017. It aims to aspiring to promote environmental and conservation awareness amongst visitors through its nature trail, canopy walkways & zip lines allowing you to reconnect with nature at its best.

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang_Hill