BIKING AROUND PENANG ISLAND & HIKING TAMAN NEGARA PULAU PINANG

As per usual I grabbed a bike and went around the whole island 2 days ago, but before we barely got going, the clouds opened up and we had to hide from the rain in this weird little shop with many locals simply staring slack jawed at us.  

We waited for about 30 minutes before making the call that, since we were already wet and the rain looked like staying for another hour or more, we may as well go to Yeap Noodles and wait there!  So another dash in the rain and we gorged ourselves on those delicious noodles while drying out and waiting for the rain to clear!

The ride itself was fairly boring to be honest, I went south from Georgetown and did the circumnavigation clockwise, but most of it was just towns and industrial area.  It wasn’t until halfway around, the south western corner, that there was any decent scenery to look at and even that was simply OK. 

Heading up the west coast and around the top was definitely the best part of the trip and although the riding at times was awesome, due to the tight, winding, hillside roads, it was still nothing special.






This waterfall was a nice little stop along the way though

Neither Noi or I had ever seen these 'flowers' before, pretty cool we thought..

The following day (yesterday) we rode back around the top to Taman Negara Pulau Pinang (Penang National Park) and spent a few hours hiking in the jungle.  We hiked across the park first to Pantai Kerachut, an ok little beach at the end of a good jungle track.  

Then I had organized a boat to pick us up and drop us around the corner at Monkey Beach to continue our hike back to the start, otherwise we would have to hike back through the same path too many times.  This way gave us a chance to see nearly everything without back tracking.

It was a little expensive though, I paid 70 myr ($23 au) for the whole boat, you can pick up other passengers on your hike or at the start of the journey to share the cost though.  We managed to find 2 other people on Pantai Kerachut looking for a boat, so they went halves with us. 

Monkey Beach was definitely the tourist spot, with all manner of things on sale or for rent.  You could get food, drinks, jet skis, 4 wheeler bikes, fishing trips etc.  Another proper hike through the jungle for an hour or so had us back at the entrance, my legs bloody aching as it has been a while since my last proper hike!  

Penang National Park provided a really good hike actually and was well worth doing, there is no entrance fee either, but they do make you sign in and out which is a great idea. 

Look at the pincers on these guy's as they battle it out.  These ants were about an inch and a half long, I reckon you would know all about it if they bit you.

After much internet searching and many dead ends, I stopped in at Park Royal Inn on the ride home and sure enough, they have AFL on tv.  I got to see the score of my Swans as they were giving St Kilda an absolute belting 74 – 16, and made plans to come back the next day to watch the Freo v Hawthorn game. 

That is today, Sunday 17^th August so it’s time to get ready, go eat at Yeap Noodles, then off for a couple of cold beers and watch the footy.