Scenic spot: Guests camping out at Nature Green Farm on Penang Hill. — Photos: LIM BENG TATT/The Star
Outdoor camping experience, unique night walk among Unesco site’s latest attractions in Penang
CAMP overnight at the historic Penang Hill, a Unesco Biosphere reserve, and witness its wildlife that is usually not seen by many.
An option for a place to stay is the Nature Green Farm (NGF) located at the hill’s Viaduct West.
Visitors can camp on the grounds of the farm’s bungalow, which is sometimes used as a retreat for visiting Buddhist monks from overseas.
Breathtaking night view of George Town from the Nature Green Farm campsite on Penang Hill. — BERNARD SEE/The Star
Its director Ong Kok Peng, 52, more popularly known as KP, said he had been organising overnight camps, only available on the last Saturday of the month, for the public since last year.
“For me, this is not a money-making venture.
“I organise this all-inclusive camp so that urban folk, especially children, get to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature instead of just being occupied with their electronic devices.
“Whatever profit made is donated to a Buddhist temple in Perak Road,” he said.
A scorpion glowing under ultraviolet light during a night exploration walk.
He revealed that the farm’s bungalow used to be his home till he was 12 years old.
“It has since been donated to the temple committee by my family,” said Ong.
“I do not take in many people, only between 15 and 20 at any one time, and everyone gets to camp outside to enjoy the fresh air and cool weather.
“They will also get a great night view of George Town, part of the mainland and the two Penang bridges if the weather is good,” he said.
Overnight campers at the start of the Night Exploration Walk in Penang Hill.
The camp that he organises includes a Herb Walk and Night Exploration with him and Joseph Teoh, 54, as guides.
Meals are also part of the deal, with the vegetarian food cooked by Ong’s wife.
“If there are at least 15 people, I can organise a special camp with similar programmes.
“I grew up on this hill and I am very familiar with the wildlife and hiking trails here.
Ong has been organising overnight camps for the public since last year.
“Over the years, I have seen some amazing animals such as the Sunda pangolin, leopard cat, the greater and lesser mousedeer as well as Sunda colugo (flying lemur),” he added.
To keep the experience fresh, Ong is looking at introducing new activities.
One of them is to start a farming trail at the end of the year where visitors can learn more about fruit trees, herbs and vegetables.
“I put a lot of work into planting trees and organic vegetables around the farm.
“I now have many types of vegetables and fruit trees such as brinjal, nutmeg, pineapple, cherry tomato and persimmon.
Ong showing campers a stick insect during the night exploration walk in Penang Hill.
“I recently planted 100 robusta bushes to strengthen the slope around the farm and they have been growing well,” said Ong.
“In a few years, I may have my own coffee beans to brew for guests,” he said.
He highlighted that more than 60% of the vegetables used in the meals came from the farm.
He also has two stingless bee (kelulut) hives which he harvests honey from.
Ong (second from left) explaining to the campers the various species of herbs and plants available near the farm at Penang Hill.
On a recent camp held on May 27, 17 guests got a chance to walk part of Moniot Road where in 1873, British botanist Charles Curtis, who was tasked with setting up the Penang Botanic Gardens, came across a Maingaya malayana tree (a species of witch hazel). It was thought to be extinct for the past 200 years.
Curtis managed to propagate the species and now, there are a few at the start and end of the 3.5km trail.
Some saplings were also taken back to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, United Kingdom.
The road acquired its name from Jules M. Moniot, a government surveyor stationed in Penang during 1846, who later became the first surveyor-general of the Straits Settlements in 1855.
But it was Major McNair who undertook the construction of Moniot Road in 1825, with the intention of facilitating the ascent of horse carriages up the hill.
Participants listening to their guide Teoh (in white) during a walk around Penang Hill.
The Moniot Road walk was part of the recent night exploration event where the animals spotted included a blunt-headed slug snake, a green whip snake, Sunda colugo, a sleeping green Imperial pigeon, a rock gecko, stick insects, giant forest ants and scorpions.
Sally Zhen, nine, said she was fascinated by the non-venomous slug snake that curled itself into a ball when picked off a tree by Ong.
“I was told that this was a defence mechanism but a few minutes later, it calmed down and uncurled itself so I was able to let it curl around my hand for a few minutes before putting it back on the tree,” said Sally.
“This is actually my fourth time joining this camp with my mother, Nicole.
A Yellow Vented Bulbul bird perched on a mango tree in Penang Hill.
“We enjoy it very much as it is a different experience every time we are here,” she said, adding that she could not wait to return in two months’ time.
The overnight camp cost is RM188 per person with an additional RM100 for the rental of a tent.
For details, visit its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/NatureWalksPgHill).
Penang Hill Festival
This year is also a good time to visit Penang Hill as the hill railway is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a year-long celebration.
Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) recently decorated the second and third-generation coaches, named Pinang and Mutiara, with anniversary logo stickers as well as thematic blue, green and yellow images in conjunction with its centenary celebration.
PHC general manager Datuk Cheok Lay Leng said the highlight of the celebration would be the three-day Penang Hill Festival (PHF) 2023 with the theme “Music on the Hill – East meets West” from July 21.
“We have numerous activities in the PHF to commemorate the centenary.
Siau Yu Heng (right), 13, and other campers getting up close to a non-venomous snake at Penang Hill’s Nature Green Farm.
“It will be a spectacular event showcasing the abundant local cultural heritage through a diverse array of programmes and enchanting musical performances.
“Visitors get to enjoy the harmonious melodies of orchestral ensembles, the talents of local musicians, immerse themselves in the vibrant spirit of boria performances, and appreciate mesmerising renditions from Indian classical instruments like the sitar and tabla,” said Cheok, adding that the Chinese orchestras would also captivate with their performances.
The festival promises to be an extraordinary celebration, embracing the diverse cultural fabric of Penang.
A lotus flower at Nature Green Farm.
It invites visitors to partake in an unforgettable journey filled with music, dance and a deep appreciation for the vibrant heritage of this captivating destination.
For the list of festival activities, visit www.penanghill.gov.my/phf.
Before the funicular railway was built, ascending the hill was a challenge and the only way up was by walking, using pony rides or doolies (a simple stretcher on poles).
It was thanks to Arnold Robert Johnson (1879-1966), an engineer with the Federated Malay States Railways, that a funicular railway was constructed and completed in 1923.
Quah Yee Han, 17, smelling one of the plants grown on Penang Hill. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
It is now a unique piece of European-made railway heritage, undoubtedly the first of its kind in South-East Asia and it still remains timeless even after 100 years.
To date, the railway has ferried over 47 million visitors, including the late Queen Elizabeth II, the Emperor and Empress of Japan, the Prince of Cambodia and also residents and workers on the hill.
Last year, 1.48 million visitors used the Penang Hill railway.
The current funicular coaches have made more than 275,000 trips, exceeding 550,000km over the past decade after the second-generation coaches were replaced in April 2011.
The funicular coach may have physically changed from the first to third generation, but its historical heritage, socio-economic values and importance still remains, befitting its status as one of Penang’s historical icons.
