Day 5 - Penang National Park

Day 5 (March 11, 2023):

Our day started relatively early again as we wanted to take the ferry from Butterworth to Georgetown at 8 am. Georgetown is the oldest British settlement in Southeast Asia. We had booked a hostel (80's Guesthouse) where we could leave our backpacks before checking in. The hostel was located in a narrow street with many small houses, yet relatively central. There were restaurants and hotels everywhere. It was time for breakfast now.

After having our meal, we rented a scooter to explore the island. The goal of our tour was Penang National Park in the north of the island. Although riding the scooter was somewhat challenging at the beginning, especially in the city, it became more relaxed over time. Erik quickly adapted to the Asian driving style. It took us about 45 minutes to reach the national park.

The park is known for its breathtaking nature and beautiful beaches. A 1 1/2 hour hike led us to Pantai Kerachut. Not only was the beach stunning, but the path to get there was also very impressive. There were some obstacles such as bridges (not really safe), narrow paths, roots, and aggressive monkeys, which made the journey through the park an adventure. Everything was accompanied by the sounds of the forest. It was very enjoyable as there were hardly any other people around, allowing us to fully enjoy the idyllic nature. From Pantai Kerachut, we took a speedboat to Teluk Duyung (Monkey Beach) and then back to the entrance. Finally, we rode back to the hostel and returned the scooter.

After a refreshing shower, we headed to Lebuh Carnavon street food market. It was lively and much more touristy than the national park. We had dinner and watched a street parade.

Afterwards, we went back to the hostel, planned our next day, and fell asleep exhausted.