Penang Hill (7♥)

Penang Hill was the first colonial hill station developed in Peninsular Malaysia. Comprising Western Hill, Bukit Laksamana, Tiger Hill, Flagstaff Hill and Government Hill, it is located six km away from Georgetown. The hilly and forested area is the state's primary hill resort.

Set 821m above Penang’s capital, islanders call it Bukit Bendera and it is generally about five degrees cooler than Georgetown. It is the last patch of tropical rainforest in Penang so the flora and fauna here have been protected since 1960. It does not have the same prominence as Genting Highlands, Fraser’s Hill or Cameron Highlands but it is one of Penang’s best-known tourist attractions due to its fresher climate.

Penang Hill was discovered when soon after British settlement; Francis Light commissioned the area to be cleared to grow strawberries. Though it was never fully developed (it was difficult to carve out the forest area), it became a favourite expatriate refuge before the advent of air conditioning. Its oldest bungalow, Bel Retiro, is the holiday residence of the Governor of Penang.

From the top of Penang Hill on a clear day you can see the mountains of Langkawi and north Kedah but it is the night time sight of lit-up Georgetown that is especially rewarding. Most people simply come to enjoy the cool, unpolluted air and walk under 30m-high trees along the nature trails. Additionally, over 100 species of birdlife, ranging from ordinary garden species to exotic deep forest inhabitants, call this hillside home.

Two kilometres away from Bellevue Hotel is the Canopy Walk: this 220m walkway suspended between towering trees 30m above the dense jungle offers great views of the hillside. Opened in 2003, it was operational for a short time, and since then, due to its failure to attract sufficient customers, it has opened and closed without much announcement.

The most popular way to the top of the hill is the Penang Hill Railway. Located at the foot of the hill, this Swiss-designed funicular starts out from Air Itam. Built in 1923, it is one of the world’s oldest funicular systems and has a 2,007m-long track that climbs the hill at a crawling 30-minute pace.

The journey takes you past luxuriant greenery and the occasional macaque plus the bungalows originally built for British officials and other wealthy citizens. The queue for carriages can be quite long especially on weekends and public holidays: passengers have to change trains midway.

Another way to the top of Penang Hill is by a five km drive up a private road accessible only to the vehicles of hillside residents: this jeep trail is a popular hiking route and starts out from the quarry at the entry of the Penang Botanic Gardens.

升旗山

升旗山，又名槟榔山，位于槟岛中部，主峰西方山（Western Hill）海拔833米（2,733英尺），是槟城的最高点。

其中海拔735米（2,411英尺）的旗山（Flagstaff Hill）是升旗山群峰中被开发最多的山峰，也是当地居民和游客的避暑胜地。由于过去英国高官的别墅大多数在这里，山下的士兵利用旗语传递重要讯息，升旗山因而得名[1]。

升旗山山间的气候凉爽宜人，是槟城著名的旅游胜地。游客欲上升旗山，可选择乘坐有缆列车或徒步登山。有缆列车建于1922年，当年是为了方便英国人上山度假而建。山上还保留着许多殖民地时期的度假别墅，现在已开放给游客租宿。登山可眺望槟威海峡及威省的景色。山顶上建有一座优美的高地花园，以种植热带植物和花卉为主，是游客赏心悦目的理想场所。

Official Website :-
http://www.penanghill.gov.my/