Selected Nature Trails of Penang Island

Click To Enlarge

TRAIL 10 : CHIN FARM TO RECREATIONAL FOREST

(c) Forest Ang

Length: 5 km 2˝ hours
Recreational grading : 3-4
Condition: natural - little or no disturbance
Use: light
Status: water catchment area and forest reserve

Rimba Rekreasi or the Recreational Forest in Teluk Bahang is a popular park accessible by road. The hike to the park from Batu Ferringhi takes about 2˝ hours. The first part of the trail follows the Bukit Laksamana trail.

Opposite Bayview Beach Resort along the main Batu Ferringhi road there is a track leading to the Chin Farm waterfall. This trail starts from the huge raintree beside the main road. Walk towards Chin Farm. You will notice that the hill on your right has been indiscriminately cut for another so-called development. Refer Trail 9.

Halfway along the track to Chin Farm, you will cross a small stream. Several metres after this stream there is a path on your right. Follow this ascending trail which goes parallel with the road to Chin Farm below. This wide trail will eventually join the cascading waterfall. The trail continues to head upstream, criss-crossing it from time to time but staying parallel with the cascade. About 20 minutes after starting you should cross a stream and then be greeted by the picturesque Batu Ferringhi dam with its Moorish style architecture.

There is a web of misleading paths at this point. Search for a well-used trail that leads up and away from the dam. This trail makes a steep ascent which may demotivate some hikers. At normal pace you should reach rain gauge No. 15 (RG 15) in 35 minutes. When you reach it you will be on the summit of the ridge. Look out for a downhill trail on the right about 12 minutes from the first rain gauge. Take this downhill trail.

The descent down the hill slope is steep and challenging. After about 50 minutes of descending you will come to a T-junction with a misleading right turn. Don’t take it. Take the left turn. The signboard 'Hutan Simpanan' (Forest Reserve) can be seen on a tree. Three minutes after leaving the T-junction, you will come to another junction. Take the path on your left. Keep walking straight on and continue descending. About 10 minutes later, you will come to a four-way junction. Ignore the side trails and continue straight on down. You may be surprised to find a well-kept garden in the middle of a forest. You are now at the Recreational Forest Park. The 100-hectare park features flowing streams and walking trails as well as a Forestry Museum with a large collection of different types of forest produce.