Selected Nature Trails of Penang Island

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TRAIL 14: TELUK BAHANG TO TELUK KAMPI

(c) Forest Ang

Length: 7 km 2˝ hours
Recreational grading : 3-4
Condition: natural
Use: light
Status: Pantai Acheh forest reserve

The hike from Teluk Bahang fishing village to Teluk Kampi takes about 2˝ hours. The first stretch, from Teluk Bahang to Pantai Keracut, is described under Trail 13. This second stretch from Pantai Keracut to Teluk Kampi (Trail 14) will take about 50 minutes.

At Pantai Keracut walk towards the far end of the beach. You will pass a jetty and the turtle hatchery site. There is a small, tickling stream flowing beside a putat laut tree. The start of the trail is between this big tree and the sea. Look for an ascending path.

The ascending path will lead you straight to the top of the hill. After 15-20 minutes you should reach big boulders where you can get a good view of the Pantai Keracut coastline. This is a good place to rest. The top of the hill is only 5-10 minutes away. At the top there is a junction. Take note of the junction for you will be coming back this way.

Take a right turn and make a steep descent towards the sea. Enjoy the sea view when you reach the coast after about 25 minutes. You now have rocky boulders between you and the beach. If you have not tried bouldering before, this is an opportunity to do so. Be warned that some boulders may be slippery. You may have to wade through the water if the tide is high. You are now at the Teluk Kampi beach.

The return trip will call for some dedicated orienteering and trekking because the trail is seldom used. About 30 metres from the stream, look for a clearing. You should notice an overgrown path leading from the clearing. Take this path and walk straight ahead. Keep to the left-hand trail and you should reach a small stream about 5 minutes after leaving the beach. Jump across the stream and a few metres ahead take the left turn heading towards a bigger stream. You can refill your water bottle there.

Once across this big stream, the path begins to ascend slowly. The trail may become more challenging, as you may suddenly find yourself suddenly "lost" with no trail ahead. Don't worry, the trail may normally be found again just beyond a fallen tree trunk or behind some big boulders. Backtrack if you overshoot. Remember that beneath forest trees, there is not much undergrowth, making it difficult to pick up the trail. Overgrown bushes usually occur in open ground making the path more obvious.

After about 30 minutes, you should reach the top of the hill. Remember the junction which you passed a couple of hours ago? Watch out for it. If you are not careful you might make the same descent to the rocky beach again. From this junction you will be returning on the same trail as the one you came on, back to Pantai Keracut.