Discover Penang National Park

Penang National Park is a 2,562-hectares national park located on the north-western tip of Pulau Penang. It's a popular destination for jungle trekking, swimming and fishing.
For those of you looking to get a golden brown tan, you may want to try Monkey Beach or Pantai Kerachut. You can get to Monkey Beach by walking along a coastline or by hiring a boat. The cost of hiring a boat to Monkey Beach is RM40, and a return fare is RM80. Going to Pantai Kerachut by boat is RM80, and a return trip is RM160.
My friend and I decided to jungle trek to Karachut Beach (Pantai Kerachut) and then return by boat, with a stopover at Monkey Beach.

On that clear day, it took us a full hour to climb up and down the steep slopes. Fortunately for us, it did not rain that day, otherwise it might have been unpleasant navigating through the muddy trails. The jungle trails are quite well sign-posted, so you should not get lost if you wish to jungle trek.

What can you see at Pantai Karachut?

1. Nice sandy beach - What I love most about Pantai Karachut is the (almost) absolute privacy you can enjoy here. This beach is generally not frequented by tourists, although locals may come here even on weekdays. Just a warning: The pristine white sand could be scorching hot at mid-day.
2. Turtle sanctuary - You may just be able to catch Green Sea Turtles coming up to lay their eggs from April and August. You can also see baby turtles in the hatchery.
3. Meromictic lake - This lake is formed by two layers of water of different temperatures. The bottom layer of sea water is normally warmer than the surface fresh water. It is generally visible for only six months of the year.

Our boat came at the prearranged time at Pantai Karachut. On our way back, our motor boat driver pointed out some rock formations, and shared their names e.g. crocodile, rabbit and tortoise.

When we arrived at Monkey beach, it was monkeys galore. Besides a few beach apes lying around on the thin strips of beach soaking up the sun, you could see real monkeys tussling over coconuts, resting on trees, or scampering around the grounds. I didn't stay long enough for them to attempt to steal my belongings. Haha.

Having gone to both beaches, I prefer Pantai Karachut for its larger stretches of pristine white sand and lack of crowd.

Address: Jalan Hassan Abas, Teluk Bahang, 11050 Penang
Contact: +604 8813530
How to get there: By car, taxi or bus 101 (this service runs from Georgetown through Batu Ferringhi beach)