HIKING up Penang Hill is not only a good form of exercise, it also enables nature lovers to appreciate and enjoy the variety of flora and fauna that Penang’s natural rainforest has to offer.

All a hiker needs is a pair of loose fitting clothings and sport shoes with a good grip.

Penang Hill, or Bukit Bendera, is 735m above sea level and comprises various peaks including Tiger Hill, Western Hill and Bukit Kerajaan.

From office executives to food hawkers, hundreds of people from as young as four years to the elderly, hike up the hill everyday to keep fit, healthy and strong.

Trekking up Penang Hill has also become a fun time for families, friends as well a popular outdoor activity organised by various societies and organisations.

Nature-loving tourists to Penang should also not miss this opportunity to fully savour the joy of trekking Penang Hill where they can truly be in touch with nature.

One should not fear getting lost while trekking as the treks are very clearly marked and there is bound to be someone passing by every few minutes.

There are several trails you can choose from. The three most popular trails are the jeep track near the entrance of botanical gardens, the Moongate and the jungle trail near Youth Park.

I personally prefer the Youth Park jungle trail as it is well maintained, not too steep and is very shady and cool.

Walk along the trail and you would reach the first rest place known as Number Three or Golden Heights, a name given by the frequent hikers.

Beginners would take about 30 minutes while the more experienced hikers would only need ten minutes.

At Number Three, tea, coffee and biscuits are served free of charge. During weekends, hikers would also have the opportunity to savour delicious fried beehoon and Chinese porridge while resting.

Delicacies like sweet potato soup and red bean paste also awaits hikers who would like to rejuvenate their tired bodies.

The food is prepared by a group of volunteers who are frequent hikers up the hill.

One of the organising committee members Goh Hock Seng said it was through the frequent hikes up the hill that they got to know the other daily hikers.

Frequent meetings soon led to a strong friendship. It was then they decided to build a rest place, equipped with chairs, tables and a kitchen for the benefit of all hikers.

Being the first rest place along the trail up the hill, it is more accessible to the young children and their old grandparents who do not have the energy to climb any further.

"There are at least 100 frequent hikers whom we know of and they do come occasionally to help out at in preparing food for the others," said Goh who has started hiking frequently since the 1960s.

The kiosk is fully equipped with a generator to provide electricity, water pipes carrying fresh stream water and even a television set to entertain hikers while they rest.

It reminds one of a coffee shop in Georgetown, the only difference is that everything is free at Number Three.

Of course, the other hikers are also encouraged to contribute food or cash in helping to upkeep the rest place.

After resting for a while, the more energetic ones may choose to continue their hike up the hill.

Another 10 to 15 minutes of hiking would lead one to another rest place called Moongate Number Five, which also provides the same facilities as found at Number Three.

The place is also run by a group of about 30 volunteers and has been decorated beautifully with flowery plants.

From the rest place, one can have a full-unobstructed view of Georgetown besides enjoying the cool and refreshing air.

The construction of the rest ranch took about eight to nine months as it was self-constructed by the volunteers themselves.

What really amazes one is the fact that the volunteers had to carry heavy bags of cement, zinc pieces and some 20,000 bricks all the way up the hill themselves as there is no proper jeep track for lories or vans to transport the building materials up the hill.

They even managed to convert a steep slope into a cemented shelter where cooking activities take place.

It must have been really heavy and tiring but their hard work has definitely paid off as hundreds of people visit the rest place everyday.

The peak hours are during weekend evenings when families and friends will come in large groups.

One of the first few founders of the rest place hawker Neoh Soon Hock, 37, said the volunteers took turns to daily to cook and supervise the rest place which is open daily from 2.30pm to 7pm.

Various types of food are cooked the traditional way using the coal stove.

For the more adventurous, another half an hour of trekking on the well-trodden jungle trail will lead hikers to another rest place popularly known as 84.

Help yourself to the drinks and food prepared at 84, which is located about half-way to the peak of the hill.

Once again, this rest place is run by volunteers and you are welcomed to donate some money for the upkeep.

From there, you can process to Penang Hill via the jeep track or Mariot Road.

I know of seasoned hikers who can reach the top in a mere 16 minutes of non-stop hiking while the less experienced hikers like me can take more than one hour to reach the top.

On the way up, one may come see many old quaint English-styled bungalows – with some abandoned and dilapidated ones are said to be haunted.

Built in the early 20^th century when Penang was still under the British rule, these bungalows were initially holiday resorts for the British families but now the locals themselves can rent them for short leisure stays.

A sad point to note though is that while hiking up the hill, one may notice a few dried-up streams, severe soil erosion and barren lands which have been caused by human’s irresponsibility towards Mother Nature.

Always remember to be cautious when using the jungle treks as many have reported seeing cobras in the area.

However, if you do come across a cobra, do not panic!

Stand still until the snake slitters away. As long as you do not irritate the snake, it will not harm you.

You must understand that to the snake, you are the "trespasser".

Sometimes, one may also encounter a whole group of wild monkeys swinging on the trees.

Here’s another piece of advice. Do not feed them nor disturb their paradise if you do not want to be attacked by the whole troop of monkeys.