Those who love the great outdoors and looking for things to do in Penang, should add the Cherok Tokun Nature Park to their itinerary and here’s more on what to expect.
Planning an Excursion
This forest reserve is within easy reach of Bukit Mertajam; apartments in the city such as those on offer at properties like Sky Residence Prai make an ideal base with Cherok Tokun within a 20-minute drive away. There are two car parks at the site, while also keep in mind that if you want to explore all the available trails, it’s better to plan multiple visits.
What Awaits
Cherok Tokun Nature Park is a prime spot for hiking in Penang and gives one a chance to head up to the summit that towers to a height of over 500 metres. There are various trails for you to choose from and one of the easiest is a 20-minute hike to the ‘Big Tree’; believed to be more than 100 years old, this humongous buttress tree is well worth seeing and photographing!
Heading to the Summit
From the Big Tree junction, you can hike along a trail till you reach Station 2, a good area to get some rest; from there, you can continue your ascent till you reach two Telekom Towers at the top. There’s a viewing platform nearby from where you can take in some truly breathtaking panoramas of local towns and the Mengkuang Dam.
Other Hiking Trails
There’s another hiking trail from the second car park that leads to the Cherok Tokun Dam and then onto the summit and viewing platform; it takes around two hours to complete and on your way, you may see monkeys too! For experienced hikers looking for more challenging alternatives, there’s the Trek 150/500 to the summit or Trek 800 which takes one to the western side of the nature park.
