This photo journal features the fishing village of Teluk Bahang & the adjacent Penang National Park. Located in the NW corner of the island just a few scenic miles west of Batu Ferringhi, Teluk Bahang (pronounced teloo-bung by the locals) is a rustic fishing village surrounded by small islands. Besides being an important fishing village, it is the headquarters of the Penang National Park (see below).

Teluk Bahang was one of 3 communities most affected by the Dec 26, 2004 tsunami. Although I don’t think there was loss of life here, there were many injuries, houses, boats & fishing gear were destroyed or damaged, & the livelihood of many local fishermen was severely disrupted. Damage to the local aquaculture industry was also significant in that floating cage farms (shrimp, fish, oysters) were severely damaged & the stocks destroyed. There are a few tsunami photos here: http://www.worldisround.com/articles/105736/index.html

Two favorite pastimes for visitors to Teluk Bahang are visiting the park & the fishing jetties. However, there are other ‘attractions’:

Boat rides - Arrangements can be made to explore the islands (and hiking trails) by boat through the Teluk Bahang Sportfishing Chalet located along the sea-front which is managed by the Teluk Bahang Fishermen's Association, if it’s still there & operating? You can also opt for a two-hour boat ride with a stopover at the beautiful Monkey Beach, or you can be dropped off on an island to fish & relax, & arrange to be picked up later. http://www.my-island-penang.com/Chalet-Sportfishing.html

Fresh seafood - There are a number of seafood eateries in the village. The Fishing Village Restaurant seems to be the most popular these days. Fresh fish to take home is available at the fish market near the chalet. The fishermen come back from the sea at various times of the day so the seafood is always fresh & reasonably priced.

Monday night market (pasar malam) - A great wet/dry market with the best hawker food on the island, in my view ;o) A perfect day at Teluk Bahang would happen on a Monday when you would visit the park, hang around the jetties to watch the fishing boats come in, then stop at the market on the way home to pick up some tasty local morsels while you shop for wrenches, underwear & oranges ;o). You can always come back another evening for a great seafood dinner at one of the popular seafood restaurants here.

Other area sights:

*The Penang Butterfly Farm (go as soon as they open in the morning as it’s feeding time & the butterflies are more active then). http://www.butterfly-insect.com/contactus.php

* The Forestry Museum just south of the village on the way to the Butterfly Farm. http://www.tourismpenang.gov.my/page.cfm?name=at02c_05

*The Teluk Bahang Dam (completed in 1999), less than half a kilometer south of the village overlooking the Butterfly Farm. Wikimapia of the dam + the area: http://wikimapia.org/19277/

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"Penang National Park" - (Taman Negara Pulau Pinang in Malay) is located on the NW tip of Penang island. The entrance & headquarters are in the fishing village of Teluk Bahang. Formerly known as the Pantai Acheh Forest Reserve, the park was declared a national park in April 2003. At only 2562 hectares (1181 hectares of forest & 1381 hectares of wetlands), it is the smallest National Park in Malaysia & in the world (they claim).

The unique features of this park which are not found in other national parks in Malaysia, include a meromictic lake* (at Pantai Keracut), wetlands, mangroves, mudflats, coral reefs, & turtle nesting beaches. [* A meromictic lake has layers of water which do not intermix.] There are also 8 beaches in the park & because of their remoteness, they are the best (cleanest) beaches in Penang. There is also a lighthouse in the park at Muka Head which was built by the British in 1884.

According to a 2006 report, there are an estimated 143 fauna species in the park including birds, reptiles, insects, amphibians & turtles, & 417 species of flora including various hardwood trees, palms, ferns, pitcher plants, & mangrove.

The park is open daily including weekends & public holidays, & admission is free, although you must register at the registration counter near the entrance. The park only accepts daily visitors, although camping may be permitted with prior permission from park management. Camping & weekend programs are also organized by the park for interested students. Note that accommodation is not provided in the park. Currently, the nearest hotels are in Batu Ferringhi & Tanjung Bungah. The park is accessible via the RapidPenang 101 bus from Georgetown which passes through Batu Ferringi, if you are staying there. (The end terminus for the RapidPenang 101 bus route is in Teluk Bahang.) There are also taxis in Batu Ferringhi. I’m not sure about Teluk Bahang though.

The great park web site includes an interactive trail map & photos: http://www.wildlife.gov.my/tnpp/biindex.htm