Lost in the jungle. That’s how it felt. We were hiking Bukit Papan. The trail wasn’t easy. It was overgrown in parts. We were following a map but it was misleading. Bukit Papan is behind Bayan Lepas. It’s a hill in the south of Penang Island. This particular hike started near Jalan Permatang Damar Laut. There’s a distinctive musholla there. It’s a good landmark. We started our journey near the Hasienda House Homestay.
The initial part was nice. We walked through a traditional Malay kampung. It was peaceful. The area is changing though. A large building is being constructed. It will alter the landscape. Bukit Papan’s natural beauty is under threat. This is a common problem all over Penang.
We reached a junction. Our instincts told us to go right. We encountered an abandoned house guarded by four dogs. The trail was confusing. There were many paths. We chose the one that looked most used. It led us to a friendly Chinese community. They offered tea. They told us how to find a better view.
Their directions differed from the map. A farmer corrected our course. He pointed us towards the ridge. The map was useless. There were guest workers on the ridge. They had aggressive dogs.
From the hilltop we had a view. It wasn’t the view we initially expected. Teluk Kumbar was partially visible. We could see Pulau Kendi and Gertak Sanggul in the distance.
A motorcyclist suggested continuing down to Teluk Kumbar. We decided against it. Yuehong was exhausted. She’d had a bad night. Her elbow dislocated. The trail was becoming indistinct. I decided we should turn back. It started raining. We took the 401 bus back. We had a quick Nasi Kandar before heading home. Bukit Papan is an interesting place. Despite the difficulties it was a memorable hike. There is still much more to explore on Bukit Papan.