ALONG THE SOUTHEAST border of mainland Penang is the 446ha Bukit Panchor State Park, a natural paradise characterised by towering dipterocarps, clear bubbling streams, and the sights and sounds of wildlife rarely spotted elsewhere in the state. Approximately 10km from Nibong Tebal, the location was first gazetted as the Bukit Panchor Permanent Forest Reserve in 1963, and later elevated to the status of a State Park in 2008 because of its rich biodiversity and recreational potential.

Being such a vast lowland dipterocarp forest, it is no surprise that a network of trails criss-crosses the park, some of which are also used for scientific research. After hearing about a trail in the park which leads to an old frontier pillar, I was intrigued, and made plans for a visit. Hikers should note that from 2 January 2025, activities within forest reserves in Penang state (including hiking) necessitate a permit, which has to be applied for at eforestpay.penang.gov.my. The permit application is best done a few days before the hike, and approvals are usually fast with the nominal permit fee being collected online.

We start early, knowing that the drive from Penang island to Bukit Panchor State Park takes about an hour. The part closest to the entrance is a recreational area, with a canteen, camping ground, several chalets and even a little boardwalk. Most visitors to the park are day trippers, who come for picnics and to dip in the cooling waters of Sungai Buaya, which meanders through this area. However, our focus is on the hike, and we trudge up along the main path, quickly coming to a junction where we take the right fork. Here, a tarred road goes past the chalets and up a slope.

On both sides of this road, trees are meticulously identified and marked with their local and scientific names as well as their unique characteristics, making this journey a very educational experience. Stopping to read the boards, we learn about several trees which grow here, like Karas, Kempas, Mempening and Sepetir, to name a few.

This diversity is no surprise; back in 2016, a research team from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) found a whopping 224 species of trees here. About 10 minutes into the walk, we come across the first point of interest—a High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF) plot, where the Pinang Angin palm (Iguanura corniculata) grows. A few fenced plots within the area safeguard this rare palm, which is featured prominently on the state park’s logo. While once thought to be endemic to a few states in Peninsular Malaysia, recent scientific research has found that Iguanura corniculata is a synonym of Iguanura polymorpha, a species which has a much wider, regional distribution.

The path continues gently uphill, with more delightful botanical sights and the sounds of birds and crickets chirping in the background. It takes another 15 minutes to reach the next pit stop, a small concrete hut where the path branches off into three ways. In front of us, the road continues in the direction of the Frontier Pillar, while to the right, two wide trails branch off to caves within the park—Gua Tongkat and Gua Kelawar. Gua Kelawar is well-known for its large roosting population of bats.

As we take a quick break at this hut, we marvel at a large Meranti Tembaga (Shorea leprosula) tree growing majestically in front of us. Prized for its timber, this tree is known to grow rapidly, its upward growth firmly supported by its wide buttresses. As we read the signboard near the hut, we are quite surprised to find out that the whole area was logged about 80 years ago, before it regenerated. Nature does indeed work wonders when given a chance!

We take the path that continues downhill past the hut, and soon cross a stream. It is soothing to look at the gentle flowing stream; its wide sandy banks tempts one to follow the waters downstream. The tarred road ends abruptly at this point, and it starts going uphill along a pebbled path. After the gentle ascent and subsequent descent, this uphill section proves to be tiring, slowing us down a little, but not dimming our spirits. About 35 minutes from the previous hut, we reach a small junction branching off slightly to the left, just before the pebbled path comes to a dead end. Following this brings us right to the border of Bukit Panchor State Park, where the Frontier Pillar stands.

Only part of the pillar remains; the other half having crumbled away. This Frontier Pillar and others along the mainland border were built after the signing of the 1869 “Treaty between Great Britain and Siam, respecting Quedah”. It was financed jointly by the government of the Straits Settlements and the Kedah Sultanate. These Frontier Pillars were no less than 6ft high, spaced 1 mile apart from each other, and based on the photos of Frontier Pillars seen elsewhere along this border, the complete structure would have looked like a short obelisk.

While frontier pillars are a thing of the past, this structure still marks the current borders of Penang and Kedah. Having come right up to the border of Penang, it is only natural that we take a few steps into Kedah, and make this an interstate hike. We follow the path beside the Frontier Pillar and immediately find ourselves in an orchard in Kedah’s Bandar Baharu district. Any further foray along this path would be a story I could write for a hiking column in a Kedah-based magazine!

Having got a glimpse of Kedah to satisfy our curiosity, we step back into Penang, and end our adventure with a packed meal. This hike in the Bukit Panchor State Park is one filled with botanical delights, calming surroundings and a curious frontier pillar—and is probably the only hike where I can bring my readers to the very frontiers of Penang (and beyond)!

Hike At A Glance

Length: 2 hours (To and fro)

Difficulty: Moderate

Interest Level: High

Signposting: Few, however the main path is clear.

Likelihood of getting lost: Low

Number of hikers: Few

Flora of Bukit Panchor State Park:

References

[1] GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATIONS, The Straits Times, 28 August 1869, Page 3. Retrieved from https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/on 11 February 2025

[2] Mohamad, Norazlinda & Latiff, A & Fitri, Zohari & Sani, M.. (2019). Tree species composition, diversity and biomass estimation of Bukit Panchor Recreational Forest, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal. 68. 145-155.

[3] Saw, L.G. (2023). A revision of the genus Iguanura (Arecaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 75: 73-117.

[4] Treaty between Great Britain and Siam, respecting Boundaries, Extradition Customs Dues. (Quedah.) Signed at Bangkok, May 6, 1869.