Pantai Kerachut Nov2009

Last sunday, 08112009, a friend ask me to join him, going hiking to Pantai Kerachut. Dont know what kind of friend lai. People wanna sleep and laze off my weekend and he ask me to go torture myself exercising and hiking.

Have not being there since secondary school when a bunch of us went camping there. Lots of changes. The Pantai is now part of Penang National Park. The entrance park's entrance at Teluk Bahang has now been upgraded and looks grand. There's even an interpretation center.

Now you need to purchase a permit to go inside the park. Now the Park even have a security guard on duty just to stamp your permit.


The fishermen and the fisherbird.

After a short stroll on some nicely paved flat road, will come to a hanging bridge. The trail splits into left or right. Turning right would be going to Monkey Beach. We go left heading towards Pantai Kerachut. From there the going gets difficult (for my pathethic fitness level). The jungle trails would accends and decends and accends and decends and......

The jungle trail will pass this 'Batu Belah'. Seems that this part of the trail was made by some ancient loggers 'belah-ing' the hill with their bare hands and cangkul.

After an hour or so going up some hills, then going back down, then up again, and down again, finally reached the Pantai Kerachut (also known as Turtle Beach). Was greeted by another hanging bridge.

There ia a turtle conservation center here at Pantai Kerachut. A bunch of little turtles relaxing in a swimming pool before they are release to face the real world. Sad to state the reality that most of them would not survive.

Reminded me of Niah National Park. Only these walkway are shorter and are made of concrete.

A survivor. Rising up from nothing. But my understanding is, brightly coloured fungi are actually lethal.

So seeing this sign, wonder how long I need to wait. Should I switch off my car's engine?