The Habitat, Penang Hill REVIEW: everything you need to know

If you’re planning visit Penang Hill’s top attraction, The Habitat, our guide will answer all you’re questions including how to get to Habitat from the funicular, entry fees, what to expect, top tips, and how much time to allow.

For decades, Penang Hill has been a place visitors gravitate towards, somewhere to escape the heat and activity of George Town. If you’re visiting nowadays, you’ll soon discover that it’s become a major tourist attraction in its own right. Once you’ve experienced the hustle and bustle of the Upper Station, you might crave somewhere quieter to retreat to during your visit, a place to witness the tranquil rainforest setting that initially made the area so popular.

The Habitat Penang Hill is an eco-friendly, environmentally-conscious, rainforest discovery centre, tucked away from the crowds. Quiet, well-maintained and full of interesting things to do, this is your chance to experience a little of what Penang Hill was like all those years ago.

How to get to The Habitat, Penang Hill

The Habitat Penang Hill is accessed from the Upper Station area of Penang Hill. From here, turn left, walk across the roundabout, and follow the signs to the main entrance. It’s a 5 minute walk from the Upper Station to the entrance of The Habitat.

If you’re wondering how to get up Penang Hill, you have several options to reach the Upper Station:

• Penang Hill funicular takes five minutes to reach the Upper Station from the Lower Station in Air Itam. Plan ahead though as the queues on weekends and public holidays are almost as (in)famous as the hill itself.
• Jeeps can be hired from this point, costing RM160 per vehicle (4 persons max).
• Several walking routes are available, each requiring a decent level of fitness. Options include the Heritage Trail from Air Itam, or trails up from Penang Botanic Gardens.

And work is happening right now for a fourth option; a cable car from the entrance to Penang Botanic Gardens to the Upper Station. Work commenced in June 2024 and will take several years to complete.

Entry fees and opening times

The Habitat Penang Hill is open seven days a week, 9am to 7pm (open until 8pm on weekends). Last entry is 90 minutes before closing.

You don’t need to book in advance, although tickets can be booked online if you prefer. Prices are the same as if you buy on the day (no discount for MyKad holders).

• Adults RM60
• Senior (60+) RM40
• Child (4-12) RM40

Family ticket of two adults and two kids/seniors are also available for RM160. Staff can be slightly officious with checking ID: you may be asked for the children’s passports(!) to prove they’re under 12. Do keep this in mind, especially if your kids/seniors appear old/young for their age.

What to expect at The Habitat, Penang Hill

From the moment you enter The Habitat, you become immersed into the rainforest, with walkways leading you away from the busyness of Penang Hill into an altogether more natural experience. The proud owners clearly have a deep interest and connection with the surrounding ecosystem, and the well-maintained signs and walkways help guide you through the rainforest.

As you progress further into the rainforest, there are several opportunities to appreciate the stunning views across to the mainland, the rest of Penang Island and Malacca Strait. If you keep your eyes peeled, you’ll be rewarded with plenty of wildlife, including dusky leaf monkeys, macaques, various birdlife. The constant soundtrack of cicadas will accompany you throughout the visit.

The paths are easy to navigate and predominately flat (with a few ups and downs), so it makes for easy walking and a relatively high-level of accessibility.

Languar Way Canopy walk

At 800m above sea-level and 100m in length, the Languar Way Canopy Walk is a safe but exciting walkway across the roof of the rainforest, with cobalt-tinted views across the Malacca Strait towards the mainland and Langkawi. The website boasts that it’s the ‘longest double span stressed ribbon bridge in the world’ and feels extremely secure with a decent sized fence on either side. If you’re not usually a fan of heights, this is one canopy walk you’ll feel quite safe on.

Curtis Crest Tree Top walk

The highest publicly accessible viewing point in Penang (800m above sea level), Curtis Crest Tree Top walk is the best place for views at The Habitat. If you’re visiting on a clear day, you’ll be able to pick out Langkawi, Penang International Airport, the mainland, the rest of Penang Island, as well as tantalising views across the Malacca Strait towards Thailand.

No wonder that the early British arrivals constructed several buildings here including Bel Retiro, Crag Hotel, and the convalescent house. This area was noticeably cooler than George Town and was as close to a European climate that the colonials could find. The walkway has excellent signs dotted around the perimeter, giving information on the early buildings and the people who setup a new life here.

Curtis Walk is higher than it looks from ground-level and it can feel quite exposed when you ascend the four flights of stairs. Once you’re settled and orientated, take a few laps of the walkway and enjoy the 360-degree views which are the best on Penang Hill (or anywhere else on the island for that matter).

The main footpath and giant swings

The main trail that winds its way through The Habitat is well-looked after and in good condition. You’ll be more comfortable in hiking shoes or trainers, but flip-flops are also fine. The trails brings you face-to-face with the rainforest and, in some places, you can literally reach out and touch the trunks and foliage.

Beyond the rainforest, the walkway has been designed to keep you engaged with a few small exhibits to look at including animal specimens in jars, giant swings, and some funky ‘street art’ displays.

The giant swings in particular make for relaxing pitstops, with views out towards the sea and rainforest.

Getting back to the funicular

As with most tourist attractions, the exit is via the gift shop, although this one is worth a few minutes of your time. It sells a few interesting items, especially if you’re interested in books about Penang Hill, its history, and the surrounding area.

At the far side of the gift shop is a small café selling cakes, ice-creams and drinks, with a small seating area to the rear.

When it’s time to leave, exit the gift shop and follow a path for a few metres to the shuttle bus back to the Upper Station, which is included in your ticket price.

The shuttle bus holds about a dozen passengers but the queue isn’t well organised as there’s no designated queueing area, people just tend to hover around until the shuttle arrives. People don’t intentionally jump the queue, but it can be hard to remember who was where in the queue. You’ll need to show your ticket again to the driver before boarding.

It’s a fun trip back (five minutes) but, if you have some energy left, it’s arguably better to instead walk to the Upper Station. It’s predominately flat, with a couple of pretty viewpoints along the way. It should take about 15 minutes (1.2km).

How much time to allow

With all the walkways to stroll around, and views to linger over, you should expect to spend two hours at The Habitat.

Top tips for visiting The Habitat, Penang Hill

• there are several water fountains dotted around the trail, so bring your own refillable water bottles to top-up along the way
• save energy for the Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk towards the end, the best views are found here
• get to The Habitat early to avoid the queues, particularly if coming up on the funicular train
• at the end of your visit, consider walking back to the Upper Station rather than waiting for the crowded shuttle
• keep hold of your hat on the Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk, it can get deceptively windy this high up.
• the entire site can be closed in bad weather, with the Curtis Crest Tree Top Walk the first to close when storms are in the area (not uncommon)
• try to visit on a clear day if at all possible, the views are a highlight of your visit
• consider bringing some ID (or a copy) if you plan to buy concession tickets

Other things to do at The Habitat

• VR experience – a virtual visit to the habitat
• Starlight camping – sleep under the stars surrounded by the sounds of the rainforest
• Forest bathing – pause for a while and let the forest heal you
• High ropes course (Flight of the Colugo), although check if it’s re-opened after recent maintenance work
• Watch the sunset from the highest viewing point on the island

Our personal thoughts on visiting The Habitat

The Habitat makes for an excellent activity and is well worth the money to see a different and (an arguably) better side of Penang Hill. The excellent trail lets you wander amongst the rainforest, with the walkway and tree top walk giving an even higher perspective on Penang Hill and the surrounding area.

Penang Hill and its rainforest are such key landmarks on the island, and The Habitat drops you right into the thick of the action. It’s guaranteed to provide happy memories when you get back down to sea level and gaze up at the vast green expanse of Penang Hill.