Living in Northern Malaysia, it cannot avoid going to Penang. I was on and cycling to tens of Penang of time now. Sometimes local Malaysian look surprised when they intend to do. It is in fact just not difficult. But it is a pleasure? Well, depending on where you come, it is good to do so.
Cycling in Penang to Pulau Pangkor
Pulau Pangkor is located approximately 190 km south of Penang. For most of the people of 190 km is too to cycle in a single day. The good news is that there are a few cities between Pangkor and Penang, where you will find hotels.
Leaving Pangkor, Sitiawan, where I live is close, there are two roads north to Taiping. One follows the road to Ayer Tawar, then Bruas, the second, much preferred by local people who drive a car, goes along the coast Pantai released, 35 from Pangkor, here a very nice and clean hotel. If you decide to take the road, there are a few small hills on the road. Turtle station near Segari reproduction is worth a stop.
A few kilometres after Pantai Remis, you can leave this road sometimes very occupied with the junction in Bruas. This road runs for approximately 10 km. In the end, you come to a T intersection, you follow direction Trong and Taiping, 30 km more later on. It also leads you to Trong and Taiping.
Taiping is a really neat city. Taiping zoo must visit, I think. The parameter in the hills and the manner in which the zoo has organized their animals is well done and it will give you a good day. The nearby hills of Maxwell and the Lake Gardens are beautiful. After Taiping, you can cycle North, then Highway number 1. However, do you some more beautiful roads. Follow the direction to Kamunting, then to Gerik. You will follow the hills on your right. It is a simple and pleasant ride. After about 15 km, you will follow the direction at Bagan Serai. This road is very quiet and scams through the hills but is never busy.
At the junction of Highway 1, you can directly to Kuala Gula and Kuala Kurau. It passes through flat land and plantations. Kuala Kurau is 20 km away.
In Kuala Kurau you do not have the choice, you need to go to international parity, there's hotels in the city and follow Highway 1 in Penang. This is not a pleasant bicycle path. It is a road busy with many cars and trucks, and many small towns before it comes to the junction at Bukit Mertajam.
From there, you follow the highway. Be careful, cars and trucks are used for motorcycles here, it is not unable to cycle here, but certainly not a pleasure. Since the bridge, it is 9 km to the Butterworth ferry.
Cycling in China, near Guilin Yangshuo
This route is less traveled by tourists, but it is worth to do. A cyclist myself, I have this road a few times up and down, so to say. If you've already seen Langkawi and want to go to Thailand in a different way, this is a great opportunity.
I don't know how to cycle in Betong, you can read here. Betong is the Thai border town in southern Thailand. The city is small and little used by foreigners, but many Malays of Penang and other areas to the North West Malaysia come here regularly to make purchases.
The border is 7 km from the city centre. A cyclist must know that the Betong highway goes up, never abrupt. The border is easy and fast. After the border, you simply follow the direction of Butterworth, the city of continent from Georgetown, Penang. Pengkalan Hulu may be your first stop, there are only 7 km from the border and the banks and hotels.
The next town will be bullets following Pengkalan Hulu. As Pengkalan Hulu is hotels too and is a pleasant stay on the day the day. The city is surrounded by hills, and there are some great walks to do in the surrounding. In fact, it is a tourist area much neglected but worth a visit.
You will find a few more serious climbing on the way to bullets. Although the road is not very high there are a few pieces short but steep. But as it usually goes, what happens, must descend too.
After the bullets, the road will continue to be quiet for many kilometres. In fact, a few kilometres before of Kulim, it will be quiet if the road looks like a major highway. After Kulim, it will be more busy, but there is a way of motorcycle you will be safe. The part on the highway of Kulim in Penang is not pleasant or beautiful. Alternatively, you can go to Kulim and follow the instructions in Butterworth on old roads, especially after the occupied towns. But it is too much, not really attractive. The two roads are occupied by trucks, buses and cars.
The more you come to Penang, it is the road and less there busiest see. Cycling in Penang of Betong is about 100 km.
Cycling in Northern Penang
Cycling in Northern Penang is not recommended because it follows mainly large busy roads and there is not much to hold your breath. A more beautiful option is to take the boat from Penang to Langkawi, then a boat to Satun.
Junction of Bukit Mertajam Butterworth ferry
Enter Butterworth is not a pleasant experience. There is a nice road in but it is difficult to find, and even locals know it as it follows the small roads where cars cannot come. If you want to use this route, please email me.
Cycling in Penang is not for everyone
Cycling in Penang with Johan, near Pantai Remis
It is in Penang cycling not for everyone. It is a statement that I hear every time in some time. I disagree. Why it would be easier for me than for you? A good example of cycling in Penang is absolute as possible for all the world is my journey with Johan, a boy of 9 years of Penang. Johan and I cycled the distance of Pangkor in Penang in 4 days, no problem. Johan has cycling on a bicycle with no gears. If it can cycle this distance, everybody can do.
Peter van der Lans is a Dutchman who lives these days in Malaysia Sitiawan. After years of travel, he cycled from Holland in Malaysia, remained a month in the Middle East, a year in the Indian subcontinent and 2 years in China more than a year at the United Kingdom, it has itself established in Malaysia.
Sitiawan is the ideal place to write a website on pulau pangkor. Later, he wrote www.bicycle-adventures.com, a current project on his trips on bicycles. A third-party Web site: www.yangshuo-travel-guide.com it recently to build. Over the years in China, he lived in Yangshuo and he thinks that he can tell the story on this beautiful small town in China.
