Penang Hill (Bukit Bendera) is the highest point on Penang island at 833 metres, and the easiest cool-air escape from the heat and traffic of central Georgetown. The British declared it a hill station in the early 1800s as a sanatorium for sick officers; by the mid-19th century there were summer bungalows, a hotel and gardens. The temperature on the summit averages 4-5°C below Georgetown, a noticeable difference in tropical humidity.
The funicular railway from Air Itam climbs 6 km in about five minutes, with a fast line and standard line operating side by side. From the upper station, walking paths lead through the small "Hill village" past the original bungalows, the Bel Retiro (the British governor's old retreat, still used by the chief minister), a Hindu temple, a mosque and several restaurants and cafés. The lookout points give views across Georgetown and the Strait of Malacca to the mainland. The Habitat Penang Hill rainforest reserve, accessed by a separate ticket, has a tree-canopy walk and good interpretive trails through the original forest. Go early to beat the queues at the funicular base station; late afternoon for sunset is the other good slot.