Pantai Kerachut : A hidden away beach sanctuary in Penang Island

Undisturbed, unspoilt & tranquility is what best to describe Pantai Kerachut. Located at the north-east of Penang Island along the Muka Head cape, it is one of six beaches in Penang National Park.

This relatively unknown place is normally frequent by locals who went there to explore the lush greenery of Penang National Park & to camp at the designated campsite near the beach. Lately, more & more foreign tourist starts to give this fantastic place, a stop over.

Perhaps, it is the charming & alluring beauty of Pantai Kerachut that makes' it, the
best gateway to recuperate from the hectic city life. There are 2 way to get to the beach. First, is by walk/hike & the second is by boat. Taking a boat will be faster & will cost you approximately RM 15 per person (one way). There will be some fishermen boat along the stretch of Teluk Bahang that can bring you there. The price is not fixed, so try bargain for a good price.

Some hotels along Batu Ferringhi also provides' boat service to this beaches. For
example, Golden Sands Resort and Shangri-La�s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa. Although, you can enjoy a more relaxing boat cruise to this place, walking has become more favored nowadays. It's because the trails to Pantai Kerachut are much simpler and so much shorter compared to 4 years back. Various signboard are put up, leading you to Pantai Kerachut, Monkey Beach, Muka Head Lighthouse and some others beaches. The walk/hike will take between 1 ~ 2 hour�s journey along the lush greenery and astounding beauty of Penang National Park.

You'll need to register before heading into the park to prepare for any eventualities in case some of you did not made it back. Registration is of course, FREE!

Some of the Flora in the forest includes Cashew nuts which are common here. Fully grown timber trees are found inside the forest beyond the coast. Fauna such as bats and birds are very common. Monkeys are a nuisance as they raided campsites for food.

The calls from a pair of resident stock billed kingfisher in the evening occasionally break the monotonous beating waves and chirping birds. Wild boars and mousedeers are quite common during low tourist seasons. Pantai Kerachut is one of the few beaches in Penang with a turtle hatchery site, and is the only beach where the Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas can be spotted. It is believed that the Green Turtle only migrate here for nesting as extensive algae are not known and found around Penang Island.

The turtle hatchery site is one of the projects taken up by the State Fisheries Department some 16 years back. Turtle eggs were obtained from elsewhere to initiate the hatchery project and 17,345 hatchlings have been released to the sea from 2001 to 2006.

Now, the beach has started to attracted adult egg laying turtles. There are about 35 green badge tourist guides who will draw up a timetable for visitors and the number of visitors will be limited, in line with the national park conversation policy. According to the Fisheries Department spokesman, the best season to watch the hatchlings would be in June and July. So, remember to jolt down this important period.

Others attractions include visiting the seasonal meromictic lake, visible for only six months of the year. The lake has two layers of water of different temperatures. The bottom layer of sea water is normally warmer than the surface fresh water. Warm saline water below and fresh water on top. The lake is just a short walking distance from the beach.

A thing to note is that, you can't find any food or drink sellers on this beach. Therefore, it is essential to bring our own. You wouldn't want to eat something from
the wild, right? And when evening comes, it is where you can enjoy the breathtaking view of the beautiful sunset, amidst the beatings of endless ocean wave coming down the shores. Enjoy your visit to the beach & have fun!

Source: www.penang-vacations.com