MY · Kelantan · 5.89°N 102.18°E

bukit panau

An easy morning climb above the paddy fields near Tanah Merah, with a Hang Tuah legend.

Best time
A dry morning between March and September. Start early, before the sun reaches the open slopes. The November–January monsoon makes the path muddy and slippery.
How long
Half a day
Getting there
Fly from KL to Kota Bharu (about an hour), then drive about an hour south-west via Pasir Mas. By car from KL it's about 7 hours. The trail starts at Taman Rekreasi Bukit Panau, about 15 minutes north of Tanah Merah.
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MY · Kelantanbukit panau5.89°N 102.18°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,An easy morning climb above the paddy fields near Tanah Merah, with a Hang Tuah legend.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingBukit PanauMY, Kelantan
KLbukit panau
≈ 311 km from KL, as the crow flies

A small hill rising out of the paddy fields between Pasir Mas and Tanah Merah, and the local favourite for a morning climb. Locals say Hang Tuah meditated up here, and that sailors once used the hill as a landmark from the sea.

Makan

  1. Nasi berlaukRice with gulai ikan and sambal, the everyday Kelantan breakfast, in Tanah Merah after the walk.Map ↗
  2. Roti titabToast topped with a half-boiled egg and kaya, a Kelantan kopitiam breakfast.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. The loopAbout 2 km from the recreation park to the top and back down, an hour or so at an easy pace.Map ↗
  2. The topAbout 255 metres up, with the flat Kelantan plain of paddy fields and kampung spread out below.Map ↗
  3. Hang Tuah's hillLocal families bring their kids for the stories as much as the climb. Ask the regulars.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Navigate to Taman Rekreasi Bukit Panau, not the village or railway station of the same name a couple of kilometres west.
  • Carry water and a hat. The upper slopes are open and hot by mid-morning.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.