MY · Penang · 5.39°N 100.51°E

mengkuang dam

Penang's biggest reservoir, an easy walk along the dam and hills mirrored in the water.

Best time
Any time of year. Come early in the morning or late in the afternoon: the paths are exposed, and still mornings give the best reflections.
How long
Half a day, with breakfast
Getting there
About 3.5–4 hours' drive from KL. Take the Butterworth–Kulim Expressway, leave at Penanti and follow the signs for about 2 km. It's about 20 minutes from Bukit Mertajam and 40 minutes from George Town.
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MY · Penangmengkuang dam5.39°N 100.51°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Penang's biggest reservoir, an easy walk along the dam and hills mirrored in the water.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingMengkuang DamMY, Penang
KLmengkuang dam
≈ 282 km from KL, as the crow flies
Mengkuang Dam view

Photo: *angys* · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Penang's biggest reservoir sits in the green hills just outside Bukit Mertajam. It reopened as a recreation area after years of expansion work, and locals come for an early walk or jog along the dam with the hills reflected in the water.

Makan

  1. Hawker breakfast in Bukit MertajamChar koay teow, noodle soups and kuih around the old market.Map ↗
  2. Roti canaiAt the warung around Mengkuang and Penanti after the walk.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. The dam walkA paved route along the top of the dam with wide views over the water. Turn back whenever you like.Map ↗
  2. Hill reflectionsOn a still morning the hills and clouds are mirrored in the reservoir.Map ↗
  3. BirdwatchingBring binoculars for the birds around the greener edges of the reservoir.Map ↗
  4. Bukit MertajamOld-town hawker breakfast and St Anne's Church, about 20 minutes away.Map ↗

Good to know

  • There's almost no shade on the dam, so bring a hat and water.
  • It's a working water-supply reservoir: no swimming, and keep out of fenced-off areas.

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