A sea of rice
Kedah's fields as far as Penang.
Cmglee — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ridzuan Wahab — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Peter in s — CC0 · Christopher Harriot from Penang, Malaysia — CC BY 2.0
A lone mountain rising 1,217 metres above Kedah's rice plains close to the Strait of Malacca coast, said to have guided sailors of old from far out at sea. In British times it was known as Kedah Peak, and a board near the top says it was once an island, before the sea drew back from it. A winding paved road climbs it from the town of Gurun, passing the Sungai Teroi recreational forest, and ends at the Jerai Hill Resort at about 1,175 metres, with a restaurant and a small strawberry farm. From there the view sweeps over a sea of rice fields as far as Penang Island on clear days. The true summit is a closed telecommunications and military zone, and photography is not allowed at its gate. There is no admission fee to speak of, only small parking charges, and at the foot of the mountain vans ferry up visitors who would rather not drive. The air at the top is much cooler than on the plains and clouds often cover the peak in the afternoon, so come early in the morning. There is also a small forestry museum near the top. It is about an hour and a quarter's drive from Alor Setar and about half an hour from the Bujang Valley at its southern foot, so combine the two in one day.
Kedah's fields as far as Penang.
At nearly 1,200 metres.
A climb through Sungai Teroi forest.
Between the Kuala Muda and Yan districts, about 70 km south of Alor Setar
The true summit is a closed telecommunications and military zone. The area open to visitors is at the resort just below it, at about 1,175 metres, which has the best views.