4. Teluk Air Tawar Paddy Fields

North of Butterworth is an expansive area of flat land dominated by paddy fields which extend all the way up to the Muda River, on the border with Kedah. While it is mostly exposed, the views in this area during the early mornings or in the evenings are simply spectacular.

Just beyond the TUDM (Royal Malaysian

Air Force) base there are access points to get into this paddy field area. Here, depending on personal preference, loops of varying distances can be done. A unique thing to observe along a walk in this area is how the growth stages of paddy in each field differ from the next one, giving a picture of the entire lifecycle, from planting to harvesting the rice.

Tucked away in the south-eastern corner of Seberang Perai is the only designated State Park in Penang, Bukit Panchor State Park. Comprising mostly lowland dipterocarp forest and a small area of freshwater swamp, the park is rich is biodiversity, 67 species of amphibians and reptiles as well as 130 bird species call this forest home. As recently as 2016, a new species of skink, the Bukit Panchor Forest Skink (Tytthoscincus panchorensis) was discovered in the park. Floral diversity is no less impressive with a survey in 2016 yielding 224 species of trees from several study plots including several endangered species. There are two main trails in the park which visitors can attempt. The first being the Wetland Boardwalk and Tarred Road Trek, which are paved and suitable even for beginners. This walk brings you along some