The eastern face of Penang Hill is well served by a series of roads and paths, including Moniot Road, Viaduct Road, and Tunnel Road. Moniot Road is named after a Frenchman, Michael Jules Moniot who surveyed it between 1846 and 1855. Moniot Road has been declared a Heritage Trail in 1989 by the Governor of Penang.
The origin of Moniot Road starts from Half Way House (near the Tea Kiosk 84). Half Way House is the ruin beside the washrooms. Today, the head start of Moniot Road is behind 84.
The signboard reads:
Moniot Road was one of the earliest bridle paths on Penang Hill that is of special historical and botanical interest. It was laid out by major McNair around 1825 stretching from “Halfway House” at the foot of “Highlands (Which had been the hill residence of James Scott) and extending southwards to “Mon Sejour” and “The Retreat”.
The first track up Penang Hill was constructed by Captain Francis Light around 1790 giving access to the summit of Penang Hill. Moniot Road was named after the then government surveyor of Penang and it was here that the early botanists of Penang collected many of the hill flora specimens now found in the major herbarium around the world among the important botanists was Charles Curtis who established the Penang Botanical Gardens in 1884.
This is the tree that was planted by the Governor of Penang Tun Tan Sri Datuk Haji Hamdan bin Sheikh Tahir in conjunction with the Penang Hill Festival Sept 29 to Oct 1, 1989.
The plate of Witch Hazel maingaya malayana. It has yellow flowerings since 2002.
Witch Hazel. This is the pride of Penang.
The other tree planted is the sterculia macrophylla
Sterculia macrophylla was planted in memory of the late Sjonold Cunyngham – Brown in conjunction with the Penang Hill Festival, 1989.
Cracks that appeared on the drain was not rectified which lead to soil erosion and the eventual collapse of this section of the trail. Now, hikers have to descend to the ravine to cross the drain to the other side of Moniot Road.
The furnicular line that divides Moniot East and Moniot West. Make sure the cables that pull the furnicular train are not moving when you cross the line.
View of Mon Sejour.
“Mon Sejour” – French for “my stay at” was believed to be temporary occupied by Moniot.
Beautiful view of Farlim and Penang Bridge at this section of the path. After Mon Sejour, the Moniot West Road will wind into forested area and eventually exit to meet the Summit Road (Jalan Sultan Yahya Putra) between Tiger Hill and Southview Bungalow.
