Muka Head Lighthouse

The lighthouse was built in 1883 and stands on a promotory in the north west of Penang in the Penang National Park.

The light was built by the British at a cost of £37,929 and was originally administered by Singapore. It is now administered by the Malaysian Marine Department. The Lighthouse was built alongside Fort Point Lighthouse and Pulau Rimau during an economic boom due to large-scale tin mining. These builds would give Penang Harbour a boost with English steamships now able to call at Penang Harbour.

The Lighthouse functions to aid the journey of ships to Penang Island from the Andaman Sea and the northern end of the Straits of Malacca, guiding them through the North Channel. It is the landfall light for Penang for ships approaching from the Indian Ocean.

In terms of construction, the lighthouse tower was constructed from granite and constructed in a round cylindrical form and is 14m high. The white house is visible in clear water from a distance of 30 miles and is placed on a summit of a hill which is 750 feet high. It appears that at the base of the lighthouse an office of the Jabatan Laut and caretaker living quarters have been constructed. To reach the lantern a cast-iron spiral staircase has been erected. The lamp itself is encased by a glass hut. There are a number of lamps, or bulbs, pointed in different direction. They are surrounded by parabolic reflactors to maximize the light. When the lighthouse is operational, the mechanism rotates, sending a sweeping ray of light across the surroundings. Its Chance lights, originally fueled by petroleum vapour, were installed around the 1900 and later replaced by the Chance Brothers with electric lamps. Apparently this replacement required five trips a day by Chinese labourers in 1954.

There is no road access to the station and though it is possible to trek through the forest from Monkey Beach or the entrance to Penang National Park however these both appear to be quite tough treks with no views until you arrive at the lighthouse.