Mengkuang Dam is a Dam

Dam

A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...

 located less than 28 km to the north-east of Butterworth

Butterworth

- People with the surname :* Arthur Butterworth , English composer* Bob Butterworth, former Florida attorney general* Brad Butterworth , yachtsman from New Zealand...

 town. It is the only dam situated in Province Wellesley (Penang

Penang

Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...

 Mainland) and the second dam built in Penang

Penang

Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...

 after Ayer Itam dam. It was officially opened by the former Governor, Dr. Tun Awang bin Hassan

Awang bin Hassan

Tun Datuk Dr Haji Awang bin Hassan was a Malaysian politician.He was born in Muar, Johor. He was educated by Sekolah Bukit Zahrah in Johor Bahru. Awang began attendance at the KE VII College of Medicine in the 1930s...

 in 1985. It has the water catchment area of 3.9sq km and a gross storage capacity of 23.6 billion litres makes it the largest dam in Penang

Penang

Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...

, almost 10 times the capacity of the Air Itam Dam. Mengkuang Dam will be close to the public starts on August 1st 2011 until July 31st, 2016 for enlargement and renovation.

Recreation

The park in the dam area is a popular place for recreation. At least 300 visitors of the dam on weekdays and it is estimated more than 1000 visitors on weekends. Visitors enjoy the scenic landscape, jogging and trekking. Angling is prohibited but there is no enforcement. There is a 10 km trekking trail skirting the dam through orchards and rubber plantations. It is opened from 6.00 a.m to 7.30 p.m daily.

Mengkuang Dam is also one of the venues for the annual Penang International Dragon Boat Festival. A lively affair, the festival is a fiesta of colour and noise, in which traditionally-built boats race through the waters of this dam, the boats are cheered on by enthusiastic spectators. The race begins with a slow beating of the drums by the helmsmen. The beat increases steadily, going faster and faster, and then rising to a crescendo

Crescendo

-In music:*Crescendo, a passage of music during which the volume gradually increases, see Dynamics * Crescendo , a Liverpool-based electronic pop band* "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue", one of Duke Ellington's longer-form compositions...

 as the boats cross the finish line. The ornate and beautifully painted 'dragons' on the boats' prows add to the gaiety of the festival.

How to get there

From Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...

 and Ipoh

Ipoh

Ipoh is the capital city of Perak state, Malaysia. It is approximately 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur on the North-South Expressway....

 (from south),from Sungai Petani

Sungai Petani

Sungai Petani is a town in the state of Kedah, in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia. Sungai Petani is the second largest town in Kedah after Alor Star.-Etmylogy:...

 and Alor Star

Alor Star

Alor Setar, known as Alor Star between 2004 and 2008, is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia, and Kota Setar District's Administrative Centre. It is also a distribution center for manufacturing and agricultural products such as paddy, and the royal seat of the Kedah state since the establishment...

 (from north) head towards Butterworth using North South Expressway (E1). On reaching Seberang Jaya, you need to exit from North South Expressway (E1) towards Kulim

Kulim

Kulim is the third largest town in Kedah after Alor Star and Sungai Petani is located at the South East of Kedah state and East of Penang state in Malaysia. Kulim is a district consist of 15 smaller sub-districts also known as "mukim"...

 using Butterworth-Kulim Expressway

Butterworth-Kulim Expressway

Butterworth–Kulim Expressway, BKE is an expressway in Malaysia. The expressway connects Butterworth, Penang in the west to Kulim, Kedah in the east...

 (E15). Get off at Penanti

Penanti

Penanti is a small town in Penang, Malaysia. It is located about several kilometres from Butterworth town. It is located in the parliamentary constituency of Permatang Pauh.Mengkuang Dam is also found here.-See also:*Penanti by-election, 2009...

 Exit and head for another 2 km to Mengkuang Dam using P129. Slow down when you see the clear grassy slope of the dam. There is no clear signboard to the entrance of the dam. The dam is on your right. You also can get there by public transport, from the Bukit Mertajam

Bukit Mertajam

Bukit Mertajam is the capital of Central Seberang Perai, Penang, Malaysia. It is commonly known as BM among its locals. It is located nearby Kulim, Kedah.-About:...

bus terminal, you can take bus no. 24. Although, to board a taxi is a better choice.