The State and Federal Government of Penang gazetted the National Park in April 2003 as the first protected area legally under the National Park Act of 1980. The park previously known as the Pantai Acheh Forest Reserve is a sprawling 1,213ha of land located at the northwestern tip of Penang. This pristine area is rich in flora and fauna untouched by the ravages of development. The beach is of pure white fine sand and the water is so clear that one can see the sea bed. The park was set up to preserve and protect flora and fauna as well as objects with geological, archaeological, historical, ethnological and other scientific and scenic interests.

Visitors to the park must register with the park rangers before going into the park. Upon registration the park ranger will give visitors an entrance ticket. There are 9 campsites with pristine beaches in the National Park. They are Teluk Bahang Beach, Teluk Tukun , Tanjung Aling , Teluk Duyung (Muka Head), Teluk Ketapang (Monkey Beach) , Pantai Kerachut , Teluk Kampi , Pantai Mas and Bukit Telaga Batu. Visitors can either hike or take a boat to these places. The price of the boat ride depends on the type of boat. It is advisable to negotiate the price before taking the ride.