6. Perak
Perak is one of the states of Malaysia and boasts of being the second largest state by size in Peninsular Malaysia. Perak borders Thai Yala Province and Kedah to the north, Pahang and Kelantan to the east, Penang to its northwest and Straits of Malacca to its west and Selangor to its north. Ipoh is the administrative capital of Perak and has a historical reputation for its top-notch tin-mining activities. This was until there was a drop in the price of tin which severely affected the econonmy of the state. However, Kuala Kangsar is still home to the royal capital and this is the location of the Palace of Sultan of Perak.
Perak translates to Darul Ridzuan in Arabic, which means, ‘Abode of Grace’. Officially the official name of the state is the Perak Darul Ridzuan. In Malay, the name Perak means silver and it is largely believed that it was given the name due to silvery color associated with tin. Perak was a great target in the 1890s by the British Empire for having the richest tin deposits in the world. The capital city of Perak, Ipoh houses about half a million people according to the recent census in Malaysia.
Perak is a jewel for tourist attractions in Malaysia and there are many places of moderate interest in the state. But Pangkor Island is nevertheless the major tourist destination here and it is located about 85 km away from the capital. Ipoh is in itself well reputed and famous for its great foods, limestone caves and mountains and abundant tin mines. Another city in Perak is Teluk Intan, which is famous for its unique steamed and highly delicious Chinese rice rolls and the pagoa- styled leaning tower. Derelict palace is also housed here and this is where the famous Raja Dihilir of Perak used to live.
Attractions in Perak
- Tempurung Cave
Gua Tempurung is a cave in Gopeng, Perak, Malaysia. It is popular among spelunkers,
or caving enthusiasts. About 3 km long, it is one of the longest caves in Peninsula Malaysia.
Part of it has been developed as a show cave with electric lighting and walkways and there
is a range of tours of different lengths and difficulty. A fine river cave, the river passage
runs about 1.6 km through the hill. There are three very large chambers and some
spectacular stalactites and stalagmites.
Located in Gopeng, about 24km south of the capital city of Ipoh in Perak, this limestone
cave is one of the largest in Peninsular Malaysia. Although not as big as Niah Cave and
Mulu Cave in Sarawak, beginners to caving exploration will be glad to know that this cave
is easy to explore. The tunnel of the cave runs from the east to the west covering a distance
of about 2km under the limestone hills known as Gunung Tempurung and Gunung Gajah.
It is made up of 5 large domes and is believed to have existed since 8,000 B.C., about
10,000 years ago. It comprises of five huge domes with cielings resembling cocunut shells.
Each of these domes has different calcium formations and marble there exist in differing
temperatures and water levels. These caves are famous for its breathtaking gallery of
stalagmites, stalactites and other amazing rock formations that are superb speleological
wonders, found only in this part of the world.
cave is one of the largest in Peninsular Malaysia. Although not as big as Niah Cave and
Mulu Cave in Sarawak, beginners to caving exploration will be glad to know that this cave
is easy to explore. The tunnel of the cave runs from the east to the west covering a distance
of about 2km under the limestone hills known as Gunung Tempurung and Gunung Gajah.
It is made up of 5 large domes and is believed to have existed since 8,000 B.C., about
10,000 years ago. It comprises of five huge domes with cielings resembling cocunut shells.
Each of these domes has different calcium formations and marble there exist in differing
temperatures and water levels. These caves are famous for its breathtaking gallery of
stalagmites, stalactites and other amazing rock formations that are superb speleological
wonders, found only in this part of the world.
There are various tours into the caves being the main attraction here. These caves are
located under the limestone hills and form tunnels that runs from east to west, nearly
1.9km in length. Visitors can experience these tours with specific requirements of prior
preparation. Certain tours such as the River Adventure Tours require visitors to bring a
change of clothes and shoes. Torch lights and safety helmets are available for rent.
located under the limestone hills and form tunnels that runs from east to west, nearly
1.9km in length. Visitors can experience these tours with specific requirements of prior
preparation. Certain tours such as the River Adventure Tours require visitors to bring a
change of clothes and shoes. Torch lights and safety helmets are available for rent.
- Pangkor Island
Pangkor Island has on multiple occasions been name as a dreamland for tourists visiting Malaysia. The island has so much to offer than you would probably imagine. This exotic island lies on the north- western part of peninsular of Malaysia. This is an incredibly intriguing island that covers an area of bout 8 sq km and about 25000 people call Pangkor Island home. Generally speaking, fishermen are the main inhabitants of the island and their settlements appear scattered all over the island. Fishing and sale of fish products is the biggest industry of Pangkor Island. With its many wonderful attractions and beautiful beaches, the island has been one of the hottest tourist destinations
The Pangkor Island ideally lies off the coastal part of Perak state that has a large number of islands with Pangkor Laut and Pangkor Island being the most prominent ones. Unlike Pangkor Laut which is a private island, Pangkor Island is a public owned island and attracts numerous of tourists especially those travelling to Perak on a budget holiday. One of the things that you will find in Pangkor Island is the incredibly beautiful beaches that will make you want to stay on the island for more days than you had initially planned for.
Being an island, beautiful beaches surround Pangkor Island on all sides. The most attractive beaches here are the Nipah Beach and Coral Beach even though there are many others that will lure you with amazement as well. If you are visiting Pangkor Island, make sure that you give these beaches a priority in your travel schedule and be sure not to miss them. Pangkor Island is also a great place to go for water sporting activities and snorkeling.
Even though beaches are the major attraction of Pangkor Island, there are also many other places of interest here as well. Such include the Pangkor town, fishing villages, Batu Bersurat, tortoise hill, kali Amman temple, and tiger rock, Fu Lin Kong Temple, The Marina Island Pangkor and The Tombs. The Pangkor Island can be accessed either by air or road. Ferry services are also available. Tourists are not allowed to drive into Pangkor Island with their cars but can use their bicycles and motorbikes for ground transportation on the Island.
- Kellie's Castle
Located beside Sungai Raya in Perak, Kellie's Castle is a huge unfinished mansion built by a Scottish rubber plantation owner named William Kellie-Smith. It was a gift for his wife and also to celebrate the birth of their son. Unfortunately, Kellie-Smith died of pneumonia at age 56 and the castle was never completed. Construction on the castle started in 1915 and ended in 1926 before it was finished.His wife moved back to Scotland and the architectural wonder is a tourist attracton today, with some believing it to be haunted.
The building brings you back to a time and place in the past. You get to see where some scenes from Anna And The King (1999) and Skyline Cruisers (2000) were filmed in the mansion.For history and architecture buffs, Kellie’s Castle is constructed in the British Indian Mughal-Gothic architectural style.
If you visit, you can explore the vast interior of the building – its rooms, wine cellar, elevator shaft and six-storey tower. Some of the rooms have been fitted with furniture so you get to see what they would have been like if the construction had been completed.From the rooftop, you also get a lovely view of the surrounding gardens.
It’s a good place for history and architecture enthusiasts. And since the mansion is believed to be haunted, it will also appeal to those who get a thrill from of the unknown. Both the castle interior and gardens are also good for taking your pre-wedding shots so it might appeal to couples and photography fans, too.
- Royal Belum State Park
The Royal Belum State Park is a huge park in the northern parts of Peninsular Malaysia.
It is part of the even bigger Belum-Temengor Forest Complex (BTFC) that is shared with
Thailand. Together with Taman Negara National Park it is one of the oldest rainforest in
world, dating back over 130 million years. Belum is a state park and not an official
National Park. This means that local government is allowed to use the area for
production forest and it is open for future development.
There are efforts to get the government to gazette Belum as a national park, though up till
now only a part of the huge forest is conserved and protected as state park. Belum has the
potential to become one of Malaysia's premier eco-tourism destinations, if managed well.
Within the state park you can do wonderful nature tours (mainly boat cruises) to spot
wildlife like elephants, deer, wild boars, birds, insects and many tropical trees and plants.
There are also quite a few endangered animal species that live within the state park;
Malaysian tigers, Sumatran rhinoceros, Malaysian sunbear, tapirs and the white-handed
gibbon. Chances on an encounter with these great animals are however very slim. It is said
to be the only place in Malaysia where you are able to spot all species of the hornbills.
Besides, this is also one of the places to visit if you want 'experience' the rafflesia as there
are three species of this enormous flower.
Within the Royal Belum State Park lies Lake Temenggor, the second largest lake in
Peninsular Malaysia after Lake Kenyir. Lake Temenggor is, just like Lake Kenyir, a
manmade lake used for water catchment. The lake has a variety of freshwater fish species
including the Kelah, Toman, Sebarau, Tenggalan and Baung, which makes it the perfect
destination for anglers. As it used to be a forest area, the place is full with small islands
(actually peaks of mountains and hills) that can be visited. The main resorts are also
located on these islands.There's much to see and do around Belum State Park. As many of
the attractions are located along Lake Temenggor, you will often make use of a boat to
venture out to these places. Among the attractions and activities are; numerous jungle
trails and river cruises , the Pulau Tujuh waterfalls (or any of the other beautiful waterfalls
in the area), the Pulau Talikail Lookout Tower (amazing views), Temenggor Dam,
the White Rocks (Batu Puteh), the search for the rafflesia, a visit to Kampung Chuweh
(authentic Orang Asli village), trek to the salt licks (Sira Gajah) with the chance to spot
wildlife.
- Taiping Zoo & Night Safari
The Taiping Night Safari is a first of its kind in Malaysia. Bathed in lighting similar to
moonlight, the beauty and splendour of nature is enhanced. In an effort to maintain the
experience of a natural environment, the Taiping Night Safari attempts to display
nocturnal animals in natural looking settings. This provides the opportunity for visitors to
appreciate and value the treasures of nature while enjoying oneself.
Taiping Zoo is special in its own way. It is located in a lovely natural setting in Taiping
Lake Gardens close to the foot of the Larut Hill (Maxwell Hill). The beautiful natural
setting with streams, lakes and abundance of flora gives the zoo a unique advantage of
being able to use nature to its best. ‘Taman Mergastua Sultan Idris Shah’ or the Taiping
Covering an area of 34 acres, the Taiping Zoo has embarked on an expansion program
Safari is a unique tourism product where animals which are active at night are displayed
using special lighting similar to moonlight. Visitors will be ablt to experience this
environment similar to wildlife habitats where the sounds made by numerous creatures
can be heard.
To fully appreciate this experience visitors are required to minimize all sounds, even
speech so that the sounds of the night creatures can be heard. Reduced noise will also
help to maintain the peaceful atmosphere of the Night Safari. Torchlights and flash
cameras are not allowed to be used in the Night Safari as this will disturb the animals on
display.
- Lost World of Tambun
The Lost World of Tambun is a well-managed water park and amusement park set in stunning scenery on the outskirts of Ipoh.
The Lost World of Tambun is run by the Sunway Group, the same people who operate Sunway Lagoon, and it shows the same high standards and professional look. The landscaping at Lost World is beautiful but what sets it apart from other theme parks in Malaysia is its superb setting. The park sits at the foot of some of those stunningly steep limestone hills which are so characteristic of the Ipoh area. With greenery all around it is easy to forget that the park is located in a suburb of busy Ipoh city.
The attractions have expanded over the years and are now divided into the following sections:
-Lost World Water Park
Lost World is mostly a water theme park and there are the usual attractions such as a lazy river (Adventure River), the Jungle Wave Pool (Malaysia's biggest, although it seemed to be waveless on the day of our visit) with an extensive sandy beach, and a couple of giant water slides (the sort where you have to sit on inflatable rubber rings) called Cliff Racer and Tube Raiders. There is also a pool play area for younger kids - Kids Explorabay.
-Lost World Amusement Park
Here there are land based amusement rides such as Lupe's Adventure (Perak's first ever roller coaster), Giddy galleon (a kiddies round and round swing ride), Storm Rider (a crazy galleon type pirate ship), Dragon Flight,a carousel and a train ride which tours the park.
-Lost World Petting Zoo
We enjoyed the Petting Zoo, a well laid out area at the foot of the mountain where children and adults can see and interact with various animal and bird species such as racoons, rabbits, hamsters, parrots, goats, deer, snakes, lizards, peacocks, tortoises and more.
The developers have taken care to preserve the natural setting and vegetation as far as possible when constructing the zoo area and they have done a good job.
-Lost World Hot Spring & Spa by Night
A unique feature of Lost World of Tambun is the hot spring and there are a number of pools, jacuzzis and a steam cave where you can enjoy the health-giving benefits of natural hot mineral spring water. The water temperature in most of these pools exceeds 40 degrees centigrade which we found rather too hot seeing that it was a sweltering sunny day.
The hot springs are open for evening sessions from 6pm - 11pm when the air temperature cools down a bit so perhaps that is the best time to appreciate the hot springs. Attached to the hot springs are massage facilities (Crystal Spa) where you can complete the full spa experience.
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