Gaya Traveller

Perak Glitters in 2017!

Admittedly, Perak is often overlooked as a holiday destination whenever “Cuti-Cuti Malaysia mood” strikes. As the fourth largest state in the country, Perak has many things to offer visitors and its people alike.

Galeri Sultan Azlan Shah

Admittedly, Perak is often overlooked as a holiday destination whenever “Cuti-Cuti Malaysia mood” strikes. As the fourth largest state in the country, Perak has many things to offer visitors and its people alike.

Rich with natural as well as manmade heritage, Perak could really surprise travellers. As a matter of fact, Perak makes a wonderful roadtripping destination because there are always something interesting to see and eat along the way!

HERITAGE HAUNTS 

Teluk Intan Leaning Tower

Located at the heart of Teluk Intan town, this iconic structure was completed in 1885 by the contractor named Leong Choon Chong to serve as a water reservoir for fire and drought other than as a beacon for ships sailing into Telok Anson Port, once upon a time. The chiming clock was designed by JW Benson-Ludgathy and installed in 1894 and it still chimes.

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Location: Lot 1 & 2, Kompleks Menara Condong. Jalan Bandar, 36000 Teluk Intan, Perak

Kellie’s Castle

The ever mysteriously charming Kellie’s Castle is located in Batu Gajah, about 30 minutes’ drive from Ipoh. It was built by William Kellie-Smith, a Scottish planter, for his beloved wife Agnes, but it was never completed due to his untimely death, upon which, his family decided to return to Scotland and sold off the property.

Location : Jalan Gopeng, 31000 Batu Gajah, Perak
Tel : +6 05 365 1336

Lenggong Archeology Museum

Lenggong Archeology Museum

Lenggong Archeology Museum

Listed as one of the UNESCO Heritage Sites, Lenggong Valley’s archaeological heritage spans close to two million years and is the oldest outside the African continent. The star exhibit of this museum is the Perak Man, South East Asia’s oldest and most complete human skeleton. Other items exhibited are the Paleolithic Age tools and drawings of the Paleolithic people, among others.

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Note: The museum is currently closed for upgrading works, and will reopen on 1 June 2017.

Location : Jabatan Muzium dan Antikuiti Kota Tampan, 33400 Lenggong, Perak
Tel: +6 05 7679700

Gopeng Heritage House

Antique lovers will love this house, which comes in the form of a two-storey pre-war shophouse with over 800 items from Perak’s glorious tin mining era. On the ground floor, there are displays from a former barber shop and kopitiam (Hainan coffeeshop). Upstairs, the living quarters of the shophouse owner and family are filled with priceless decorations and furnishings that accurately reflect what life would have been like for a middle-class family during the turn of the 20th century in Gopeng. The gallery opens every Saturday and Sunday of the week from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and the admission is free.

Location : 6, Jalan Sungai Itek, 31600 Gopeng, Perak
Tel: +6 05 3597828

Galeri Sultan Azlan Shah

Galeri Sultan Azlan Shah is the reincarnation of a renovated former palace called Istana Ulu (Ulu Palace), just a stone’s throw from the Ubudiah Mosque, within the area of Bukit Chandan, Kuala Kangsar. This palace was originally the place where the 28th Sultan of Perak, Sultan Idris Mursyidul ‘Adzam Shah, who reigned from 1887 until 1916, resided during his rule.

This royal gallery houses artefacts and important royal objects and historical information on the Perak royal family, especially with regard to His Royal Highness the late Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-Lah, the 34th Sultan of Perak. This gallery aptly captures the glory of His Royal Highness’s life so that it can be shared with the people and serve as an inspiration. This gallery is definitely one of the best ways to learn about the current Sultan who remains close to people’s hearts.

Location : Bukit Chandan, 33000 Kuala Kangsar, Perak
Tel: +6 05 7774957

Yasmin at Kong Heng

This gallery celebrates the life and works of the late Yasmin Ahmad, a film maker well known for her truly Malaysian spirit. This gallery opens on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 4pm.

Location : (Directly behind Container Hotel) 89-91, Old Block Apartments, Jalan Sultan Yussuf, 30000 Ipoh, Perak

Ping Sien Si Temple

Ping Sien Si is just one of the few names tagged to this temple; however it is better known as Tua Pek Kong Temple or Kuan Yin Temple in Kampung Pasir Panjang Laut in Sitiawan, Perak. The basic structure of this temple was built over a century ago. However, after its major facelift that costs RM7.5 million, the modest basic structure surrounded by the mangrove forest by the sea has now been transformed into a grand worshipping house that is divided into three sections namely Tua Pek Kong, Kuan Yin (the Goddess of Mercy) and Hua Ye (the Tiger Spirit) for Buddhists to express their gratitude and share their grief with Kuan Yin. These three deities are amongst the 99 statues that frontline the temple.

Location : Jalan Pasir Panjang, Kampung Pasir Panjang Laut, 32000 Sitiawan, Perak

NATURAL WONDERS!

Bukit Larut, Taiping

One of the most interesting landmarks in Taiping is Maxwell Hill, now known as Bukit Larut, which receives the most rainfall in the country, situated at the altitude of 1,250 metres above sea level. It possesses natural landscape that surrounds the colonial buildings that used to be vacation bungalows for British officers. The majestic view from the top of the hill is something that no one wants to miss when they come to Taiping. Bukit Larut also offers the charming view of sunset with mangroves by the beach and Kuala Sepetang. There are many indigenous plants that grow wildly here such as begonia and jungle orchid, with interesting wildlife to match such as monkeys, reptiles and even tigers. At the foot of Bukit Larut, visitors will be able to find the Biodiversity Centre, supervised by the National Landscape Department and functions as an educational centre for conserving and preserving the balance of Bukit Larut’s natural surroundings.

Mangrove Swamp, Kuala Sepetang

The Matang Mangrove Forest has been gazetted as a permanent forest reserve since 1906 and recognised as the best managed sustainable mangrove ecosystem in the world. To witness the beauty of the untouched landscape of the mangrove swamp, travellers are recommended to take the boat ride. Besides beautiful landscape, the mangrove swamp is where the migratory birds rest from their journey, making it one of the best places for bird-watching. If you are lucky, you’ll get to see the elusive Chinese White Dolphins swimming along the river-mouths!

Charcoal Factory, Kuala Sepetang

The charcoal factory owned by Khay Hor Holdings Sdn. Bhd. in Kuala Sepetang is a unique tourist attraction. Established in 1930, the factory is still running until now, producing what they know best in the traditional way: charcoal from the mangrove forest. This factory with its igloo-like kilns has been attracting travellers when they visit Matang Mangrove Forest because this is the best place to learn the whole process of traditional charcoal production.

Location : Jalan Taiping, Kuala Sepetang, 34650 Taiping, Perak
Tel: +6 012 573 9563

Kampung Dew – Fireflies Tour

If fireflies always fascinate you, then make your way to Kampung Dew and experience watching tonnes of ‘Christmas lights’ along the river! The amount of fireflies is incredible as every tree along the river is lit up and flicker simultaneously, turning the whole environment magical.

Location : 1, Kampung Dew, 34400 Simpang Empat Semanggol, Perak

Tasik Gunung Lang

Tasik Gunung Lang is one of the recreational places that is famous among Perakians as the place for them to spend quality time with family or friends. This man-made lake is 80-foot deep and covers an area of 175 acres, also home to various reptiles and mammals, including wild plants. So far, there are nine caves found on the islands within the lake but not all have been explored. Visitors are advised not to enter the caves due to safety issues. Instead, visitors can enjoy the wonderful scenery of the man-made waterfall, feed the fish, cruise around the lake and even picnic here. The beautiful landscape of the limestones surrounding this lake makes this attraction one of the things that visitors should not miss.

Location : Jalan Damai, 30100 Ipoh, Perak

ZOO AND THEME PARK FUN!

Zoo Taiping and Night Safari

Zoo Taiping is the oldest zoo in Malaysia, as well as the first zoo to have Night Safari. Covering the area of 34 acres, Zoo Taiping was actually a jogging track with animals kept for the enjoyment of the British officers during the colonial era. The zoo’s landscape is kept lush since then, hence the presence of so many big trees in Zoo Taiping. There are almost 200 species of animals here, some are active during the day, while the rest are nocturnal, thus making the Night Safari feasible. Among the animals that can be seen in the zoo are wallabies, marmosets, slow loris, owls, Arapaima Gigas (the biggest fish in the world), crocodiles and more. This zoo is divided into two parts: the West Slope and East Slope, both share the clinic and kitchen facilities for the animals. Opens daily from 8:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. until 12:00 midnight.

Location : Jalan Pekeliling, Taman Tasik Taiping, 34000 Taiping, Perak

The Lost World of Tambun

There are numerous attractions that visitors can enjoy at The Lost World of Tambun, for example the petting zoo that houses over 55 species of animals like raccoon, birds, parrot, pythons and king cobra. There is also Tiger Valley, where visitors can find three tigers wandering freely in their compound and involved in scheduled shows. The latest attraction to be added in The Lost World of Tambun is the Tin Valley, which displays the history about the beginning of the tin-mining activities in Perak and how it helped to turn the state into what it is today.

The Lost World of Tambun is wholly managed by the Sunway Group and due to high demand, Sunway has opened The Lost World of Tambun Hotel that offers 174 rooms, allowing visitors to entirely enjoy what The Lost World of Tambun offers.

Location : 1, Persiaran Lagun Sunway 1, Sunway City Ipoh, 31150 Ipoh, Perak
Tel: +6 05 542 8888 (Theme Park) / +6 05 540 8888 (Hotel)

FARM FRESH!

Kampung Selabak Pineapple Bazaar

Located just four kilometres away from the town centre of Teluk Intan, Kampung Selabak is well-known for its pineapple plantation. The residents of this village has been running the pineapple agro-business for generations, providing them good income. Besides pineapples, there are also other local fruits available at the bazaar.

Location : Jalan Padang Tembak (Jalan Changkat Jong), 36000 Teluk Intan, Perak

Tambun Pamelo Farm

Tambun Pamelo Farm

Tambun Pomelo Farm

Tambun is famous for its pomelo cultivation. There are several pomelo farms in Tambun that not only sold pomelos locally but also exported internationally. One of the largest pomelo cultivators, Mr. Chin, even exports his pomelo to Hong Kong, Singapore, United States of America and Australia, among others. Pomelo cultivation in Tambun is not seasonal, hence production is consistent throughout the year due to Tambun’s hilly soil that is rich with minerals. Pomelo is well-known for its sweet and refreshing taste, besides being used for traditional medicine. At Mr. Chin’s farm, visitors are welcomed to savour the fresh pomelo and other fruits such as rambutan, passion fruit, jackfruit, star fruit, guava, sapodilla and many more.

Location : 158258A Jalan Ampang, Tambun, 31400 Ipoh, Perak
Tel: +6 05 5497309

Gaharu Tea Valley, Gopeng

Gaharu wood possesses special healing power that can benefit human race in so many branches of health, particularly in rejuvenating internal organs, besides fragrance. Gaharu Tea Valley in Gopeng was set up 20 years ago covering 300 acres of elevated grounds. At one time, there was approximately 200,000 Gaharu trees grown to meet 90% of the world market demand. The Gaharu grown here is a hybrid of 12 species of Gaharu. Another attraction is the 20-year old mother tree of the Aquilaria hybrid that is as old as the plantation. To explore the area, travellers are shuttled in buses around valleys, hills and trees before reaching the compound of the mother tree. Arrays of health products, processed from Gaharu wood, are sold alongside souvenir items. Opens daily from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Location : Gaharu Tea Valley Gopeng, Lot 9840, Mukim Sg. Teja, 31600 Gopeng, Perak
Tel: +6 05 351 1999

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  1. Issue 11.6/12.1 – Keep on Travelling Despite Slowdown – Gaya Travel

    May 2, 2018 at 11:10 AM

    […] GAYATRAVELLER Page 23. PERAK GLITTERS IN 2017! […]

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