Will Ipoh, the capital of Perak, be the next weekend escape destination for Singaporeans?
Going to Ipoh is like a step back into time. If old world charm is something you seek, Ipoh would make a choice destination.
Vacations to Penang, Langkawi, Phuket, Bintan would have to take a back seat for now. Since Tiger Airways introduced direct flight to Ipoh, heading to Malaysia's capital of 'Limestone caves and mountains' have never been easier.
Only 1 hour by flight , Ipoh stands out as a budget friendly destination for Singaporeans and locals alike who are searching for a new place to explore.
Lost in Ipoh?
We give you 7 activities that are perfect for kids and families.
1 Explore cave temples
Perak Cave Temple
The standout attractions in Ipoh, in comparison to other states of Malaysia, would be the cave temples. Sure, the Batu Caves in Selangor may be the most famous limestone cave attraction in Malaysia. However you cannot beat the 30 over cave temples found in around Perak.
The best part is that some of the temple caves are found within 30 minutes of each other, making visiting them and easy itinerary. The caves are pretty kids friendly too as you do not need to take 272 steps* just to see the inside of a cave. Most of the caves are at ground level .
Here is a roundup of the cave temples we visited during our trip.
* It takes 272 steps to reach the entrance of Batu Caves
Penang Tong Cave Temple
Buddha @ Perak Cave Temple
Our first stop is the Perak Cave Temple, This is the first cave temple build in Perak that had its roots dated from 1926. The cave impressive entrance will lead you to a 40 feet tall Buddha statue.
450 Steps
Walk behind the temple and you will see a flight of steps that rises to the top of the hill. If you are willing to climb 450 steps, you will be greeted with the view below.
If climbing the stairs are daunting, there are still a few impressive golden statues found in the lower floor.
Overall , it is an impressive sight to see how a limestone cave blends with the temple.
Kek Lok Tong
Kek LoK Tong
Our next stop is another popular cave temple, Kek Lok Tong.
The entrance itself is impressive and had many little interesting structures (such as the Dragon above) lining up the steps to the entrance.
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Similar to Perak Cave temple, there are numerous Buddha statues found within the caves.
The limestone formation in the cave is pretty awesome as well.
The other 'Wow' factor would be a short walk through the caves. At the other end, it opens up to a vast space filled with greenery. It felt like a hidden untouched oasis.
Wat trumcitta vipassana
Wat trumcitta vipassana
For a diverse experience, we visited a Siam Buddist Cave Temple.
With origins from Thailand, there are plenty of monks statutes found in the premises.
There is also a sleeping Buddha. The cave itself is smaller than the ones we had seen earlier and filled with statues of monks.
There is also a row of Zodiac animals at the driveway.
Loong Thow Ngam
Our last temple visit is the Loong Thow Ngam Taoist temple.
The cave itself may not be as impressive as the bigger temples, but the rock formation within has several interesting shapes that resembles human and animals.
Can you spot an old man and a tortise in the picture below.
The best part of the experience was the water music bowl. Use your hands and rub the edge of the ceramic bowl filled with mountain water and you might just be able to make music!
There is a certain technique and not ALL can do it on the first try. You need to be calm and relax in order to achieve it at first go.
2 Visit Ipoh Old Town
Ipoh Heritage Trail
A trip to the IPoh Old Town is a must for those visiting Ipoh. Ipoh Old Town is located in the west of Kinta River
If time permits, take a walk around the streets of Ipoh Old Town to explore buildings and landmarks of yesterday. There is a stretch of road where historical buildings line side by side. The Ipoh Railway Station is a good place to start.
Ipoh Railiway Station
Street Shopping
Ipoh Street Shopping
Forget about the shopping malls, you would probably find similar stuff you can get in Singapore. Instead head to the streets of Ipoh old times to find interesting things to buy.
The boys got their eyes on the Pokemon Go Balls they found on the street stalls. If you intend to street shop, Lorong Panglima or Concubine Lane is a good place to start. Eat
Second Mama Red Bean Ice
Near Lorong Panglima are various eateries that serve up famous Ipoh Chicken rice and Hor Fun. You could also pop into one of the hole in the wall restaurant for a quick eat.
3 Mural Spotting in Old Town
When we were at Ipoh old town, we were reminded of our time in Penang by the murals found in the streets of Ipoh. In fact, the murals painted on Ipoh walls were from the same artist, Ernest Zacharevi, who left his mark in Penang.
Paper Plane -Ernest Zacharevic
Mural spotting can be a fun spot for kids to keep them occupied while you explore Ipoh.
Kopi O - Ernest Zacharevic
There are a total of 7 murals by Ernest Zacharevic to be found.
Evolution - Ernest Zacharevic
Along the streets are several other murals by other artists. We reckoned that you should at least spot 10 or more murals in Old Town.
4 Spend an afternoon at Gunang Lang
Gunang Lang Ipoh
To experience Ipoh like a local, here down to where the locals go to relax. Gunang Lang recreational park is located off Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Take a boat ride and head to the opposite site for a children playground, mini zoo and a park.
You could also feed the fishes while waiting for the boat rides. Feeds are available at the Jetty itself. Get a loaf of bread from the convenience store for RM 2 a loaf.
5 Visit the Lost World of Tambun If time is limited and you only have half a day to spend, The Lost World of Tambun would be perfect for kids.
Pack your swimming gear if you would like to jump into the wave pool or take the water slides.
If you prefer dry activities, you can take the rides found in the park. The rides included a roller coaster, train rides and carousel. There were some rides being upgraded while we were there. If you want to watch a show, there are Tiger performance at selected time as well.
For the boys, the best part of the visit is the Lost World Petting Zoo.
There you can find rabbits, hamsters and even snakes to pet. Yes... SNAKES! Grab a bite at Ipoh Street or food stalls found within the park before you go.
The Lost World of Tambun is much smaller compared to its sister, Sunway Lagoon. For an afternoon of fun for kids, it should be worth a visit.
Everyone probably know that getting food for picky kids might be difficult. Thankfully Ipoh has lots of famous local food to suit their taste. Ipoh Chicken Rice, Hor Fun, Char Kway Teow, Hakka Mee are some of the local dishes to savour.
The pastries are tasty too!
If you are a fruit lover, Ipoh is the place to go for Pomelos. Visit a Pomelo farm or ask you local guide where is the best place to get a few to eat.
7 Stay at the Haven
The Haven @ Ipoh
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We save the best for last.
Stay at The Haven if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of town. It is a 20 minutes drive from the Airport and the City. Various attractions such as Lost World of Tambun (5 minutes), Cave Temples (10-15 mins) are located nearby.
Take a dip at the 5 levels 60m seahorse shape pool. With a view of the 280 million years old limestone formation called Rockhaven , you would feel like you are transported to a lost world, hidden from civilization. The best part, the hotel rooms are actually bedroom suites ( from 1 to 3+ 1) combinations with plenty of space for kids to run around.
You can always opt to stay in throughout the stay in Ipoh. However if you would like to experience points 1-6 above, you can always take their tour package or rent a 11seater van from The Haven to explore Ipoh.
For more Ipoh vacation ideas, you can get the tourist guide to Ipoh here. The brochure below can help to plan your excursions in Ipoh.
Getting there
Tiger Airways to Ipoh
Getting to Ipoh is made easier with a direct flight from Singapore.Tiger Airways fly daily to Ipoh. It only takes an hour to reach a world of limestone caves, old town vibes and great food in Ipoh!
Time to pack your bags!
Want to see more?
Check out our video review here. DisclaimerThe Wacky Duo was invited to stay at The Haven. All other expenses are on our own.
It's Gunung Lang not Gunung Nang.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up, we had made the change
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