Ipoh Local Tour
PERAK CAVE TEMPLE
Founded in 1926, the Perak Tong Cave Temple is arguably one of Ipoh’s most popular attractions. The cave sits at the foot of a 120m-high limestone outcropping and was discovered by Chong Sen Yee and his wife, who came to Malaya from Jiaoling, China. Over the next 50 years, the couple worked laboriously to transform it into a beautiful place of worship. Visitors will be greeted by an impressive red and white facade, set amidst a backdrop of hills and lush greenery. Inside, a 15m-tall Buddha statue sits in the main prayer hall, surrounded by four guardian deities. One of the temple’s most distinctive features is the colourful hand-painted frescoes, depicting Buddhist deities and mythical creatures such as dragons and phoenixes alongside scripture calligraphy. If you’re up to some physical activity, climb a narrow staircase of 358 steps to reach a garden, a pavilion and a vantage point with breath-taking views of the valley below.
KWAN YIN TONG CAVE TEMPLE
located within Gunung Rapat, Kwan Yin Tong is a lesser known cave temple dedicated to the deity Guan Yin (or Kwan Yin), venerated as a goddess of mercy in many East Asian cultures and religions. The temple’s modest front belies an impressive main chamber, which extends for about 20 metres under the cliff. Inside, the floor is tiled over with marble and the walls are whitewashed to about two-storeys high, leaving the rest of the cave’s natural state intact. A main Guan Yin statue sits at the altar, flanked by dozens of smaller gold ones lining the walls. There are a total of 75 Guanyin statues in this temple. Kwan Yin Tong has numerous nooks and crannies to explore. Look out for a shrine dedicated to pet dogs and a hidden spot where hundreds of tiny Buddha statues have been painstakingly screwed onto the cliff face. There are also commercialised attractions such as a 3D art museum and a wishing well.
KEK LOK TONG CAVE TEMPLE
It takes a bit of hunting to get to Kek Lok Tong, but the trip past narrow roads deep into the hills is well worth it. The entrance to the cave yawns like a gigantic mouth, and the space inside is so large that it can easily fit a small building. On a quiet day, the steady dripping of water from stalactites can be heard reverberating through its cavernous chambers. The front of the temple is dedicated to Taoist deities, while the back is reserved for Buddhist statues. One of the most attractive features of the cave is its tunnel-like shape, as visitors emerge from the other side of the hill to a beautifully landscaped garden ringed by emerald green limestone karst hills. Stroll through the Zen Gardens, as it is known, where there is a lotus lake dotted with pink blooms, and where you might encounter local wildlife such as geese and macaques.
Qing Xin Ling Leisure and Cultural Village
You might think you’ve stepped back in time, to a place in the past, maybe in China, when you visit Qing Xin Ling Leisure and Cultural Village. But this park is really in Ipoh, Perak. With its art installation and wall paintings, the park has a nostalgic theme. Built around an emerald lake partly, and surrounded by limestone hills and caves, the name of the park means “serene hill” in Mandarin.
Gunung Lang Recreational Park
Gunung Lang Recreational Park, located off Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman (formerly Kuala Kangsar Road), It was opened in October 2000, Covering an area of 30.35 hectares out of which 14.16 hectares consists of the lake, the park is divided into two sections. It is developed around a scenic backdrop of limestone hills of Gunung Lang and Gunung Bilike. The main attractions of Taman Rekreasi Gunung Lang are the man-made cascading waterfall atop a limestone hill, a 2km broadwalk over the swamp and lookout towers. There are also facilities like a children’s playground, campsite, mini zoo, a prayer room and washrooms. In order to reach there, one must pay RM3 (adult) / RM1.50 (Senior Citizen) for a boat ride from the jetty.
Ipoh Town
Perak's finest colonial architecture stands side by side with rickety kedai kopi (coffee shops) in chameleonic Ipoh. The capital of Perak is flanked by towering white cliffs, some with magnificent cave temples pocketed in the limestone. Sliced into old and new towns by the Kinta River, Ipoh charms with its street art and street food. Shaped by the 1920s tin-mining boom, Ipoh's wealth and population ebbed away after the mines' closure. But an old-town renaissance has revived its time-worn buildings into boutiques, hotels and gorgeously kitsch cafes. Food is reason enough to visit. Malaysian and Singaporean gastronomes arrive in droves for Ipoh's tauge ayam (chicken bean sprouts) and to argue over who serves the best kopi putih – white coffee, the town's signature drink.
SAM POH TONG TEMPLE
Sam Poh Tong Temple is touted to be the biggest cave temple in Malaysia and can be found within the Gunung Rapat area, which boasts the highest concentration of cave temples in the region. Blending man-made beauty with nature, the temple features beautifully carved Buddha statues in various forms, interspersed among the cave’s majestic-looking stalactites and stalagmites. Legend has it that in the late 19th century, a monk from China was passing through Ipoh when he discovered the cave. He decided to make it his home and meditation place, where he remained until his death. Today, monks and nuns who dedicate their lives to Buddha still occupy the temple. Outside the cave is a landscaped garden which includes a Japanese pond stocked with fat carp and tortoises, symbolising longevity, as well as a wishing well for those seeking good fortune.
Kellie's Castle
Kellie's Castle (sometimes also called Kellie's Folly) is a castle located in Batu Gajah, Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. The unfinished, ruined mansion, was built by a Scottish planter named William Kellie-Smith. According to differing accounts, it was either a gift for his wife or a home for his son. Kellie's Castle is situated beside the Raya River (Sungai Raya), which is a small creek to the Kinta River.
Ipoh Local Tour Pricing
1 day trip sedan Premium
maximun 4 pax
maximun 8 hours
RM350
2 days trip sedan premium
MAXIMUN 4 PAX
2DAYS TRIP
RM600
1 day trip MPV STAREX
MAXIMUM 10 PAX
maximum 8 hours
RM500
2 days trip MPV STAREX
MAXIMUM 10 PAX
2DAYS TRIP