Perak Cities and Towns, Malaysia

Ipoh

The third largest city in Malaysia Ipoh, also known as the Bougainvillaea City, is the capital of Perak state.

Historically, 'Ipoh' referred to the Old Town and New Town divided by the Kinta River at its heart, from which the city grew. It is approximately 200 km from Kuala Lumpur via the North-South Highway.

The name Ipoh originated from a local tree, pohon epu or now more commonly known as pokok ipoh. This particular plant is known for its tree sap which is poisonous and used by the orang asli in their blowdarts.

In the Cantonese dialect, Ipoh is known as san seng which means "city surrounded by mountains." Ipoh is also known among Chinese Malaysians as 'Pa-loh'. The old nickname for Ipoh is 'City of Millionaires', referring to the vast fortunes made during the tin and rubber days. Located in the rich tin-bearing valley of the Kinta river, Ipoh grew up as a mining town and is one of Malaysia's largest cities, with a population of 637,200 (2004) and urban area population of 798,800 (2004).

Ipoh is famous for its cuisine. Natives claim that Ipoh's water, relatively high in alkali content owing to Ipoh's location on top of a large karstic formation, makes the food especially tasty. Many people, some even from Singapore and other nearby countries, travel to this city just to taste its especially excellent local cuisine.

Also worth a visit are the limestone cave temples on its outskirts.

Tambun

Just 15 minutes' drive from Ipoh on the road to Tanjung Rambutan lies Tambun village, at the foot of a limestone hill.

Tambun village is known for its natural hot water springs. Facilities at the springs include saunas and restrooms.

Discovered in 1959, the Tambun Caves is a 'must-see' for history buffs. On its walls are 2,000-year old Neolithic paintings.

Tambun is also famous for pomelos - large round, slightly oval citrus fruits. Imagine a grapefruit crossed with a honeydew melon!

Teluk Intan

The town of Teluk Intan is known for its leaning Clock Tower, built in the style of an eight-storey pagoda. Originally constructed to be used as a water tank in 1885, it just keeps the time today.

Getting there
To get to Teluk Intan from the North-South Expressway, exit at Bidor Interchange and proceed to the road leading to Teluk Intan. The Tower is easily accessed through Jalan Selat.

Taiping

The wettest town in Peninsular Malaysia Taiping succeeded Kuala Kangsar as the capital of Perak in the late nineteenth century. Formerly known as Larut, the town was notorious for bloody feuds between rival Chinese miners. After the British put an end to the feuding, they renamed it Taiping which means 'Eternal Peace' in Chinese.

One of the oldest towns in the country Taiping boasts a string of historical firsts including being the first town to have a Swimming Pool (1870), Court House (1876), Government Office (1879), Hospital (1880), Museum (1883), Prison (1885), and Malay School (1942).

The country's oldest state museum Taiping Museum displays artefacts such as ancient weapons, handicrafts and aboriginal implements. Other attractions include the Taiping Lake Gardens; Bukit Larut or Maxwell Hill; Taiping Zoo, which is the first zoo in Malaysia; the British Residence and Bukit Jana Golf and Country Club.

Getting there
Taiping is located just off the PLUS North-South Expressway, about 90km from Penang. Coming from the south, exit at Changkat Jering Interchange; from the north, exit at Kamunting. It is about an hour's drive from Ipoh and Penang. There are frequent bus services from major towns and cities including neighbouring Singapore in the south.

Kuala Kangsar

Kuala Kangsar, the Royal Town, is 60km north of Ipoh. Located here is the Malay College, which alumni include the country's top leaders. Established just at the turn of the last century, it is the earliest residential school in Malaysia. Also here are the Iskandariah Palace - the official residence of the Sultan of Perak; and the architectural marvel The Royal Museum.

Kuala Kangsar is famous for its labu sayong - a gourd-shaped jar made from black clay that is only found in certain parts of the Perak state. Kuih labu, pumpkin cake wrapped in banana leaves, is another specialty.

Lumut

Well-known for its beautiful shell and coral handicrafts, Lumut was once an obscure fishing village. Now, this bustling yet still charming town is the home base of the Royal Malaysian Navy and the take-off point to the popular islands of Pangkor and Pangkor Laut.

Located about 6 km from Lumut town, Teluk Batik with its crystal clear waters and white sandy beach is a favourite for campers, picnickers and sunbathers.

The best time to visit is between October to November during the annual Pesta Laut or Sea Festival. Among the festival's exciting events are sports competitions, cultural shows and food fairs.

Getting there
Lumut is easily accessible from most cities and towns. The easiest way is hopping on a bus or taxi. Direct buses run from Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth to Lumut several times a day. From Kuala Lumpur, a taxi or coach journey takes about 4 hours. From Butterworth, it takes about 3 hours. Buses stop at the Lumut Bus Station near the town centre. Just a 5-minute walk from here, the ferry jetty is the take-off point to Pangkor Island, only a 45-minute comfortable boat journey away.