Perak, the Land Of Grace offers nearly about something for everyone thanks to its many graces and interesting places, which genuinely speak of the state’s charming and warm hospitality. It is a place of rich history, heritage, culture and folklore. It is a state where sun, sand and sea are available with no limitations. You can be sure that you won’t get enough of the beautiful holiday hideaways, virgin tropical jungles, many specialized museums and natural recreational parks. There are many treasures in Perak that guarantee you a fascinating experience. Some of the top places of interest in Perak include:
Ipoh Railway Station: Locals affectionately calls the Ipoh railway station the Ipoh’s Taj Mahal and there are certainly some good reasons behind it. This railway station has a close resemblance to the one in Kuala Lumpur and it is one of the most impressive landmarks in the state. It features a unique combination of the Moorish architecture with some classic modern embellishments, which make it an iconic site worthy seeing. An incredibly beautiful floral garden surrounds the railway station which serves as a warm and charming welcome for the tourists.
Tambun Hot Springs: The famous Tambun hot springs are located only a 15 min drive away from Ipoh as you head to Tanjung Rambutan. You can be sure to enjoy a rejuvenating experience here particularly due to the invigorating hot bath that comes from a nearby natural spring. A myriad of facilities are found here include restrooms and saunas. Perak is also home to other hot springs found at Sungkai, Kampung Ulu Slim at Slim River, Pengkalan Huly and Manong among others.
Kuala Who Jungle Park: located just 13km away from Tapah on your way to Cameron Highlands, this park offers a natural backdrop that makes it an excellent place to visit for fun seekers. You can go for swimming, fishing and picnics at the park. There are many interesting features that you will be thrilled with here including the various waterfalls, natural hot water pool and the Tebing Merbau. The aborigines or Orang asli live here and you will be fascinated with their unique traditional lifestyle. Even though they are shy by nature, they are very friendly. Other equally popular waterfalls in Perak include the Batu Hampar and Ulu Kinta waterfalls.
Gua Tempurung: This is reputed as being the largest and most popular natural milestone cave found in Malaysia and has been in existence since 8000 B.C. You will be stunned by the beautiful domes found in the cave with each of them having its different and unique formations of stalactites and stalagmites and they all have differing water levels, temperatures, marble and content limestone.
Geological museum: this museum was established in 1957 and it is home to more than 600 samples of Perak minerals that are categorized based on their structure and chemical content. The museum is best known for its tin ore exhibition and also houses impressive collections of precious stones, rock specimens and fossils.
The Royal Belum State Park: This is one of the oldest rainforests in the world and covers over 300,000 hectares of land. This tropical paradise offer tourists a chance of enjoying nature at its unspoiled and purest form and houses over 3,000 different animal and plant species. There 14 most threatened mammals in the world at the park like the Malaysian Tiger, Sumatran Rhino, Malaysian Sunbear, Asian Elephant and the Malayan Tapir. It is surely the hottest destination in Perak for tourism lovers. There are also some other attractions nearby like the Temenggor Dam and Tasik Banding, which are all fascinating sites.
Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve: This boasts as one of the best managed and most popular mangrove swamp in the world. It is located in Taiping municipality. The reserve covers over 40,000 hectares and it is a habitat to many species of marine life and bird species. You can explore this place in style by renting a boat. However, be keen when exploring around the mangrove trees because snakes are always hanging out on the tree branches and you can be sure that crocodiles are present as well. Visitors to Matang also get to enjoy the beautiful local sceneries particularly Port Weld which is a popular fishing village.
Perak Herbal Garden: sitting on an extensive 22 hectare of land, this is the best place in Perak where you can get all the details you need about local herbs used for cosmetics, medicinal and for aroma-therapeutic purposes. Guided tours are available here as well and you will be well informed about the most important herbal plants available in this park. Make sure that you bring your picnic lunches and fishing roads as well as the nearby lake used for campsites and fishing.
Sungai Klah Hot Spring: this hot spring is a recreational park tucked in the beautiful, lush forest and features green hills with some mountain streams. It is set up in the true local village environment where you can experience the best of Perak. Sg. Klah hot spring features various pools that are a perfect choice for overall health particularly skin rejuvenation. Make sure that you pamper your body at the pool with the traditional Malaysian message and be sure that you carry along raw eggs for boiling in the water.
Orang Utan Island: this is the native primate for Borneo and Malayan jungles and it is one of the world’s most endangered species. This small island is purposedly developed for researches and as a breeding and rehabilitation center for the ape.
Ipoh: the capital of Perak is the limestone city and a must visit destination. It has a long history of being the center for tin mining activities. The city is largely influenced by the Chinese cultures and you will have a lot of delicacies and food to enjoy.
In conclusion, Perak has a lot to offer visitors, from its vibrant cities and charming towns to its beautiful natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage. These are just a few of the many places of interest to visit in Perak, and visitors are sure to find something to suit their interests and preferences.