MY PERAK

Perak Darul Ridzuan

myMalaysiabooks brings you the treasures of Perak - the Silver State. The state's Kinta Valley is synonymous to tin mining in Malaysia.

Where to go

Towns

Ipoh the capital of the state of Perak is located in the heart of the Kinta Valley surrounded by beautiful limestone hills. The town grew from a mining settlement that supported tin mining in the Kinta valley. Today, Ipoh is a mix of old and new. Today the place is named the city of bougainvillas. With a high Chinese population in the early days, the old part of the town is a typical China Town, with many Chinese business. It is no wonder that you can get the best Chinese Cantonese/ Hakka food of Malaysia here in Ipoh. It is home of the Ipoh hor fun (Kueh teow or flat rice noodles). The nearby town of Tambun is famed for pomelos (a citrus fruit that can be the size of a basketball).

   As the capital and seat of the state government, you will find many government offices, banks and museums located here. There are also many beautiful and stately colonial building in Ipoh, a legacy of its colonial past.

     The Ipoh Railway Station is one of the most beautiful and prominent landmark in the city. This colonial building of Moghal-styled architecture bears a striking resemblance to the Kuala Lumpur railway station and is often referred to as the Taj Mahal of Ipoh. The station is surrounded by a landscaped floral garden. It also houses a hotel – the Majestic Hotel. It was one of the locations for the shooting of the Hollywood remake of ‘Anna and the King’ staring Jodie Foster. The railway station is located next to the Main Post Office.

     If you don't know what's Ipoh is also famous for - Ipoh is the birthplace of Hollywood actress & Bond girl Michelle Yeoh. It is one of the film location for the Hollywood movie 'Anna and the King' and the movie by Ang Lee, 'Lust, Caution'. Ipoh is about 220 km north of Kuala Lumpur and 200 km from Penang. (Learn how to get here below)

Kuala Kangsar (or KK) is the royal capital of Perak, located about 35 km from Ipoh. Located here is the official residence of the Sultan of Perak - Istana Iskandariah. The Royal Museum, nearby was a royal residence built in 1926. This is the place to learn all about the history of the Perak royal house. The museum building is a beautiful wooden structure of traditional Malay architecture.

   From Kuala Kangsar, travel to the craft centre at Kampung Kepala Bendang in Sayong, about 15 km away - where the unique and famous ceramic craft called labu sayong ( clay calabash) is produced. This extraordinary labu sayong can keep water inside very cool, sometimes as low as 19 deg.C.

Taiping, Perak, a quiet town located away from the expressway is the second largest town in Perak. At the foothills of Maxwell Hill, this was formerly an old striving mining and the old capital of Perak. Taiping mean eternal peace and is certainly what the town is today, quiet and surrounded by the natural beauty of hills, lake and forests. The most famous landmark is Taiping Lake Garden, which was a former tin mine, operated as early as the 1880's. This 64-hectares area is now a beautifully landscaped park. The country's first railway was built from Taping to transport tin to the coast.

Lumut is a fishing village and popular beach area. It is also a naval base and port. The most popular beaches are Pantai Batik and Pantai Rubiah. The ferry terminal to Pulau Pangkor is located here.

Teluk Intan, on the banks of the Perak River, is located off the N-S expressway. You can exit Bidor and travel bu trunk road westwards. The town is famed for her 'leaning tower' - a beautiful pagoda-like structure which stands at 25.5metres high and is tilted to one side. It was built in 1885 by a Chinese contractor, Leong Choon Chong. Originally used as a covered water tank for the town, it is now a clocak tower and a popular local attraction. Teluk Intan is located in the district of Hilir Perak which is famed for seafood.

Caves and cave temples

Sam Poh Tong Cave Temple is probably the most famous and oldest cave temple in Perak. The temple is in a limestone cave at Gunung Rapat, about 5km from Ipoh. There is a tortoise pond and vegetarian temple within.

Kuan Im Tong - The cave is a spectacular huge cavity located near 'paradise valley', Ipoh. The cavity is used as a temple and the limestone hill is located in a residential estate. This is probably the best cave to visit but be sure to book a taxi there!

Perak Tong is also a cave temple located near Ipoh and is beautifully landscaped.

Gua Tempurong is one of the largest caves in peninsular Malaysia, located near the town of Gopeng about 25 km from Ipoh. The cave is about 1.5 km long with a stream flowing through. To explore the cave contact a local tour guide.

Museums

Lenggong Archaeological Museum, or Kota Tampan Archaeological Museum. Kota Tampan (near Lengong) is prehistoric site is dated 74,000 years old. The town of Lenggong is about 100 kilometres north of Ipoh on the Kuala Kangsar to Grik road. It is the site of the oldest known place of human activity in the Peninsula. The Perak Man, Peninsular Malaysia's oldest inhabitant was fond in the caves in the area is displayed at the museum. This skeleton is dated at between 10-11,000 years old, a Stone Age man, from the Palaeolithic period.

Geological Museum, housed at the Department of Mineral and Geosciences in Jalan Sultan Aslan Shah, was establised in 1957. There is a collection of over 60 mineral samples and many samples of cassiterite (tin ore or oxide) It also displays samples of gemstones and rock specimens. It is open only during government working hours.

Perak Museum was set up in 1883 and is the oldest museum in Malaysia. The museum building (in Ipoh) however was only completed in 1903. There are numerous zoological and ethnological exhibits. 

The Matang Historical Complex, Taiping. This mansion built in 1856, is located about 2km from the Simpang/Taiping junction of the Ipoh-Butterworth trunk road. It was the official residence of Ngah Ibrahim, a son of Long Jaafar. On display are many scenes of the history of Perak. On the walls are numerous old photographs and posters on the Larut Wars fought between the Chinese migrants clans - Ghee Hin and the Hai San.

The Royal Museum, at Kuala Kangsar, northe of Ipoh is housed in a royal residence built in 1926. This is the place to learn all about the history of the Perak royal house.

Forest Reserves, Parks and Rivers

To visit forest reserves, contact the forestry department of Perak or a local tour agency for more information.

Belum Forest Reserve is one of the largest forest reserve in Peninsular Malaysia. This vast virgin forest is located on the north east part of the state around the Temenggor dam. The forest has a wealth of flora, fauna and wildlife such as elephants, rhinoceros and tapir. Permits are required to enter this forest so go through a tour guide or contact the forestry department.

Kuala Woh Recreation Forest is 13km from Tapah, south of Ipoh. The park offers interesting walks through the forested areas. There is a 30-metre suspension bridge that spans Sungai Batang Padang and a forest museum. This is a place for swimming, picnicking and fishishing. It is about 13km from Tapah town, along Jalan Tapah-Cameron Highlands road.

Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve is an area of about 40,000 hectares of mangrove forest rich in tree species and aquatic life. It is located about 2km from Kuala Sepetang (formerly called Port Weld), west of Taiping. The Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve is one of the best managed mangrove forest in the world! The major rivers flowing through the Matang forest include Sungai Gula, Sungai Kelumpang, Sungai Selinsing, Sungai Sangga Besar, Sungai Sepetang, Sungai Jaha, Sungai Terung and Sungai Jarum Mas. To get there, exit the expressway at Changkat Jering (from Kuala Lumpur) or at Kamunting/Taiping (from Penang). Take the road towards Kuala Sepetang (Port Weld).

Sungai Perak or Perak River  If you are looking of a river adventure, the Perak River is a great choice (Get a local guide). It is the second longest rivers in Peninsular Malaysia (after Pahang River) and passes through the hilly terrain of Perak, towns and villages. The river supports many freshwater fishes and is also a habitat for river terrapins and crocodiles. Perak River flows some 400km from the Malaysia-Thai border, through the Temengor Lake to the Straits of Melaka.

          When tin was discovered in Perak, the Perak River became the source and mode of transport of tin ore. This discovery resulted in the growth of the many towns along the river, including Kuala Kangsar, Teluk Intan and Bagan Datoh.

          You cross this river through Iskandar Bridge and Sultan Abdul Jalil Bridge at Kuala Kangsar. Those interested in historical structure can appreciate the Victoria Bridge, also in KK, a railway bridge that crosses the Perak River, built around 1897. Teluk Intan, located on the banks of the Perak River is a nice place to visit.

Other attractions

Ubudiah Mosque is one of the most beautiful mosque in the country. It was built by Sultan Idris Mursyidul Azman Shah I and was completed in 1917.

Bukit Merah Laketown Resort is a resort and theme park. The scenic setting also offers boating and angling activities at the lake.

Kellie's Castle is an unfinished mansion commissioned by an English planter, William Kellie Smith in 1915. It stands out as a strange, romantic and mysterious landmark in Batu Gajah, about 40 km south of Ipoh. To reach here you have to travel by trunk roads and through some winding narrow roads to the site. There is not much to see here so visit the place only you have plenty of time.

Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort is a 27-hole international course located about 24km from Ipoh. Built on a reclaimed mining land and beautifully landscaped, the place also offers nature, golfing, angling and lakeside accommodations.

Maxwell Hill or Bukit Larut is 1035 meter above sea-level. It was used by British colonials used the hill resort as a rest & recreation centre since 1884. Today it is a pleasant, quiet resort that offers visitors a cool surrounding and an ambience of a forest park.

Taiping Lake Garden is a former mine with a mining pond that has been turned into a lake. This 64 hectares rehabilitated mining area is covered with turf, trees and plants. The Lake Garden encompasses a lake, a recreational park and a Japanese garden. There is golf course and the Taiping Zoo nearby.

Lata Kinjang is a multi-tiered waterfall that cascades some 850 metres down the mountain range. Those travelling on the North-south expressway from south (or form KL) to Ipoh cannot miss the sight of this majestic waterfall seen clearly on the mountain slope. To visit the place, take the Tapah exit (if you are coming from the south) and continue north on the trunk road until you see signboards leading to Chenderiang. The fall is after this town. The area is home to the Orang Asli (indigenous people) of Malaysia, so do not wander around the forested area.

Lata Iskandar is a waterfall between the town of Tapah and Cameron Highlands. The large waterfall is just near roadside. There is a bazaar selling Orang Asli crafts and food stalls selling refreshments at the site.

What to eat

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Islands

Pulau Pangkor (Pangkor Island) lies opposite Lumut, in the Malacca Strait. It is a striving fishing centre but also boasts some fabulous resorts. The popular beaches for swimming here are at Pasir Bogak and Teluk Nipah. The island is a great place for those who want to explore a fishing community and sample fresh seafood. It a great place for a relaxing, secluded and quiet stay away from the city.

Search for hotels on Pangkor island at HotelsCombined.com .

Pulau Banding is located at Temenggor Lake. Surrounded by the lake and virgin jungle it is a place for adventure and nature lovers. The resort sited here offers nature lovers many activities such as jungle trekking, fishing and bird watching.

Where to Stay

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History of Perak

The most famous archaeological findings in Malaysia is the Perak Man, a 10,000 to 11,000 year old human skeletal remains discovered at Lenggong, Perak in 1991. The cave where it was found is located in Gua Gunung Runtuh at Bukit Kepala Gajah.

      The earliest history of a civilization in Perak is written in the Kedah Annals. Legends tell of a Hindu-Malay kingdom called Gangga Negara in northwest Perak. The Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa or Kedah Annals describes Gangga Negara as founded by Merong Mahawangsa's son Raja Ganjil Sarjuna of Kedah. (Merong Mahawangsa was the first Raja of Kedah - see Kedah history). Archaeologists believe that the kingdom was centred at the present-day town of Beruas and it collapsed after an attack by King Rajendra Chola I of the Chola Empire (south India). Gangga Negara was said to control the area around Beruas and Dinding/ Manjong. Artefacts found at these sites dates back to as early as the 5th and 6th century AD. 

      Much of Perak was under the Melaka Sultanate in the 15th century. Formal recorded history of the state begins with the installation of Sultan Muzaffar Shah 1, who was a descendent of Sultan Mahmud Shah of Malacca, in the year 1528.  With the capture of Malacca by the Portuguese in 1511, the royals of the Malacca Sultanate fled. The eldest son of the Sultan, Muzaffar Shah, went north to Perak, where he become the first sultan of Perak. Today, Perak is the only royal house descended directly from the Malacca Sultanate.

     The discovery of tin in the state brought riches as well as foreign threats. After 1641, the Dutch attempted to establish a monopoly over Perak's tin trade but failed. Then in the 18th century, the Bugis in the South and the Thai in the north tried to exert control. The state was saved through British assistance in the 1820's

    Perak became renowned for tin with the discovery of tin in Larut, Taiping in 1848 by Long Jaafar. This brought an influx of Chinese miners to the state. In the 1870s the state was embroiled in dispute over the throne between Raja Yusuf, Raja Ismail and Raja Abdullah. As the claimants to the throne took sides between feuding Chinese miners of two groups, the Ghee Hin (Cantonese) and Hai San (Hakka), it soon transformed into a civil war involving the Malay chiefs of Perak. This led to the British intervention in 1874 to protect their interest. Under the Pangkor Treaty, the British settled the Chinese dispute, cleared the Sultan succession dispute, appointing Raja Abdullah as sultan and placed Perak under British Residency.

         The first resident, J. W. W. Birch administered the state without studying government regulations been practiced in the state nor did he understand the feeling and customs of the Malay Rulers. Thus his presence raised feelings of dissatisfaction among the Malays. This led to the murder of Birch, in November 1875. Sultan Abdullah and the other chiefs implicated in the murder were banished and the murderer Datuk Maharaja Lela was sentenced to death by hanging at Matang. Raja Muda Yusuf was declared regent by the British. The capital of Perak was moved from Bandar Baru to Taiping in 1875. In 1937 the capital was moved to Ipoh.

          British control continued and in 1896, Perak became a Federated Malay State, which lasted until the Japanese invasion. After the Japanese occupation in September 1945, the British Military Administration took over. The Malay Federation was formed on 1 February 1948 and on 31 August 1957 Malaya gained it independence.

Check also related information at:   

History of Malaysia  .  History of Kedah  .  History of Melaka

How to get to Perak