Ipoh is a city in northwestern Malaysia, known as a gateway to the Cameron Highlands hill station.
Sam Poh Tong is a Buddhist temple in a limestone cave. To the south, Kellie’s Castle is an unfinished mansion built by a Scottish planter. Southeast, the vast Gua Tempurung cave has dramatic rock formations.
Get a personalized introduction to Ipoh on a full-day, private tour that covers some of the city’s top highlights, from local food to sightseeing stops. Walk the Ipoh Heritage Trail, visit two magnificent caves, and explore Kellie’s Castle, an eerie abandoned mansion that’s rumoured to be haunted.
Inclusions & Exclusions
✔ Air-conditioned vehicle with English-Speaking Driver
✔ Hotel Pick-up & Drop-off
✖ Food and drinks, unless specified
Pickup Locations
1. Hotel City Bukit Bintang
2. Golden Crown Suites at Platinum KLCC Kuala Lumpur
3. Sleeping Lion Suites
4. D Loft Hotel
5. Anggun Residence KL by F&F
6. Radisson Apartment At Berjaya Times Square
7. Marmaid Suite at Barjaya time square
8. Midaris Hotel by Glex
9. Sunway Sanctuary (Seniors Hotel & Residences)
10. The Quay Hotel Bukit Bintang
11. Crowne Plaza Kuala Lumpur City Centre, an IHG hotel
12. Raissa Boutique Hotel
13. Opus Residence Merdeka
14. Marhaban Service Suite @ Times Square KL
15. OYO 119 GDS Hotel
16. Sky Suites By iHost Global
17. Opus Residence Kuala Lumpur by KL Suite
18. Popular Suites At Times Square
19. Corona Inn
20. BIG M Hotel
Additional Info: Pick-up from any Hotels / Apartments / Guest House & Residence in Kuala Lumpur City
Itinerary
1
Gua Tempurung
Tempurung Cave is a cave in Gopeng, Perak, Malaysia. It is popular among spelunkers, or caving enthusiasts. More than 3 km long, it is one of the longest caves in Peninsula Malaysia.
The tunnel of the cave runs from the east to the west covering a distance of about 2 km under the limestone hills known as Gunung Tempurung and Gunung Gajah. It is made up of 5 large domes and is believed to have existed since 8,000 B.C., about 10,000 years ago.
It comprises of five huge domes with ceilings resembling coconut shells. Each of these domes has different calcium formations and marble there exist in differing temperatures and water levels. These caves are famous for its breathtaking gallery of stalagmites, stalactites and other amazing rock formations that are super speleological wonders, found only in this part of the world.
Duration: 45 minutes
2
Welcome to the HOGA Experience at Gaharu Tea Valley Gopeng. HOGA had a quiet and unofficial inception in 1992. At present, the plantation located within the quaint little town of Gopeng, has 200,000 trees of a special 12 in 1 super hybrid Aquilaria spp and other natural attractions that will leave you mesmerized.
The Gaharu tree although listed as an endangered species by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna known as CITES, is not only organically cultivated here to further prevent its extinction but Gaharu Tea Valley Gopeng is the only plantation with 300 acres of the special 12 in 1 hybrid Aquilaria spp trees.
Duration: 45 minutes
3
Kellie's Castle
Kellie’s Castle in Perak’s Batu Gajah near Ipoh combines romance, tragedy and mystery. Young Scotsman William Kellie Smith moved to British Malaya, now Malaysia, made and lost his fortune and left an unfinished mansion to be reclaimed by the jungle. Here is the entrancing story.
William had a passion for the weird and wonderful. Kellie’s Castle combines several styles. Look closely and see Moorish, Indo-Saracenic and Roman influences. He imported several Tamil workers, and bricks and marble from India. William had a dream. He wanted the biggest and most opulent mansion in Malaya to spite the other snobbish bureaucrats who once doubted his wealth and ability in more desperate times. And he dreamed big. The mansion itself was several storeys high with a huge planned tower, an indoor tennis court and even a rooftop entertainment complex to host parties. It almost had Malaya’s first-ever elevator. Almost. But William’s destiny wasn’t to be as once more his life turned on a dime. Poor investments dwindled his wealth and souring relationships with the other administrators made his future look bleak.
Duration: 30 minutes
4
Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple and Zen Gardens
Limestone cave temple on 12 acres with Buddha sculptures & a garden with a reflexology footpath.
The Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple is a tourist attraction situated in the natural and picturesque area of Gunung Rapat in the south of Ipoh - the capital of Perak state in west Malaysia. The cave temple sits on a 12 acre site and was used as early as 1920 as a place of worship. In 1960, the cave became part of an iron mining site, this temple is set in a huge cave in the limestone outcrops behind Gunung Rapat.
The Kek Lok Tong complex comprises a central altar featuring a number of Buddhist figures as well as various deities of the Chinese pantheon. The most unique about the caves is there are another great garden view once you get inside the caves. The limestone hill is made up of light grey to white crystalline Kinta limestone inter bedded with about 5 mm to 1 cm think argillaceous material bands. Primary iron can still be seen within the limestone. The award winning landscape garden features a jogging path circling two lakes and one of the longest reflexology footpaths in Ipoh.
Entrance is FREE but there is a donation booth if you would like to leave a contribution towards upkeep.
Duration: 30 minutes
5
Perak Cave Temple
Buddhist temple atop a scenic hill with a cave entrance featuring statues & painted walls.
In 1926 Chong Sen Yee and his wife Choong Chan Yoke who came from Jiao-Ling province of China, discovered Perak Tong. On approval from the Perak State Government they started to develop the cave. As Chong Sen Ye was mainly involved in the planning and development of the cave temple, his wife went all out to look for donations to carry out the plan, locally and internationally. After more than 50 years of diligent and careful work n and around the cave temple, Perak Tong has become one of the best cave temples in Malaysia. Chong Sen Yee passed away in 1980 and his wife Choong Chan Yoke in 1983, handing the heritage to the son Chong Yin Chat. He put even greater effort into the temple and thus enhanced Perak Tong into an international tourist spot in Perak.
There are several major attractions available at the temple like the beautiful landscape flower garden in front of the temple. Here you can feed the monkeys in the morning and late evenings. As you enter the temple, you will be greeted with a 40 feel tall Buddha statue. The Inner part of the cave has natural limestone wonders and decorated with statute of deities. There are also colourful paintings and calligraphic writings by Chong Yit Chat himself and among others. There is a staircase of about 450 steps, which takes you right to the top of the limestone hill, where one can have an overall view of Ipoh city and its surroundings.
Entrance is FREE but there is a donation booth if you would like to leave a contribution towards upkeep.
Duration: 45 minutes
6
Concubine Lane
In 2015, Ipoh Old Town was such a quiet town that travellers would call it a laid-back town with cafes, traditional coffees and food and flourishing street arts. Not much was heard of the three Concubine Lanes. In July 2016, Lonely Planet listed Ipoh as one of the best Asian destinations to visit. Photos of the Concubine Lanes started appearing in news articles. The lanes were opened.
Duration: 30 minutes
7
Ipoh Heritage Walk
Ipoh Heritage Walk is a leisurely stroll around the compact and historic old town area of Ipoh. The walk is about 4 miles long but you can extend or shorten it depending on your energy levels.
In just over 130 years Ipoh transformed itself from a sleepy Malay village to the bustling metropolis it is today, the fourth largest city in Malaysia with a population of over 700,000.
Its boom period began around 1880 and lasted until well into the 1930s, largely on the back of tin mining and it became known as the town that tin built. The tin rush drew in hordes of migrants, mostly Chinese, many of whom went on to build substantial fortunes.
Duration: 60 minutes
Additional info
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
