Malaysia (My 5 days visit to Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Sepetang, Taiping & Ipoh, Perak) May 9 2024 (Day 4)

Perak Museum, Taiping, Perak

Gunung Lang Recreation Park
Ipoh, Perak

Perak Tong, Ipoh, Perak

Kek Look Tong Temple 
Ipoh, Perak 

Concubine Lane, Ipoh City, Perak 

Day 4 -Thursday May 9 2024 (Taiping & Ipoh) - after a morning breakfast in Taiping town, our group made a visit to Perak Museum, Taiping before driving south for an overnight stay in our next destination (67km) ie Ipoh city; prior to the hotel check-in (15.00), our group visited Perak Tong & Gunung Lang; in late afternoon & evening, our group visited Kek Look Tong & Concubine lane, Ipoh.  

Travel itinerary: Taiping > Ipoh, Perak (approx 67km)

1) Early morning walk in downtown Ipoh nearby Kimal Hotel, Jalan Taming Sari, Taiping 

2) Morning breakfast in Restaurant Prima  Jalan Kota, Taiping, Perak

Popiah @ Rm2.70 (US$0.56)

Porridge Rm7 (US$1.45)

Pork Noodle Soup Rm6 (US$1,25)

3) Taiping Zoo & Night Safari, Jalan Taman Tasik Taiping, Perak - established in 1961, a brief stopover, external visit only, admission fee Rm8 (US$1.65) for senior citizens, adults Rm16 (US$3.30)  

4) Perak Museum, Jalan Taming Sari, Taiping - the oldest museum in Malaysia, built in 1883, the brainchild of Sir Hugh Low, highlights the history of the Perak state, ground floor exhibits cover natural history & display animals, fish & birds found in Malaysia, upstairs is a small exhibits of ethnic Malaysia.

5) Front Entrance & Ticketing Counter, Perak Museum, Taiping - admission fee for adults Rm2 (US$0.40), senior citizens Rm1 & foreigners Rm5 (US$1.05) 

6) Nature Gallery - Zoological Exhibition / The Art of Taxidermy (animals, birds & fish), Perak Museum, Taiping - exhibits of skeletons of animals like tigers & elephants, taxidermy of animals stuffed in jungle dioramas. 

7) Taxidermy of Animals & Reptiles, Nature Gallery, Perak Museum, Taiping

8) Taxidermy of Birds, Nature Gallery, Perak Museum

9) Taxidermy of Marine Animals & Fish, Nature Gallery, Perak Museum, Taiping 

10) Cultural Gallery, Perak Museum, Taiping - exhibits of Malaysian handicrafts like woven bamboo items from Perak, Mannequins wearing typical costumes worn at Malay, Indian & Chinese weddings, traditional games & sports etc  

11) Indigenous People Gallery, Perak Museum, Taiping 

12) External exhibits, Perak Museum, Taiping - Rolls Royce Phantom 6, Star Libra, Alvis to 21 Tourer, Rolls Royce Silver Cloud 111, dug-out canoe, fire extinguisher foam type, water type fire extinguisher, trishaw, horse carriage, Malay Lopek boat, Bedford Model Car, ancient slab grave from Sungkai, Perak, old cannons etc 

13) Taiping Prison, Jalan Taming Sari, Perak - established in 1879, first & oldest modern complex in Malay States, located opposite the Perak Museum.  

14) Perak Tong, Jalan Kuala Kangsar, Kawasan Perindustrian Tasek, Ipoh, Perak - a Buddhist cave temple atop a scenic hill with a cave featuring statutes & painted walls opening hours 08.00 > 17.00.  

15) Gunung Lang Recreation Park, Jalan Damai, Ipoh, Perak - located north of Ipoh, spacious park with a tranquil atmosphere featuring a lake with a boat ride (service was suspended at the time of our visit) & a manmade waterfall, free admission. 

16) Lunch in a local restaurant nearby Station 18 Hotel, each of us savoured a plate of  "mixed rice comprising of vegetable, egg & pork" @ Rm6 (US$1.25)  

17) Hotel accommodation (1 night): Hotel Station 18, Medan Stesen, Ipoh, Perak - room tariff Rm67.80 inclusive of tax (US$14.15, deluxe double room), check-in time 15.00. 

18) Kek Look Tong, Ipoh, Perak - limestone cave temple on a 12 acres land with Buddha sculptures & a garden with a reflexology footpath, very scenic & visitors can enjoy a boat ride along the limestone cave scenic area, my last visit to Kek Look Tong was in Sept 2022.  

18) Heavy rain in Ipoh City, Perak (17.00 > 17.30)

19) Concubine Lane, Ipoh City, Perak - this lane was popularly known as "The Second Wife Lane" or in Chinese as "Yee Lai Hong" or in English as "The Mistress Lane" which exitsted since 1908, this area of shophouses was a centre of opium smokers, gamblers & prostitutes owned by tycoons or millionaire miners around Ipoh, the lane was later renamed with various names such as Err Nai Xiang (Concubine Lane), DaNai Xiang (Wife Lane) & San Nai Xiang (Market Lane), the present day Concubine Lane has a variety of food stalls, gifts & souvenir shops. 

20) Ipoh Bean Sprouts Chicken Rice street (Jalan Yay Tet Shin, Taman Jubilee), Ipoh City, Perak - Ong Kee & Lou Wong are popular chicken rice restaurants in this area ! 

21) Our group's dinner in Restoran Onn Kee Tauge Ayam, Jalan Yau Tet Shin, Ipoh City, Perak, savoured a plate of steamed white chicken, bean sprouts, meat balls + 2 plates of rice + 2 bowls of flat noodle soup + Chinese tea = totalled Rm72 (US$15, a table of 4)  

Beasn Sprouts Rm12 (US$2.50)

1/2 White Chicken Rm38 (Rm7.90)

Pork Meat Ball Rm10 (US$2.10)

22) Walkabout in Jalan Yau Tet Shin, Taman Jublilee, Ipoh City, Perak - a tourist street selling takeaway packs of "beggar" chicken, salt baked chicken, biscuits & confectioneries, pastries, titbits, snacks, taufu fah (ban curd), white coffee powder, "heong peah"  etc   

23) Evening visit to Aeon Mall Station 18, Ipoh, Perak - within walking distance from Hotel Station 18, window shopping only ! 

24) Our group's supper in Sun Shi Sheng Corner Restaurant, Medan Stesen 18, Taman Pengkalan Jaya, Ipoh, Perak, savoured a plate of vegetarian royak (large, Rm11 = US$2.30) &  Hokkien Mee (Rm16 = US$3.33 for two portions). 

Vegetarian Royak Rm11 (US$2.30)

Hokkien Mee Rm16 (US$3.33)