Exploring Gua Tempurung and Menara Condong Teluk Intan in Perak

The next day of our trip brings us to Gua Tempurung and Teluk Intan in Perak. Gua Tempurung was part of the tour agenda for 姐姐's school trip last year which we didn't join. We made it to Gua Tempurung this time!

Gua Tempurung (Tempurung Cave)
Gua Tempurung (Tempurung Cave) is about 30 minutes from Lost World Hotel in Ipoh. There is a big signboard outside the main road from Gopeng. Gua Tempurung is the largest limestone structure in Peninsular Malaysia.

I thought of bringing the kids to Gua Tempurung before we got too old to climb since the stairs looked quite steep from their website. We didn't have sneakers for the children (they had outgrown the old ones) so we just brought 姐姐's school shoes. Not to be surprised, 弟弟 actually wears the same size as her. Good thing they wore the school shoes as it must have rained before and some parts of the stairs were wet and slippery. This place is not for the faint-hearted as it's dark (oops we didn't bring torches :P) and requires negotiating quite high steps. But don't worry too much as there are lights along the way. We only took the Golden Flowstone tour which is the mildest, not sure if we could have the children in the caves for too long. Entrance tickets are RM6 each for adults and RM2.50 each for children.

Gua Tempurung entrance, cave window

Once inside, the children keep asking is it a real cave? Themepark symdrome you know, as they are too used to manmade stuffs at the themeparks. That's why we have to bring them to experience some natural surroundings. I think we came at good time as we can climb leisurely as there isn't a crowd (spoke too soon). Otherwise I would have hard time as I'm afraid of heights and at one point it is really going high up in the beginning (near the underground river).

As we just go by ourselves, we don't really know where the tour stops for our package. So we just keep going. The children sighted bats too, and were so excited. Until at a certain point near the "dinosaur teeth", 弟弟 got tired of it and firmly requested to go. We were all sweating and puffing as it's pretty tiring for us to negotiate so many steps.

Wind tunnel, it's very windy here. Looks like Mickey Mouse and heart on the roof here. A part of the cave which looks like dinosaur teeth. And the big sign once you go onto the road to Gua Tempurung (after a big signboard from the main old trunk road).

On our way down, we bertembung with a school group and had to let them pass first. It feels like ages waiting for them as it's such a big group. Lucky for us, we're on our way out. We went to the paid public restroom there (only 30 sen) and nearly fainted, so many people from school tours. And the toilet floor was flooded - not sure because of rain or the girls bathing after the wet tour? 姐姐 got her shoes and feet wet from stepping into the huge puddle of water as she is not tall enough to make one single step out of the toilet stall :(

It's past lunch time and since we didn't want to jossle with the school crowd, we drove to Kampar and saw Tesco Kampar just off the main road (about 10 km away). So it's KFC for the children as the kopitiams around the area seem be closed. Us adults already planned to try out food at Teluk Intan.

After Gua Tempurung, it's about a 1 hour drive to Teluk Intan to look for the Menara Condong Teluk Intan. In the car when we continue our trip, 姐姐 was a bit disappointed we didn't take the longer tour to the top called Top Of The World tour. We told her next trip when 弟弟 is bigger we will make another trip and take Top Of The World tour.

Menara Condong Teluk Intan (Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan)
We drove all the way just to see the Menara Condong Teluk Intan :) And when we reached, it was quite a surprise to me, so cute!! This little historical tower. Too bad it was not open for visiting (why? why?). So we just took photos around the grounds. It was a sunny day and 弟弟 complained about the sun in his eyes. He refused to take photo until we offered to let him use an umbrella.

The quaint looking Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan. Loved the photo on the left :)

Next it's looking for some food for the adults. First stop for soya bean drink. They had sold out of soya beancurd so we make do with jelly and the drinks. Then it's Ah Chai Rojak. Sorry to say we've had better :P The very popular chee cheong fun was not open yet and we didn't want to wait. After buying local biscuits at Ta Sin Guan, we drove to Ipoh for chicken rice at Onn Kee Tauge Ayam 安记芽菜鸡. It was raining in the evening, lucky for us it just drizzled when we reached. The children liked this chicken rice.

Food around Teluk Intan, and Ipoh 安记芽菜鸡

After dinner, so happened we passed by Kinta River and amazed that it has changed into Kinta River Walk. You know how much 弟弟 likes Kinta :)

Kinta River Walk