Introduction
Finally! The raining season has ended in Malaysia! Some people from
were asking why I stopped with my adventure posts, it was because the daily rain made it impossible to get any outdoors activity done.
In my introduction speech to Mindvalley when I joined 3 months ago, I told everyone that one of my goals will be to introduce the beauty of Malaysia to the almost 200-ish foreigners we have working in Mindvalley whose perception of Malaysia is limited to Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi and Tioman, or worst, just Bangsar!
As before, I would like to post my tentative itinerary here so that I can get feedback from my fellow Malaysians AND also to provide non-Malaysian Steemians a glimpse into Malaysia and what you can do if you do decide to come visit us!
Source Malaysia Tourism Board - would appreciate it if I can get some sponsorship for promoting Malaysia =D
Day One - White Water Rafting
Our day will start very early at 6AM in Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala Lumpur to Ulu River Lodge
We will arrive in Gopeng by 9AM to meet with our instructors from RiverBug at the Ulu River Lodge.
The clear water of Kampar River (Class I-III) is suitable for anyone who is physically fit and those who crave for mild technical adventure whilst safely enjoy a rafting trip.
Test out your river skills and go on an adrenaline rush as you ride through 14 rapids and cooling waters of Kampar River in Perak, just 2 hours from Pangkor Island, Lumut and the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. A state in west Malaysia famous for its’ tin ore, and pomelo fruit, Ipoh hor fun, home-grown white coffee, temples, caves and hot springs!
On the river, you will have the thrills of tackling exciting rapids and floating down the clear water river amidst a lush rainforest. You will ride the continuous rapids graded from class I-III, and continue down river, passing by some old tin mining plains. Have fun during the rafting like do some body-rafting or even take a spin in the raft with your head in the water....or just get to the traditional fun of water fight with your fellow rafters! Get wet and get in touch with nature once more!
Source I'll have my own photos after the trip!
I expect the whole Rafting experience to finish by 1PM. After which, we will be checking into our Airbnb in Gopeng town. I decided to stay in Gopeng because it's closer to where all the action is and it's also not that far away from Ipoh.
With 15 people coming for the trip, it won't be easy trying to coordinate everything quickly. Upon reaching our Airbnb, everyone should wash up and clean up
Day 1 (con't) - Ipoh
I expect to get into Ipoh by 3PM. For those who are not familiar with Ipoh, it was named by Lonely Planet as the Top 10 MUST VISIT REGION in the World!
I've been to Ipoh a few times already and I've frequented the same restaurants and sites a few times. So, maybe some of you could provide me with more recommendations!
Restaurant Lou Wong Tauge Ayam Kuetiau
There's like 10 different Lou Wong's in Ipoh and I never get the right one on Waze. Would appreciate it if anyone could tell me which is the original Lou Wong with the best chicken rice!
I never understood why people will come all the way to Melaka to have Chicken Rice when I feel like our Melakan (I'm Melakan) Chicken Rice is pretty meh compared to the ones from Ipoh. Heck, even the Chicken Rice in KL is way better. My favorite Chicken Rice so far is Restoran Kar Heong in SS14 Subang Jaya.
But coming to Ipoh, the Chicken Rice is a must, and despite all the different Lou Wong's, most of them are still pretty decent.
Dai Shu Geok (Big Tree Foot) - Tauke and Assam Laksa
Source
Although not as amazing as the Assam Laksa found in Penang, I still enjoy the Assam Laksa here under the big tree. Not to mention the assortment of yong tau foo from the stall here.
I believe this place, while not having the best options, gives a wide variety of different food to enjoy and experience in one place for convenience.
Graffiti Hunting
In my opinion, what contributed to the meteoric rise to Ipoh's tourism (other than the food and Perak girls - they say the girls here are prettier because the water is cleaner) is the graffiti plastered throughout the old buildings in the city.
I won't post any pictures of the graffiti because where's the fun in that! If you want to see them, come here yourself!
I've been to Ipoh many times, but I still enjoy looking for these graffitis as they really showcase the history and spirit of the city. I plan to organize a sort-of-like treasure hunt with the 15 people I'll be going to Ipoh with to find the most graffitis around the city which are all within walking distance of each other.
Burps & Giggles
What contributes to the charm of Ipoh is also the cafes in the old buildings. Ipoh was at its height back in the late 1800s, early 1900s, being the biggest tin mining site in the world. Now, it's just a sleepy old town. But this doesn't take away from its beauty.
I think a lot of the cafes in Ipoh take very good advantage of this old charm and enhance it even further. In my opinion, no cafes do this better than Burps & Giggles.
Day 2 - Gua Tempurung
I've talked about Gua Tempurung before in a previous post, so I wouldn't want to repeat all of that again. Click here to read about it. !! Don't click on it if you don't want spoilers !!
Conclusion
Let me know what you think of my tentative itinerary! I'd really appreciate any feedback or suggestions of what additional things we can do in Ipoh or alternatives to the places I've mentioned above.
I've budgeted the whole trip to be about $350 / person which I think is pretty damn good.
(1) Whitewater Rafting - RM165
(2) Caving - RM22 (for Malaysians - it's a bit more for foreigners I think)
(3) Accommodation - ~RM30
(4) Gas + Toll ~RM25
(5) Food ~RM30-50 (Assuming 3 meals)
I will post more photos of the trip after the event. Hopefully, I'll be able to tempt you to visit Ipoh as well.
