These photos were taken in January 2003 on a two day, one night excursion by hired car/driver from Penang to the Cameron Highlands, with the usual stops in Taiping, Ipoh and Kuala Kangsar en route.

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Taiping: Only 60 mi/97 km south of Penang, Taiping is the major town in the state of Perak. It is one of the oldest towns in Malaysia and was once the thriving center of the tin industry in the area. Taiping is known as the Town of Eternal Peace because 'Taiping' comes from the Chinese word Tai-Peng which means ETERNAL PEACE.

The main attraction is the beautiful Lake Gardens area. Other popular attractions include the Commonwealth War cemetery, the Taiping Zoo, and the Taiping Museum - the oldest Museum in Malaysia. For more pictures, check this web site: http://taipingtalk.com/

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Ipoh: About 10 mi/180 km northeast of Kuala Lumpur and founded by Chinese tin miners, this very-Chinese city's main attractions are its many limestone cave temples. The two most popular temples are Sam Poh Tong and Perak Tong.

The Perak Tong temple (the one we saw) was built in 1926 by Buddhist priests from China. It houses over 40 Buddha statues with the centerpiece being a 12.8-meter high sitting Buddha. Beyond the main altar a passage leads into the cave's interior that has mystical mural paintings on the cave's walls. If one climbs 385 steps, the cave opens at the top for a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside. This temple is located on Jalan Kuala Kangsar on Ipoh's north side.

The Sam Poh Tong temple, the more famous cave temple, is located on the south side of Ipoh and is said to be the biggest cave temple in the country.

Another popular attraction is Ipoh's 'Taj Mahal' - the Ipoh Railway Station, which bears a close resemblance to its counterpart in Kuala Lumpur.

A popular area attraction is Kellie's Castle which is at the Kinta Kellas Rubber Estate about 14 km south of Ipoh. Ipoh is also known for its rice noodles & its many fruit stalls selling the state's famous Tambun pomelos and groundnuts.

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Cameron Highlands: The most important of several 'hill stations' in the country, the 'Camerons' are famous for their tea plantations and are also Malaysia's green bowl, because the area supplies vegetables, strawberries and flowers to the country and to Singapore. [Hill stations were established by the British during their colonial rule (1786-1957) because they offered a cool escape for their subjects from the oppressive heat of the lowlands.]

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Kuala Kangsar: Perak state's Royal Town (home of the Sultan), and home to the Malaysian rubber industry, is one of the most well-preserved old Royal Towns in the country. Located 48kms north of Ipoh, the main attractions are the Sultan's Palace on a hill overlooking the Perak River, the old temporary palace which is now a museum, and the Ubudiah mosque which was completed after the First World War.

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Excellent Malaysia photo websites: http://www.caingram.info/Triangle/malaya_index.htm

http://www.rosenblatt-sf.com/SelPhotos08.htm

Informative Perak State links with more photos: http://www.tourismperak.com/destination.cfm

http://www.tourismperak.com/gallery.cfm