One of the best things in Ipoh related to the hotel facilities is the free use of the washing machine & the dryers on the rooftop with detergents & softeners provided. This will be a huge advantage for those who are staying for a longer period. We often opt to get our dirty clothes at the 24×7 launderettes – this way we don’t have to bring dirty clothes back home and there will be less effort to wash them at home.
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Good Hotel Breakfast
On the second day of our family trip to Ipoh, we decided to start our day with a hearty buffet breakfast at the hotel restaurant. The restaurant opened its doors at 7 am and served breakfast until 10 am. We wanted to come down as early as possible to avoid the Ipoh’s morning rush and to ensure the food was still warm when we took the food.
However as the kids were still sleeping, we only managed to go to the restaurant at about 8.30 am. Some hotel guests were enjoying their morning breakfast by the time we walked in the restaurant but the restaurant was not that crowded and we managed to get a good place to sit.
From the reviews on the internet, we knew that the hotel had good breakfast options, which was why we booked this hotel. There was plenty on the buffet menu starting with the all-time favorite, nasi lemak with a spicy sambal, fried noodles, sausages, curry puffs, salad bar, fruit bar, bread, pastries, and a few options for drinks. We had a heavy breakfast as we had expected to have a late lunch later.
Perak Temple Cave
Nestled in the rugged limestone cliffs of Ipoh, the Perak Cave Temple also known as Perak Tong, has captivated visitors with its serene atmosphere and breathtaking views since its inception in 1926.
The temple’s history started from a vision of a couple from Jiaoling, China, who dedicated half a century to transforming a natural cave into a place of worship for Buddhists and Taoists. It is also now a major cultural landmark that attracts tourists from around the globe. The temple is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm, with the hilltop pavilion accessible from 9 am to 4 pm to avoid the afternoon heat.
Soon after breakfast but after a short break in our hotel room, we drove to the temple about 8 kilometers away. It was a big challenge to cross the road into the huge parking lot in front of the cave temple entrance as the traffic from the other side was heavy. It was supposed to be free of charge to park but immediately we were surrounded by 2 elderly aunties asking for donations which we were forced to give.
Once we entered the cave, we were greeted by huge Buddhists and other deities and the atmosphere was serene & peaceful. Moving towards the deities to pray, we were not sure of whether we could wear our shoes until we saw the locals wearing them as they offered their prayers. Perhaps due to the cave environment or the height, we found it a bit difficult to breathe and discarded the idea of climbing up the stairs to the peak of the cave hills. However, there are videos on YouTube that show what is at the very top which is something we will explore next time around when we are in Ipoh.
There are no entry fees to the temple but on your way out, you will be stopped for an RM10 “donation” to the temple and they can be very persuasive on this.
Fun Filled Dim Sums
Based on our plan, we were supposed to go to another dim sum restaurant in Ipoh but we decided to go to the more famous Canning Dim Sum restaurant as we were willing to wait in the queue. The Ipoh’s dim sum restaurant was founded in June 2018 by Mr. Nang Yu Chuan and Mdm. Ceylyn Tay serves a good variety of halal dim sums and they have a few branches around Malaysia.
The problem with dim sum restaurants in Ipoh and other places is that they are not open the whole day, especially in the afternoon at lunchtime. Canning Dim Sum opens at 7.30 am and closes at 3.30 pm. We managed to reach the restaurant at about 1.30 pm which was the peak hour for lunch and thus there was a long queue waiting to be called in. The restaurant was nestled near a residential area so parking was not an issue but we played safe & parked at the Canning Market parking lot.
Despite the long queue, the restaurant provided empty seats on the outside and the queue was moving fast. It was not long before we were called in & escorted to an empty spot where unfortunately the table was too small for the whole family. The menu at Canning Dim Sum has a good selection of steamed and fried dim sum and desserts as well and it is served right at our table. Some of the items on the menu however have been sold out but there was plenty for us to choose from. It was the highlight of our visit to Ipoh.
Kampung Kacang Puteh
We were supposed to visit the famous Kampung Kacang Puteh which is a must when one is in Ipoh. The village nestled in the heart of Buntong and is about 6 kilometers from Ipoh’s Canning Dim Sum restaurant the next day but since we still had time, we decided to continue to the village which is famous for its Indian traditional snacks like murukku & many types of nuts. Further, we want to leave early the next day so that we can beat the traffic expected on weekends.
The story of Kampung Kacang Puteh began in the early 1900s when a group of Tamil Nadars from Ettayapuram, India, migrated to Malaysia during the British colonization of Malaya. Seeking to supplement their income from working in rubber estates, they started a small business making traditional Indian snacks. The term “Kacang Puteh,” which translates to “white nuts,” was later coined to appeal to the Malay and Chinese populations in Ipoh town.
There were several outlets at the very entrance of the village that sold similar Indian traditional snacks but we decided to go to one simply called “Enak & Rangup” which was founded by the current owner’s great-grandfather back in 1949 at Gunung Cheroh before moving to the current location after the landslide tragedy in 1973 which killed 42 people.
To be continued in Part 4