Must-see attractions in Perak

Steeped in tragic legend, this monument to British eccentricity stands marooned by the highway, 5km east of Batu Gajah. Known as Kellie’s Folly, the…

If there's time for only one tea-themed experience in the highlands, make it this spectacularly situated plantation, with its own tea interpretation…

This former royal palace, also known as Istana Kota and Istana Hulu, is a showy mash-up of Renaissance, neoclassical and Moorish styles. Completed in 1903…

Wooden boardwalks weave among the protruding, twisted tree roots of the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve. The reserve is best known for its fireflies, which…

First discovered by a monk in 1890, this cavern, 5km south of Ipoh, is now a riot of religious statuary and pagoda tiles. The entrance pavilion is grand…

With many of Perak's museums in dire need of more funding, Taiping's well-maintained Muzium Perak stands out. Parts of the pristine, whitewashed building…

This scarlet-and-yellow temple complex, just south of Brinchang, about 1km off the main road, is stacked high with gleaming golden statues of Chinese…

This 1175-sq-km park within Belum-Temenggor Rainforest was gazetted in 2007 to protect a rich menagerie of tigers, tapirs, panthers and the Sumatran rhino…

With a craggy cave mouth beneath a towering cliff, Kek Look Tong (1920) has the most impressive approach of all Ipoh's temples. Three Sages dominate the…

Developed in 1926 by Chinese Buddhists Chong Sen Yee and his wife, this temple (7km north of Ipoh) is popular for its mesmerising murals and panoramic…

With bands of Italian marble and enormous gold domes, Masjid Ubudiah is a contender for the title of Malaysia's prettiest mosque. Commissioned by Perak’s…

Immerse yourself in biodiverse Teluk Rubiah forest with a little help from this informative eco centre. An offshoot of green NGO EcoMY (www.ecomy.org),…

The most attractive temple on Pulau Pangkor is colourful Foo Lin Kong, a landscaped site with flower gardens, dragon-roofed pavilions and a miniature…

If you only do one thing in Gopeng, explore the 'Coconut Cave', named for its domelike interior. The easy option is the 'Golden Flowstone' walk, a self…

Taiping's centrepiece is a 64-hectare expanse of lagoons and grassland east of town. Created in 1880 on the site of an abandoned tin mine, the gardens owe…

When humidity makes the kids whimper, locals bring their families to this ostentatious water park, 8km north of Ipoh. As if the backdrop of jungle-furred…

The Lenggong Valley, 50km north of Ipoh, is the site of one of Malaysia's most exciting archaeological finds. The 11,000-year-old 'Perak Man', a rare…

Also known as the Palace of Memories, Istana Kenangan is made of wood (without a single metal nail) and bamboo woven into diamond-shaped patterns across…

Consecrated in 1887, this timber church is one of the oldest Anglican churches in Malaysia and is still used as a place of worship. The Gothic-inspired…

The clock tower, with a 1.95m-diameter bell, was erected in 1909 in memory of James WW Birch, Perak’s first British Resident. Birch was murdered in 1875…