Best of Kuala Kangsar

Best of Kuala Kangsar
By: William Thaddaeus

Kuala Kangsar-there is just so much history and beautiful sights to take in here. It is recorded in history that Kuala Kangsar is the oldest district in Perak with a rich legacy of 150 years that dates back to the time of the Malay Sultanate in the Seventh Century.

The focus in this royal town of Perak is Bukit Chandan where several royal palaces and museums are located. Then there are many old heritage buildings and institutions like the Malay College and Clifford School, both of which are over 100 years old as well as several other heritage type buildings spread across the town.

Kuala Kangsar itself sits squarely on the Sungai Perak and the locals like to gather here to take in the lovely vistas or to simply go fishing. There is a souvenir and handicrafts centre at Arena Square where traders not only sell local handicraft but also products from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and other neighbouring countries.

As for food, you will be spoilt for choice-Malay, Indian, Chinese and lost more-and all are so reasonably priced too. A banana leaf curry meal with your choice of meat or fish is only RM3.50 and any Chinese noodle dish hovers around RM2.50. I would say food prices here are about 40 per cent lower than that in large cities.

The real charms of this town, however, are not so easily experienced by the casual visitor because they are hidden away in quiet nooks and corners. You will need to spend more time and use local contacts to discover them. Here are some pointers.

Colourful Village Life

To start which, there is a village built during the communist emergency period called Kampung Station. This village is a cluster of a few hundred houses, mostly wooden and predominantly occupied by the Chinese and Indians. Here, locals come to buy fresh vegetables, eggs, cow’s milk and free range chickens. The villagers are mainly farmers or tradesmen and they live simple but active lives.


There are also many Chinese temples here and if you come at the right time, you can witness the many cultural activities and festivals, very much in the way of old Chinese traditions and all are welcome to join in their sumptuous feast without any invitation.

The village is also dotted with several eateries by the roadside and there are also many restaurants set within the locals’ homes. The village bakery is a must-stop and its specialty is the high quality bread rusks.

When it comes to cultural and religious events, including funerals, many parts of KK come alive. This is what makes the place so special, be it when the people are celebrating the birthday of Lord Ganesa, the midsummer harvest festival or other festivals. Street processions with police escort are very common here and school bands are often hired to add colour to the events.

Plenty Of Fresh Air

Villages and events aside, what really makes KK so special is the abundance of Nature and fresh air. The town is backed by the imposing Main Range with puffs of clouds resembling sheep grazing in the air! Mornings are fog-filled and air is crisp and cool.

The best way to experience this is to take a stroll up Bukit Chandan. Here, you can enjoy views of the beautiful Sungai Perak, walk under the shade of centuries-old trees and take in the breathtaking sight of the surrounding mountains.

This is also a bird watcher’s paradise as regular “visitor” here include magpies, bulbuls, kingfishers and green pigeons.

A family of about 10 hornbills also make regular visits to feast on fruit. Sometimes, they can be seen perched on structures within the town itself.

Other Attractions

In and around KK are many other interesting places, including Tasik Raban, a lake laden with prized freshwater fish like berlidah, toman, kaloi and lampan.

Tasik Raban Resort sits on this lake and Lenggong Resthouse is only a stone’s throw away. The waterfalls Perahu and Kekabu, located 44.8km away on the road to Grik, are also worth a visit. These amazingly pristine waterfalls are located in thick jungle with treks that are well maintained by the local authorities. If you plan to scale right to the top, do watch out for leeches because the sprays from the waterfalls encourage these blood-sucking creatures to breed. Swim in the lower reaches where you will be safer from leech attacks!

Another attraction is Ulu Kenas a recreational park on the road to Parit/Manong and 16km from KK, with beautiful streams and a camping site.

How To Get There

KK is about 50km to the north of Ipoh, the State of capital of Perak. All major cities and towns in the peninsula are connected by roads or highways with Ipoh from where it is easy to reach KK.

Use the North-South Expressway and exit at the KK toll plaza. Follow signboards to get into town. It takes about three hours' drive to reach KK from Kuala Lumpur.


Where To Stay

There is the government rest house and the Sg. Perak Safari Resort, both managed by the local town council, as well as several other hotels but the Double Lion might be your best choice because it has been run for three generations by the very experienced Leong family. The hotel display many colonial artifacts and antiquities and it has a bakery that adds to a refreshing ambience.

For reservations, call Kuala Lumpur Resthouse (05-776 4262), Double Lion Hotel (05-776 8010) Sg Perak Safari Resort (05-777 2020), Tasek Raban Resort (05-751 2799) or Lenggong Resthouse (05-7677 2077)

Source: The New Straits Times, Tuesday, December 18, 2007

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