FAM TRIP TO LENGGONG

HERE I GO LENGGONG!

LENGGONG: Some 15 members of the press and travel agencies were invited to join in a “Familiarisation Trip in conjunction with Lenggong Carnival 2019”, organised by Tourism Malaysia, here.

UBUDIAH MOSQUE IN KUALA KANGSAR

The 3D2N trip was an eye opener for participants as they got to know more about the heritage cum archaeological site of Lenggong Valley. They had a chance to visit villages and town namely Kuala Kangsar, Labu Kubong Tasik Raban and Ipoh.

BEAUTIFUL MURAL ART IN IPOH

As for me, it has been quite a long time since my last visit to my maternal hometown Lenggong – many things had changed since then – with the additional charm of getting the World UNESCO status for Lenggong Valley's Archaeological Site .

PERAK RIVER

DAY 1

The trip started off with a tour around the Royal Town of Kuala Kangsar where there a few stops to view the Ubudiah Mosque,Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery and KZ Craft Modern & Traditional Sayong Pottery. 

POTTERY MAKING

We then continued our journey to one of the most beautiful kampung (village) called Labu Kubong. I just fall in love at the site of a wooden kampung house which stood beautifully in the midst of an open space field. There is a sense of 'kampung feeling' where we were feted to a traditional lunch and a silat performance.

LABU KUBONG

Obviously, the best part of kampung life was the opportunity to eat as much durian as you canduring the “Moh Makan Durian” session, here. After the durian session, participants were given a guided tour around the village to view homestay houses, padi fields and river. We also visited a bee farm, nearby.

KAMPUNG SCENERY

MOH MAKAN DURIAN SESSION

After Labu Kubong, we headed to Lenggong area – where we visited two agricultural farms such as pineapple and rock melon farm owned by Akasia Business Enterprise, to understand more about the fruit industry in Perak.

PINEAPPLE FARM

By the time we finished, it was about 7 pm – we then checked into Resort Tasik Raban.

ROCK MELON FARM

DAY 2

Highlight of the trip was in Day 2, where we participated in a half-day guided cave tour entitled “UNESCO World Archaeological Site Lenggong Valley Heritage Tour” bringing us close to Kajang Cave, Jawa Hill, Sapi Hill and Killing Cave, situated outskirt of Lenggong.

BRIEFING AT THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

Kajang Cave (Gua Kajang) is located at limestone complex at Bukit Kepala Gajah. It is situated at latitude 5 07.57' North and longitutde 100 58.87' East, 76 meters above sea level. A huge part of the floor cave has been damaged due to guano harvesting activity and some parts of the cave walls have been drawn over with graffiti. This was the first cave in the country to be excavated in 1917 by Evans, where urn fragments, stone tools, earthenware, food and human bones were discovered. Research by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) had found evidence that this cave had been used since 11,000 to 5000 years ago. This cave may have been used as living quarters and burial ground by the Paleolithics and Neolithics. Besides archaeological findings, the cave is also known for its unique cave formations, tunnels and stalactites and stalagmites.

GUA KAJANG

Jawa Hill (Bukit Jawa) is an open Palaeolithic 104 m above sea level, at a latitude 507.72' North and longitude 100' 59.55' East. It was discovered during a Kota Tampan paleaoenvironmental reconstruction by a team of researcher from USM in 1996. It had been determined from data that any location that at least 72 m above sea level and contain river gravel deposits is a potential archaeological site. Evidence here of early human activities dating back 100,000 to 200,000 years ago comes from the discovery of stone tool workshop that used river gravels from the ancient Perak River to produce pebble and flake tools by using anvils, cores and hammerstones, and that are crowded with thousands of debitage in the form of chunks, flakes and chips.

JAWA HILL

CLOSER LOOK AT JAWA HILL

Sapi Hill (Bukit Sapi) is a small hill measuring about 70 sq km was formed due to the volcano eruption (ash) from Lake Toba, Indonesia. 

SAPI HILL

Killings Cave (Gua Bunuh) is found deep into an oil palm plantation where thousands of meteorites fell at this place millions of years ago. One can still find sightings of the meteorites formations left here. A tourist visiting this place must take a photograph of oneself sitting on top of a meteorite.

WRITER SEATED ON METEORITE

METEORITES

Definitely, a 'must visit' place in Lenggong is none other than the Lenggong Valley Archaeological Gallery – where the Perak Man was exhibited in a glass enclosure within an air conditioned room, at the top level of the building.

PERAK MAN

LENGGONG ARCHAEOLOGY GALLERY

In the afternoon, we went to Veterinary Services Department to view its Deer Farm, and to learn more about the types of deer and their livelihood.

HI! MR DEER

VETERINARY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

By evening, we have an opportunity to see the launching of Lenggong Carnival 2019, held at Dataran Lenggong. 

LENGGONG CARNIVAL 2019

 

After having dinner at the carnival, we leave for Ipoh where we stay overnight at the Casuarina Hotel, Meru.

CASUARINA HOTEL MERU

DAY 3

The finale of the fam trip include an experience with the newly set up Hop On Hop Off (HOHO) bus that took tourists from Meru – Ipoh High Court – Little India - HSBC Ipoh Old Town – Telekom Malaysia – Brewster Road – Ipoh Parade – Gerbang Malam – Octogan – The Majestic – Panglima Kinta Mosque - Meru.

BREEZY DAY UP THE HOHO BUS

 

This was my maiden ride on the HOHO bus in our own country. I used to experience similar rides in Singapore and London. The HOHO bus runs every weekend from 8.30am to 9.30pm where tickets can either be bought on the spot or downloadable E-brochures.

 WE LOVE HOHO BUS

However, we got down at Old Town and walked along the Concubine Lane before having coffee at Dong Cafe, here.

OLD TOWN

DONG CAFE

Finally, we ended our tour back to where we had started, the Ipoh Railway Station and we bid farewell to all participants.

PARTICIPANTS BID FAREWELL AT IPOH RAILWAY STATION

The trip was sponsored by Tourism Malaysia.