Intriguing Ipoh Cave Temples
It’s a fact that Ipoh is famous for its limestone caves, and in this entry obviously gonna be about the Chinese temples built within the caves.
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Firstly, the Kek Look Tong – my favourite.
It has a clean, quiet and cool environment probably because it’s inside a housing area, at Gunung Rapat to be exact. Also, it’s well-known for the garden located at the other side of the hill.
Finding the place may be a challenge, but not to worry. Just follow the signboard directions.
At the entrance, you’ll be greeted by the mouth of the cave. Inside the cave, it’s surrounded by stalactites and stalagmite formations, providing a peaceful prayer site for Buddhist devotees and general visitation for the public.
Entrance is free and to get to the other side, you’ll have to go through the cave.
This is the stairs leading to The Garden. Was kinda wet when I was there.
After a short walking distance, the “hidden” garden will be seen.
This garden is an award winning landscape which features one of the longest reflexology footpaths in Ipoh.
Also, a jogging path circling two lakes.
Basically it has one of the best scenic views in town. A must-visit if you’re dropping by Ipoh.
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Next on the list is Sam Poh Tong.
Discovered in 1912, it’s a Chinese Buddhist Temple within a natural limestone hill. Developed by the Buddhist community and it’s an international tourist attraction.
I come here every year for Cheng Beng – my grandparents’ ash remains are here.
In this apartment-like building, which is built within the cave, is where the ashes are kept. They are kept in small cubicles with containers, usually pots.
The joss sticks area. During Cheng Beng, this area is always covered with smoke and it hurts my eyes all the time!
Pretty self-explanatory – people burn things that are “sent” to be deceased.
Another attraction is a beautiful pavilion and a landscaped garden with a fish pool, which was also awarded the “Best Landscaped Garden”.
Other than that, a small pathway inside the cave leads to a small garden.
Visitors usually head to the garden when there’s no festival.
This is the view of the garden at the other end of the cave. The atmosphere is usually cool and quiet.
One of the shrine at the garden. And not forgetting, a tortoise pond.
The pond used to have lots of tortoises back then, but now it has reduced recently. Feeding is allowed with the vegetable purchased at the entrance.
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Lastly, the final featured cave temple is Ling Sen Tong, which is the first temple along the street towards Sam Poh Tong.
This temple is not as famous as the previous two but it’s definitely worth a short visit as well.
As usual, it’s a place for devotees to pray. And besides that, there are many statues of various gods and goddesses.
One notable statue is the prominent Kuan Yin, which is probably the tallest one around if I’m not mistaken.
A pinkish horse with wings.
You might recognize them from a Chinese classic – Journey to the West. Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie
in case you don’t know.
By the way, there’s a statue which is quite attractive. Surprisingly, this “god” statue looks very familiar.
Oh wait, not a statue – he’s the blogger from kenwooi.com!
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yoy, Ipoh is cool with caves temples!~~
Support Ipoh(^^)~~~
i like the last photo! kenwooi looks so yeng! :p
I think I have visited this place before. :D
Interesting~! Always wanted to go all these caves but no directions around Ipoh on these sites, lols
tong to dong tong tong~
i live near those caves~
hahahhahaha……must visit ipoh lar..hmm…i said it many times oredi is it?
Many many years i didnt go there.. more than 30.. i guess.. now that u showed the pics, lagi tak payah pergi.. :p
waahh, interesting lor…i should start visiting places in msia more..
haha.. nice.. i went there almost every CNY.. full of people…LoL
Wow, nice. Its a world within hills?
kek look tong is like a hidden treasure of ipoh..
I love to visit such places, but got no partner. :) Went there during my Primary Graduation Trip.
Never been here lo…
owh I went there once =(
didnt really discover alot of things like you hah
I have been there too :-)
cool ! i was there last week !
Nice. Sam Poh Tong. My parents visited it when I was in primary school….so long ago. I’ve never had the chance myself though. Maybe one day…
Lol, thats taoist. Not buddhist. World of difference between taoism and buddhism
i been to this numerous time….very nice lake in there….
Tortoise pond..quite cute
i was passing there while working at Ipoh 2 weeks back..
from inside my car, the scenery was superb!
Oo.. I went to Sam Poh Tong before :)
My house is just outside Batu Caves (hehe.. sorry a bit off topic) ..just wanted to share..anyway .. I remember when I was very young we went up all those steps.. It was agony ! (no stamina back then too)
MY LATEST ENTRY: Spain 1-0 Netherlands: World Cup 2010 Highlights (on and off the pitch)
ooo macam-macam ada dalam situ..
funnylah bila you kata your grandma suker pot pet..i also use the word pot pet
Nice to see you blogging on a local attraction in your hometown.
Can anyone go there?
Looked so cool!
nice photos X) wat cam r u using?
Ipoh mari..nice pic
i thought there is fish pond there too. If not mistaken have very big fish
i been there before. But when i was standard 4 or 5 i guess haha. Long long time ago.
Nice post :)
never been to any~ haha~ but this post make me wanna go to all of it~ hehe
nice place i can say. i’m attracted with “a small pathway inside the cave leads to a small garden” statement. well it sounds like an imaginary place in a fairytale. hehe
wahhh..nice view..the hidden garden at Kek Look Tong was so beautiful..like it!!
heheh..all these 3 places are so near my house. We would go walk around every sunday after breakfast if nothing to do. My hobby: Throwing 1sen coins to every offering bowl and see how many masuk. LOL~ lame rite
my dad was from Batu Gajah – I’ve visited all these many times since I was young and it has improved a lot in terms of cleanliness and visitor-centric-ness of the whole thing.
heee….i never ben there eventho slalu je lalu lalang nak g k.l ^^
i wonder why perak is the only place with all the buddhist temple..
Went there before! And and. I like that place sooo much!
Opposite the temple got a restaurant selling big big burger. Yum Yum! =D
I should pay a visit next time…I only went to there eat eat eat nia :)
since I was 10 I went to San Bao Dong *if not mistake :D
LOL Monkey King!!! I’m pretty amazed I could recognize him, not having been immersed in much Chinese culture.
You’re from Ipoh? :) I haven’t really gone there before, except to eat tauge ayam sometimes heheh! :P
U shd come to batu caves some day too :P
I went there sometime in June.. but haven’t blog about it yet.. lol.. it’s a nice place..
though i stay at ipoh, i never been to these caves before… maybe because i’m a christian :p
Dropped by from Lukey’s Rantings
WOW that is one large huge ass tortoise!
Burning of things for the dead only? What is that?
I really wanna go there when I have the chance..
Ken Sifu.. Am I allowed in? ~.~
Bring me to Kek Look Tong? Would love to see the secret garden! ;)