We took a short break back to Ipoh over the long weekend. We left KL on Sunday for a night. As usual, we stayed at Bedrock Hotel Ipoh, our favorite hotel whenever we are back. You can check out their FB page here.
As we arrived early in Ipoh, we decided to check out the Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple which is situated in Gunung Rapat. You can waze yourself there once you exit the highway at Simpang Pulai.
The Kinta Valley is well-known for its Karst formations and there are many limestone caves here. There is something mesmerizing and fascinating about these caves. The last time when I visited the Kek Lok Tong was when I was a kid in the 80’s. Yeah, back in the dinosaur years.
Kek Lok Tong is known as the Cave of Ultimate Bliss (or Great Happiness). It is very spacious and airy. According to some information I found online, Kek Lok Tong has been used as a place of worship since the 1920’s but during the 1960’s the area was engaged in iron ore mining and parts of the cave were excavated for this activity.
When mining activity ceased, it was dedicated again to religious purposes and opened to visitors in the 1970s.
Check out the impressive stalactite formations. Certain parts of the caves are rather wet as there is water dripping down from the stalagmites.
As the cave is spacious with large openings at each end, it enjoys good natural lighting and a refreshing breeze blows through the cave. Many people were seen sitting on the benches inside the cave, enjoying the breeze.
There is a landscaped garden which surrounds a couple of small lakes once you have passed through the cave to the other side.
Kek Lok Tong opens daily from 7am – 7pm. Entrance is free.
