Ratings by backpackers :

Description : A tiny town surprisingly charming with its river, mountains backdrop and great monuments. 

Comments : Famous for its little Mosque, one of the most striking in the world, the Royal Town of Perak state is usually a quick stopover on the way to/from Taiping. It deserves actually much more time...

What to do ? Walk east toward Ubudiah Mosque, a great 20-30mn walk by a garden, the river and old buildings / Smile when finally spotting it / Keep smiling while it becomes bigger / By the time you reach it and go around, you should have become an happier person / Continue your walk toward inhabited Iskandariah Palace (5mn away) and spot an old charming house on your right / Walk anti-clockwise around the Palace in order to reach the yellow Perak Royal Museum ASAP (open daily except Friday 9:30 to 17:00) and smile again / Ask the Palace's guard for the latest development : will it open to visitors soon ? / Back in town, walk the park along the river and, surprise, spot the three previous monuments at the same time ! / If a 6 years old kid, play slides or swing / If a bit older, jog or converse with locals / Keep saying "Hello !" to kids / See old guns / Relax on or by the lake / Fish it ! / Meet the last surviving rubber tree brought in 1877 from London / If more time, I am sure there are some great treks to do in the surroundings... Explore and let us know !

What you may not like ? The lack of good & cheap places to stay / The deafening noise of some motorbikes / The locked gates at the Palace / The lack of night market / The full dress of some Muslim wives / Not being able to spend more time in the area / 

How long ? As long as you can but one afternoon would actually let you visit all the attractions. 

Where to stay ? None of the places below are recommended but there is no other choice if on a budget and they are bearable after all...

• Double Lion Hotel (7761010), 100m south of the bus Station / Chinese management / Dbl w. big bed & shower 25, Twin 30, more up market rooms in the back as well / Go there if two people to share the large rooms / What you may not like : the grotty, basic & noisy rooms
• Fu An Hotel, on Jalan Datok Sagor, 10mn walk from the above (second road on your left), rapidly passing a cinema / Chinese management / Sgl 15, Dbl 20 / Bucket common shower / Go there for the cheapest room in town and the balcony / What you may not like : the noise from the road or the dogs, the holes on the wall instead of a window in the Sgl, the decrepit look, the approximate cleanliness and the smell of bats (on the roof ?) 

Where to eat ? By the riverfront and the park, a bunch of restaurants serve good food at very reasonable prices (Mee Goreng for R1.30 for example). 

Internet ? Two places east of the clock tower on Jalan Kangsar (first floor of the place selling ice creams) charges R2.5 per mn. Aroma Harum Enterprise (open 9 to 19 but sometimes up to 23:00) has no minimum charge. KS Computer has a minimum charge of K0.5

<< Discover three good reasons to visit

Bus Schedules ? 

Notes : To Taiping, AC bus every hour

The trip to Taiping : SSS / L&R / R2.25 / 40mn / AC Bus
Which one would you choose ? An old ordinary bus stopping at every passenger for R2.05 or a modern express AC bus for R0.2 more ?  The only criticism for the second option was that it did not last longer... 

See also the trip from Kuala Kangsar