Gopeng is a small town south of Ipoh. That was our first stop during our trip. We had breakfast there (I am not fancy of the food there somehow).
Let’s dive in…
Gopeng Heritage House
After having breakfast at the hawker center (right next to wet market), we visited Gopeng Heritage House which is just a stone’s throw away. It’s located five houses away from a roundabout (It’s more like a square-about as it’s not round but square).
GHH is privately owned and run by a team of volunteers. It started by a local businessman who loves antiques. Some of the exhibits at Gopeng Heritage House are his private collection.
What can you see there?
Behind the nicely done faceade (that depicts a traditional Chinese house) of the old shophouse-turned-museum, you can find a lot of household items that bring you down nostalgia memory lane. Some of the items I had the chance to see and use when I was a child.
Most items are from pre-war era and that includes the toilet!
Most of which have actually “extinct” and today’s children have no ideas what they are. It’s an eye-opening experience for them to find out what people used before the iPad era.
Gopeng Heritage House has two floors and it also houses a souvenir corner and small cafe (old kopitiam style).
GOPENG HERITAGE HOUSE 怀古楼
Jalan Sungai Itik,
31600 Gopeng,
Perak, Malaysia.
05-359 1923
(If you are lost, just ask someone on the street and they’ll be able to tell you where GHH is. That’s what we did!)
Opening hours: Saturdays and Sundays 9 am – 3 pm
Entrance fee: Free (or optional donation)
Hup Teck Soy Sauce Factory (Kedai Kicap Hup Teck 合德)
We made a quick stopover before continuing our trip at a family-run soy sauce factory.
Hup Teck Soya Sauce Factory is located behind Gopeng Police Station. It’s a humble wooden house with a huge compound.
Soy sauce factories need a huge area to store and ferment soy sauce under the sun.
Hup Teck is known for its homemade recipe of preservative-free soy sauce.
It’s a factory-cum-retail shop as we can see many customers coming to pick up their supply of soy sauce. I asked permission for a visit and a old granny – whose husband started the factory – gave the green light to allow us for the tour.
They are hospitable and opened the covers of the containers to let us have a look at what’s inside. If you have any questions, just ask the people there. We bought some soy sauce and it costs RM5.40 a bottle.
We went there on Sunday morning. For a visit, no arrangement needed and you can just drop by. That’s what we did. As long as it’s open, you are welcome to pay a visit.
HUP TECK SOY SAUCE FACTORY
Gopeng.
Behind the police station (Sorry, no address).
Gua Tempurung
Gua Tempurung – which literally means coconut cave – is one of the most popular destinations in Ipoh. It’s the largest limestone cave in Peninsular Malaysia.
You have to buy tickets to enter the cave. And a guide will bring you around and he’s supposed to explain to you what’s in the cave and the stories behind it.
Prices are dependent on the package you choose.
Packages are divided by the distance (hence time) and condition (dry or wet) of the walk. The longer the distance, the longer the time you need to be in the cave.
We opted for “Top of the World” package and it’s supposed to last for a return trip of 1 hour and 45 mins. But we completed the trip in less than an hour.
If you are adventurous and without kids, opt for the wet packages. I think it will be fun and challenging.
No it’s not extreme, especially the dry tours. The track in the cave is nicely done and some even wear slippers to climb the cave. But it’s advisable to wear sports shoes, especially on wet days.
In the cave, one can see various types of shapes formed by limestones (eg: stalagmites, stalactites). Some areas are brightly lit. If you want to see more things, you can bring along a torch light.
Before you go, make sure you reach there before the last visit of the day. Depending on the package, different package has different timing. For example, the last trip for “Top of the World” package is 3 pm. Be there early to avoid disappointment.
The management of the cave is currently under a company called APT Consortium.
Gua Tempurung is located between Gopeng and Kampar along the trunk road.
If you have any enquiries, contact the management office below.
GUA TEMPURUNG
APT Consortium Sdn Bhd
Batu 16.5, Jalan Kampar, 31600 Gopeng, Perak
Tel: 05-313 0718
Website: www.guatempurung.com
For enquiries and booking to visit Gua Tempurung, contact:
Sharifah Azlina Syed Omar – Manager: 012-529 2426
En.Shahril : 012-5549830
Cik.Zuliana : 017-5271926
Operational Hours: 9am to 5pm
Directions (taken from the website): Take the North-South PLUS Expressway and exit at the Gopeng Toll Plaza. From the plaza, turn left (southwards) towards Kampar. Drive for about 5 km before turning left and driving a further 2 km to reach Gua Tempurung. There are signboards to help you find the way.
Note: This article is part of Family Road Trip to Ipoh.
