I was looking forward to some lovely noodles for breakfast at Ren I Tang
but the Malaysian meal this morning was roti bread and dal which was
very nice but not a patch on the previous day's offering. We set off
around 9.45 for Ringlet
To get from George Town, Penang Island to the mainland you can take a ferry or use the iconic bridge which is about 13½ km long. We opted for the bridge as its the fastest option but its not possible to stop anywhere to take photos so this is a 'stock' photo.
It was our first experience of driving on an expressway in Malaysia and using our 'Tap and Go' prepaid cards to use at the toll booths en route. Everything went well – the roads are wonderful and better maintained than ours in Kent! The standard of driving leaves much to be desired ....
Our RAC routeplanner had suggested the journey would take 3.5 hours. Our host at the Rainfall Inn had said 5 hours so we planned for the worst. As we were making good time I suggested trying to find some caves I'd read about in Ipoh, not too far from Ringlet.
We stopped off at a R&R (motorway services) to have a coffee and look at maps to see exactly where the caves were. The R&R was an experience in itself – so many fruit stalls, hat stalls and walking stick stalls as well as food outlets and a 'male only prayer room' …. no prayer room for females! It was beautifully clean.
As we got closer to Ipoh the scenery was spectacular with towering rocks/hills and Sam Poh Tong temple was easy to find .... along with about 12 others. It seems every available cave has been taken over and turned into temples with all the attendant tourist tat stalls that attracts.
I'd read that Sam Poh Tong temple had fewer internal stairs than most so hence the attraction. It is said to be the biggest cave temple in Malaysia and features carved Buddha statues in various forms, interspersed among the cave’s natural stalactites and stalagmites. Legend has it that a monk from China was passing through Ipoh in the late 19th centurey when he discovered the cave. He decided to make it his home and meditation place and stayed there until his death. Today, monks and nuns who dedicate their lives to Buddha still occupy the temple. Outside the cave is a landscaped garden which includes a Japanese pond stocked with carp and tortoises.
I have to say the surrounding gardens were probably nicer than the cave/temple.
The cave entrance
As at most of the temples, you can purchase vegetables to feed the tortoises ... they obviously expect all humans to bring food (we didn't) and actually come running at tortoise pace to meet visitors!
I 'd been expecting more stalactites and stalagmites and fewer man-made decorations and was disappointed that in the more 'interesting' sections of cave the staff/workmen had left buckets, ladders, boxes etc., it needs a woman in charge of such things!
While David was buying some bottled water I had a sneaky look around the adjacent cave/temple which was a bit gaudier but still well maintained .. the good thing about all these cave temples is that you're not required to remove shoes so its easier to have a quick dash round
Another reclining Buddha
The backdrop to these caves is really beautiful
Back in the air-conditioned car (bliss) we carried on towards Ringlet climbing upwards into the rainforest (jungle) on a very windy road with hairpin bends every few yards. Being a Saturday the road was busy with locals heading for the cooler hillside spots so the journey was slow which was good as we didn't know the route. We stopped at Thomson Falls en route to take a couple of photos – lots of families enjoying playing in the water and plenty of food & drink stalls lining the road making for a real party atmosphere.
Eventually we reached Ringlet and stopped at the Petronas petrol station to phone our host, Gee Tatt, as arranged. He came into town on his motorcycle and we followed him to the Rainforest Inn. The area we drove through was very agricultural with flowers (chrysanths mainly), strawberries and green veggies growing under poly tunnels/protective sheeting. Although its much cooler in the Cameron Highlands the sun can still be fierce. Because we were following Gee we couldn't stop for photos - maybe I'll get some tomorrow as we leave.
This is an example of what I mean by poor standards of driving in Malaysia. Gee was leading the way driving in the cycle lane and a truck overtook us and another car on the wrong side of the line, going into a blind bend!
To get from George Town, Penang Island to the mainland you can take a ferry or use the iconic bridge which is about 13½ km long. We opted for the bridge as its the fastest option but its not possible to stop anywhere to take photos so this is a 'stock' photo.
It was our first experience of driving on an expressway in Malaysia and using our 'Tap and Go' prepaid cards to use at the toll booths en route. Everything went well – the roads are wonderful and better maintained than ours in Kent! The standard of driving leaves much to be desired ....
Our RAC routeplanner had suggested the journey would take 3.5 hours. Our host at the Rainfall Inn had said 5 hours so we planned for the worst. As we were making good time I suggested trying to find some caves I'd read about in Ipoh, not too far from Ringlet.
We stopped off at a R&R (motorway services) to have a coffee and look at maps to see exactly where the caves were. The R&R was an experience in itself – so many fruit stalls, hat stalls and walking stick stalls as well as food outlets and a 'male only prayer room' …. no prayer room for females! It was beautifully clean.
As we got closer to Ipoh the scenery was spectacular with towering rocks/hills and Sam Poh Tong temple was easy to find .... along with about 12 others. It seems every available cave has been taken over and turned into temples with all the attendant tourist tat stalls that attracts.
I'd read that Sam Poh Tong temple had fewer internal stairs than most so hence the attraction. It is said to be the biggest cave temple in Malaysia and features carved Buddha statues in various forms, interspersed among the cave’s natural stalactites and stalagmites. Legend has it that a monk from China was passing through Ipoh in the late 19th centurey when he discovered the cave. He decided to make it his home and meditation place and stayed there until his death. Today, monks and nuns who dedicate their lives to Buddha still occupy the temple. Outside the cave is a landscaped garden which includes a Japanese pond stocked with carp and tortoises.
I have to say the surrounding gardens were probably nicer than the cave/temple.
The cave entrance
As at most of the temples, you can purchase vegetables to feed the tortoises ... they obviously expect all humans to bring food (we didn't) and actually come running at tortoise pace to meet visitors!
I 'd been expecting more stalactites and stalagmites and fewer man-made decorations and was disappointed that in the more 'interesting' sections of cave the staff/workmen had left buckets, ladders, boxes etc., it needs a woman in charge of such things!
While David was buying some bottled water I had a sneaky look around the adjacent cave/temple which was a bit gaudier but still well maintained .. the good thing about all these cave temples is that you're not required to remove shoes so its easier to have a quick dash round
Another reclining Buddha
The backdrop to these caves is really beautiful
Back in the air-conditioned car (bliss) we carried on towards Ringlet climbing upwards into the rainforest (jungle) on a very windy road with hairpin bends every few yards. Being a Saturday the road was busy with locals heading for the cooler hillside spots so the journey was slow which was good as we didn't know the route. We stopped at Thomson Falls en route to take a couple of photos – lots of families enjoying playing in the water and plenty of food & drink stalls lining the road making for a real party atmosphere.
Eventually we reached Ringlet and stopped at the Petronas petrol station to phone our host, Gee Tatt, as arranged. He came into town on his motorcycle and we followed him to the Rainforest Inn. The area we drove through was very agricultural with flowers (chrysanths mainly), strawberries and green veggies growing under poly tunnels/protective sheeting. Although its much cooler in the Cameron Highlands the sun can still be fierce. Because we were following Gee we couldn't stop for photos - maybe I'll get some tomorrow as we leave.
This is an example of what I mean by poor standards of driving in Malaysia. Gee was leading the way driving in the cycle lane and a truck overtook us and another car on the wrong side of the line, going into a blind bend!
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