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Royal Town of Kuala Kangsar
The Royal Town of Kuala Kangsar, Perak is where the Sultanate of Perak and his family resides. Kuala Kangsar is about 30km from Ipoh. It’s also the hometown of my other half and I like it’s relax laid back atmosphere. I like to relax there especially after a hectic week at work. The other alternative way to get here is to by train; there is small railway station in the middle of the town.
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Places of Interest in Kuala Kangsar
Masjid Ubudiah
Masjid Ubudiah is I feel to be the most beautiful mosque in Malaysia. It was built in 1917 during the reign of the 28th Sultan of Perak, Sultan Idris Murshidul’adzam Shah 1 as a thanksgiving gift. The Sultan made a vow that he would build a beautiful mosque should he recover from an illness that have plagued him for years. The Masjid Ubudiah is located beside the Royal Mausoleum on Bukit Chandan. The mosque was designed by Arthur Hubback who also designed the Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur train station.
Istana Kenangan
The Istana Kenangan is a charming yellow wooden structure in Kuala Kangsar which is literally translated to English means “Memory Palace”. It was built in 1926 and shaped like a sword. It is made mainly from wood and bamboo without the use of any nails to hold it together. It now houses the Muzium Diraja Perak, or Perak Royal Museum. Here you will learn the history of the Perak Royalties and also some see some artefacts of the royalties.
The First & Oldest Rubber Tree
This is one of the first rubber trees that were brought over from Brazil by an English Botanist in 1877. It is one of the two oldest rubber trees still standing in Malaysia. It is planted near Police Headquarters.
Sultan Abdul Jalil Bridge
Sultan Abdul Jalili Bridge was named after the past Sultan of Perak who reigned by 1916 -1918. It is one of the two bridges that cross the Perak River. This bridge connects Kuala Kangsar to Sayong. Sayong is where the famous Labu Sayong originated. It is a really beautiful bridge. The best place to view and take great photos of this bridge is from the banks of Resort Sungai Perak.
Sayong
Sayong is a little village near Kuala Kangsar Town. Sayong is where a type of water vessel called labu sayong originated. Labu Sayong is made from river clay and is shaped like a gourd. The water that is stored in the gourd is really cool due to the clay used. The villages believe that water stored in this vessel has some medicinal values. Other than purchasing this gourd, you can see how it is made. Nowadays they not only produce Labu Sayong but decorative items made from clay for souvenirs. You can go to Sayong by the Sultan Abdul Jalil Bridge or by boat from the Dataran Sungai Perak.
Pavilion Polo Iskandar
This octagon shaped gazebo like structure was erected in 1929. It was built as the resting place for Sultan Iskandar after his polo game. Currently it’s not being used by the Royal Family but its part of the tourist attraction. It’s mainly made from wood supported by bricks.
Must try in Kuala Kangsar
The Laksa Stalls (Medan Selera Sungai Perak)
The people of Kuala Kangsar really love their laksa. I am married to one such person. Every time we go back to Kuala Kangsar we must stop by her favourite stall. That’s in the Medan Selera Sungai Perak, by the Perak River. There are stalls here selling mainly Laksa and Cendol. And it is full almost everyday especially around noon time. Both of this items are a must try. For the laksa it’s like a thick fish broth and it not spicy. You can have it with or without hard boiled egg. The cendol is made with shaved ice, a type of rice flour noodle, fresh coconut milk and also palm sugar.
Bukit Gantang Rest Stop
I found out about this quaint little rest stop When we took a rest as we were heading towards Taiping. This is not the usual rest stop that you will find on our Malaysian highways. It still has the same clean toilets, ample parking and clean food outlets as other R & R. As for the one in Bukit Gantang it is actually quite beautiful like a mini park with lots of greeneries and a small fountain. The other difference is that this one has stalls selling our local Malaysian fruits. As it was the middle of the Malaysian fruit season when we stopped there, we saw a lots and lots of fruits like durian, langsat, duku and much more. So on the way to Taiping drop by here.
Kuala Kangsar is a small town but its steeped with history. You can take a boat ride on the Kuala Kangsar River, visit the labu making factory in Sayong.
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