Jom!

#JOM! GO: Archaeological wonders

You need not look far as you can find and visit these one-of-a-kind attractions in Perak, Zulkifly Ab Latif has the pictures.

THE 11,000-year-old Perak Man, discovered 30 years ago in a burial cave located just a few kilometres from the nearesttown, put the Lenggong Valley on the map.

It's said that the Perak Man, as his officially named in his own Malaysian identity card, is the region's best preserved Stone Age skeleton, and the only one found with a genetic disorder.

The archaeological discovery is so significant that Lenggong Valley was declared a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) World Heritage Site on June 30, 2012. It is the country's fourth and latest site on the coveted list.

Despite this title, Lenggong Valley, located about 77km from the state capital Ipoh, is still very much beyond any typical tourist's ken. But peeling its history layer by layer, grid by grid, the valley has enough treasures to keep visitors intrigued and exploring further.

In a 3D2N Media Exploration Trip held in April, the Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry took a group of media practitioners to check out these one-of-a-kind attractions.

GEOLOGY MUSEUM

Start the archeological journey with a visit to this museum, which is part of the Minerals and Geoscience Department's complex in Ipoh.

Established in 1957, the museum plays an important role as a learning and education centre for geology and geosciences.

As interesting as its subject matter, the museum is set in an impressive state-of-the-art design and layout with exhibition halls thematically divided into seven zones with an easy to understand storyline on geology.

The storyline begins with the structure and geological features of planet Earth, its history, display of geological specimens, the uses, mining and exploration of minerals and ends with how geology can contribute to the wealth and well-being of mankind.

The museum amasses a diverse and unique collection of fossils, rocks, minerals, precious and semi-precious gemstones from within and outside the country.

It also showcases some of the finest cassiterite (tin ore) samples found in the rich tin fields of the Kinta Valley and a diorama of different tin mining methods which now remain a legacy of the country.

It also highlights the promotion of the country's rich geological heritage as a tourism product. For group visits, applications have to be made in advance.

GUA KAJANG

Gua Kajang is part of the massive cave complex of Bukit Kepala Gajah that is located in Kampung Gelok, about 2km from Lenggong town.

It is the first cave in one of two clusters of caves in the complex and it was also the first to be discovered back in 1917.

Archeological sites in the cave had skeletal and tool remains dated between 11,000 and 6,000 years ago, representing two periods — Epipalaeolithic and Neolithic.

However, what is left in the cave are empty excavation sites, one of which was where a paleolithic girl was found. The excavation also unearthed two burials, each representing the two periods.

Besides these interesting facts, the cave offers geological features like stalactite, stalagmite, pillars and other typical features of a limestone cave.

Visitors also get a chance to do some jungle trekking and caving, going
from this cave to the adjoining caves of Ansar and Puteri, which are connected by wooden bridges.

Also located in the same cluster is Gua Ngaum. These four caverns make up the second cluster of caves located in Bukit Kepala Gajah cave complex.

The other cluster has Gua Badak and Gua Harimau, where the burial place of the world-famous Perak Man was unearthed, and Gua Gunung Runtuh.

However, the cave is accessible only by four-wheel drives or on foot. A permit to visit has to be obtained in advance.

BUKIT BUNUH METEORITE CRATER

At 180m above sea level, Bukit Bunuh Meteorite Crater is located in the heart of an oil palm plantation in Kota Tampan, about 5km from Lenggong town.

But don't let the palm trees fool you about its heritage significance. Bukit Bunuh is actually the site of a meteorite impact that happened 1.83 million years ago.

The impact formed an 8km-diameter crater that produced the country's new geology unit — impact rocks like suevite.

Research at Bukit Bunuh also uncovered evidence that the meteorite crash caused the destruction of the Paleolithic culture.

The discovery of the use of hand-held axes, which was announced in 2009, makes Bukit Bunuh the only Palaeolithic site in the world that functioned as a workshop for making stone tools and continued to be used periodically for more than 1.83 million years. Currently, the hand-held axe is regarded as the oldest tool in the world.

To the untrained eye, the site looks nothing like the typical tourist attraction but those into geology and heritage will find Bukit Bunuh an exciting site to visit.

To make it even more interesting, Archaeology Research Centre of Universiti Sains Malaysia has come up with a guided package for visitors to offer them more understanding of its importance.

Bukit Bunuh Meteorite Crater is accessible only by light transport or 4x4 vehicle. Otherwise, visitors have to walk in from the last possible point to the crater.

KLEDANG SAIONG FOREST ECO PARK

Located in the Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve, the forest eco park of the same name is about 14km from Ipoh and less than 5km from the Jelapang Toll Plaza of the Plus Highway.

Even though the 27ha eco park has been on the eco-tourism map since 2010, the world isn't really aware of its existence.

While the park attracts locals with its picnic-by-the-river atmosphere and facilities, it is actually home to one of the world's four nepenthes gardens.

Making it even more attractive is the fact that its Garden is the only one that has the tropical pitcher plant growing in natural conditions. The other three, located in Australia, Germany and England, are cultivated in greenhouses.

The garden house, which opened its doors five years ago, has 70 species of pitcher plants, comprising 55 endemic species and 15 hybrid species from around the world, including Australia, India, Thailand, Madagascar, China, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Borneo.

Another interesting offering at the forest eco park is the 1.8km digital trail, which has almost all trees marked with QR code plates for visitors to scan with their smartphones to learn more about them.

LATA KEKABU ECO FOREST PARK

Located in what was once branded as Perak's Lake District, Lata Kekabu is just 9km from Lenggong town with its entrance less than a kilometre from the Kuala Kangsar-Gerik road.

It is part of the Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve, which is mainly covered by hill dipterocarp forest with hardwood trees like meranti, kempas, jelutong and keruing.

Living among these towering trees are fauna species like Malay civets, porcupines, pangolins as well as snakes and geckos.

But what attracts visitors to the park is its cool, rocky river that features sheds, wooden chalets and concrete walking paths to make it a conducive place for picnics.

At the edge of the ample picnic area is a 4m tall waterfall that pours water into an awaiting pool.

Adventurous visitors may want to hike upstream to its main waterfall. The 18m high and 40m wide waterfall will reward them with a large pool of cool, clear water. However, that is not the highest of it all. Unfortunately, the upper fall is out of bounds as it is located in a water catchment area.

PULAU TALI KAIL FOREST ECO PARK

Of all the 14 forest eco parks in Perak, only Pulau Tali Kail is on an "island", even though it is not a typical sandy island.

The island is actually the tip of a hill — if not a mountain — that had been submerged by Temenggor Lake, when a dam of the same name was created almost 50 years ago. The island is located in Temenggor Forest Reserve, the southern region of the vast Royal Belum State Park.

Being part of the globally known Royal Belum, the eco park offers the "urban friendly" environment of the 130-million-year-old rainforest that Royal Belum is.

The small island is home to 3,000 species of flowering plants which include 64 ferns, 46 palms, over 30 species of ginger, 32 plants of edible fruits, one rare orchid and one Rafflesia.

On records, there are over 270 species of birds, at least 100 mammal species (which include the Sumatran rhinoceros, Asian elephant and Malayan tiger), 24 amphibians, almost 50 reptiles, over 20 fresh-water fish, over 300 butterflies and seven species of turtles. And the list goes on.

Of course, these records strike a chord with special-interest visitors like researchers and scientists, as well as photographers and bird watchers.

But for mere "tourists", the island has adequate facilities and attractions to keep them occupied throughout their visits.

Tali Kail offers basic facilities like chalets and camping sites, hall and surau, and in-nature activities like jungle trekking, visits to an Orang Asli settlement, kayaking and fishing.

Pulau Tali Kail is accessible only via a boat which can be taken at Pulau Banding Public Jetty, about 45km from the nearest town, Gerik. A permit to visit has to be obtained in advance.

NOTE: These photographs were the final shots taken by NST contributor Zulkifly Ab Latiff, who died during this assignment, while hiking up Pulau Tali Kail.

FAST FACTS

GEOLOGY MUSEUM

Department of Mineral and Geoscience

Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah

31400 Ipoh

Perak

TEL 05-540 6000

HOURS 9am-4.30pm daily but closed for lunch from noon to 2.30pm (Monday to Thursday) and until 3pm on Fridays. Closed on weekends and public holidays.

PAY Free admission

LENGGONG ARCHEOLOGY GALLERY

Bukit Kepala Gajah Cave Complex and Bukit Bunuh Meteorite Crater are managed by Lenggong Archeology Gallery, which is under the National Heritage Department.

National Heritage Department

Kota Tampan, Lenggong

33400 Perak

TEL 05-767 9700

PERAK FORESTRY DEPARTMENT

The state's 14 forest eco parks are managed by the Recreational Forest and Eco-Tourism Section of Perak Forestry Department. Each has its own rates for the facilities offered.

Recreational Forest and Ecotourism Section

Perak Forestry Department

TEL 05-528 8100

EMAIL seksyenhutanlipur@gmail.com.

PAY

• Kledang Saiong Forest Eco Park: RM2 (adult), RM1 (child) and RM5 (foreigner), and RM2 per person for Nepenthes Garden

• Lata Kekabu Eco Forest Park: Free admission, free parking; Lodging — RM10 (camping per site/per night), RM150 (chalet per unit/per night)

• Pulau Tali Kail Eco Forest Park: Entrance fee — RM20 (adult), RM5 (child below 18), RM50 (foreigner); Lodging — RM10 (camping per site/per night), RM100-RM240 (chalet per unit/per night)

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