We managed to spend some time together in Perak last weekend. We spent a night in Taiping and another in Ipoh. Here are some things that we like to share
A direct drive from Kuantan to Ipoh ranges from 6 – 8 hours, depending on the route and traffic. If you’re looking for cheap travel, use the old trunk road. However, it will add 2 hours to your trip (compared to highway).If you take Lebuhraya Pantai Timur (LPT), enter through Gambang toll. The toll fee from Gambang to Karak is RM16.90. The LPT is in a bad state. Driving on it is a horrendous experience. If you drive too fast you can get ‘melambung’ all over the place. Plus, there’s nothing much to see and I get sleepy easily. Thus, the trunk road is my option. It has nice bends to add some zing to the drive. Then there’s the occasional ‘beruks’ (monkeys) running around or lying on the road (as in ROADKILL). You can also get an adrenaline rush by getting tailgated by 8 wheeled-lorries. There are some nice places to stop as well. If you feel like taking a dip, you can get to Berkelah waterfall. However the road leading to the waterfall is gravel. Perfect for practicing rallying moves but not good for your car’s suspension. Bear in mind that some 10 minutes of hiking is required to get to the 1st waterfall. Then there’s the Gambang waterpark which opened recently. When approaching Temerloh there is a particular pisang goreng stall on your right. It is located after Temerloh Hospital (HOSHAS), before the Petronas station. The pisang is tasty and the air kelapa is refreshing. If all is well you will be able to reach Karak in 2 ½ to 3 hours.
The next phase of the journey is between Karak and Genting Sempah. The Karak highway is a joy to drive on. The bends are not so sharp and you can take it at relatively high speeds (90km/h). You can really test your car’s handling here. It does not require that much gear changes though. However do be cautious of the road condition and traffic. You’ll meet up with just 1 toll plaza which will set you back RM 3. Once you reach Genting Sempah, take time to fill what needs to be filled (tank, perut) and empty what needs to be emptied. Enjoy the cool air and relax for a while.
Next is the journey between Genting Sempah and Batang Kali. This is the shortcut route to Perak. It will save 1 hour and RM 30 fuel (in comparison to going through KL). This route is particularly dangerous. Avoid driving at night and when it’s raining. The roads can get really slippery. The bends are really sharp. Be careful not to lock your wheels, once you do your car will go out of control and you’ll either hit a tree or go into the drain. Make sure the breaks function properly before attempting to take this route. Once you reach Batang Kali just follow the signs to Ipoh or Tanjong Malim. Near Tanjong Malim you can decide to enter the PLUS highway. Toll from Tanjong Malim to Simpang Pulai is RM 16.40. It takes less than 2 hours to get to Ipoh by taking the highway. If you decide on the trunk road, it will take up to 3 hours. There’s lots of places to stop along the way. In Sungkai, there is a hot springs (never been there yet) while Bidor is famous for it’s jambu batu.
After Simpang Pulai, just head straight to Ipoh – my home town. The next phase is from Ipoh to Taiping. I was in quite a rush then so I just took the highway. The toll from Jelapang to Changkat Jering was RM 6.40. The journey was barely an hour. After exiting the highway I made my way straight to Hospital Taiping to pick up my wife…I was glad to see my wife then. We were both tired, she had an 8 – 5 shift and I just drove 650km. But we were both happy. It’s been 2 weeks since we last met. It was wonderful to be with her again.
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