China Town (Kuala Lumpur)
This is located between the Jalan Petaling, Jalan Sultan and Jalan Bandar. One can find shops dating back to the 20th century, where the ground floor is used for business and the upper floors are used as a residence. This is a bargain hunter's paradise day and night. At night, street is closed and stalls are set-up selling practically everything. You can find inexpensive things and bargain for the price. The area is also famous for food, fruits and delicacies
Shah Alam
Driving about 30 minutes along the Federal Highway from Kuala Lumpur to Klang, one arrives at Shah Alam, the capital of the state of Selangor. The city is well-planned with dual carriage-ways and big roundabouts to facilitate traffic flow. The city also boasts of being the home of PROTON, the company producing the national Proton car. Being relatively new, Shah Alam only has a handful of high-rise buildings, the most notable structure being the State Mosque, which features some of the largest domes and tallest minarets in the Muslim world.
Klang & Port Klang
Driving another 15 minutes along the Federal Highway (during peak hours, it may take longer) from Shah Alam, one arrives at the royal town of Klang. Further west, another 8 km, is Port Klang formerly known as Port Swettenham. One of the fastest growing container ports in Southeast Asia, this town is famous for its quayside seafood. A short boat ride from Port Klang takes one to Pulau Ketam (Crab Island), another haven for seafood lovers.
Ipoh
The tin centre of the world lies astride the North-South Highway, midway between Kuala Lumpur and Penang. It is about 2 hours drive from KL via the tolled highway. Generally, most of the fascinating sites in Ipoh can be covered in a day. The old part of the town contains the seat of the sate government as well as the railway station and the municipal colonial buildings. At Tambun, one finds the Tambun Hot Springs and the National Stud Farm where thoroughbred race horses are bred. The limestone hills around Ipoh are mysterious and beautiful. Many of them are riddled with caves, in one of which there is a rock painting dating back 2000 years. These limestone caves offer great fascination to Buddhist and Hindu worshippers who have converted the entrances into temples. Some of the more popular rock temples include Sam Poh Tong and Perak Tong.
Taiping
For 50 years, Taiping was the capital of the state of Perak. The word 'Tai Ping' means 'Great Peace', which was achieved following the cessation of hostilities between rival Chinese mining factions in the late 19th century. The Taiping Lake gardens comprise several lakes landscaped out of disused mining pools at the turn of the century. The Lake Gardens also house a golf course and a zoo. The state museum is the oldest in the country and has a wide variety of exhibits no longer obtainable elsewhere. The Ling Nam Temple in Taiping is the oldest in Perak. Taiping is considered a wet town as it has the heaviest rainfall in the peninsula. The umbrella is a common sight !
Kuala Kangsar
About 35km north of Ipoh, on the North-South Highway, lies the royal town of Kuala Kangsar. The town is known for the Iskandariah Palace, residence of the Sultan of Perak; the exquisitely designed golden-domed Ubadiah Mosque; and the Malay College, the earliest residential school in Malaysia. Founded in 1904, the Malay College was exclusively meant for boys from the Malay aristocracy. Today, it is open to all qualified Malay students. Kuala Kangsar is also home to the first rubber trees in the country. In 1877, H.N. Ridley brought 22 Brazilian rubber seedlings from the Kew Gardens in London and planted them in Kuala Kangsar. The last surviving tree from this batch can be seen at the district office. Ridley's initiative heralded the beginning of the rubber industry in Malaysia.
Lumut
Approximately 84km south of Ipoh is the quiet town of Lumut. Once a relatively unknown fishing town it has since acquired the proud distinction of being the home of the Royal Malaysian Navy and the take-off point to the beautiful island of Pangkor. About 6 km from the town are the beautiful palm-fringed shores of Teluk Batik, popular with local campers and picnickers. The annual Lumut Sea Festival biennial is held between the months of August and September. Amidst all the bustle of development taking place in the surrounding areas, the town still retains its quiet charm.
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