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Lenggong is a treasure trove of archeological wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here are the top things to do in this emerging travel destination.
Posted by Ashley Ng
For a place so rich in archaeological heritage, this beautiful district in the state of Perak, Malaysia surprisingly remains under the radar. Lenggong is a UNESCO World Heritage Site spread across 9,773 hectares of land, with a network of caves with historical discoveries. Its most famous discovery is the Perak Man, said to be most complete skeleton found within Southeast Asia, offering a glimpse into life during the Paleolithic era.
Today, Lenggong has more than just these prehistoric treasures. Dotted with villages, rolling mountains, and tranquil lakes, it is one of the state's emerging destinations of a nature-inspired escapade away from the city. Here are some of the things that Lenggong are known for, and definitely worth a visit!
Bukit Bunuh was the site of a catastrophic meteorite impact that wiped out all life within the area, 1.83 million years ago. This event transformed the landscape, making Lenggong Valley what it is today. It is the only one of 27 sites in the world where suevite, a sedimentary rock formed when they are melted under high temperature and pressure of a meteorite impact.
Bukit Jawa is an open-air Palaeolithic site situated at 104m above sea level. It was once an ancient terrace along Sungai Perak, housing a stone tool workshop of 200,000 years. Within the excavation trenches, thousands of artefacts revealed the Palaeolithic stone tool technology at Lenggong Valley. The tools were cruder than those in Kota Tampan, proving that the site is much older that the latter.
Your first stop in Lenggong would surely be its little town, lined with old-school shophouses that date back as early as 1915. Once used to accommodate local rubber and tobacco businesses, and later the tin industry during the British rule, it is now where you can find diverse local flavours and culture. Take a walk around town and look out for the historical post office, wander around the colourful market, and enjoy local delicacies like wood-fired wantan mee, fried noodles, seafood, and a cup of kopi.
If you like going off the beaten track, then why not venture into some of Lenggong's traditional Malay villages? Start with Kampung Luat, where you will be greeted by traditional houses and laidback vibes of a friendly community. Head to the Wednesday open-air night market to experience a different kind of nightlife, one where you would tuck into sumptuous street food, or shop for bags, clothes, accessories, toys and household items.
Back in the day, Kampung Temelong was a base for Perak government officials who visit Lenggong Valley. It is now home to fishermen, farmers, fish farm owners and entrepreneurs selling dodol, local snacks and oyster mushrooms. Look out for the traditional Malay houses in the village, perch upon stilts and bearing different architectural features that make them unique to Perak state.
Kampung Beng is a traditional Malay village next to Chenderoh Lake consisting of six smaller villages: Beng Dalam, Durian Lubuk, Dusun, Sekolah, Durau and Batu Ring. With its idyllic backdrop of century-old buildings and calm waters, Kampung Beng has been featured in local and international films, such as the 1999 hit Anna and the King, and many P. Ramlee's films.
You can take a boat ride down the Mini Amazon Kampung Beng, where you can watch fishermen at work, weave through narrow waterways, and enjoy the vast beauty of the river.
The antique collection at Aki’s Gallery lets you step into an old world that used to be the norm in Malaysia. There are old telephone sets that marked the rise of telecommunications, antique coal-powered irons, traditional wedding accessories, beauty products, and other cultural paraphernalia that you seldom see in modern-day Malaysia.
The Lenggong Archaeological Museum, also known as the Kota Tampan Archaeological Museum, is a must-visit if youwould love to understand the significance of ithe district's prehistoric beauty. The museum has a comprehensive collection of artefacts, which are beautifully displayed in interactive exhibitions. More notably, it is home to the famous Perak Man, the oldest human skeleton found in Southeast Asia.
Located at Kota Tampan, Lenggong Geopark Gallery is the district's dedicated information centre that curates all you need to know about its archaeological discoveries and unique geological features. You can find different exhibitions and artefacts from the district, including suevite rocks, stone tools, and more.
Flanked by mysterious tunnel-like structures, Gua Kajang is home to a remarkable series of stalagmites and stalactites. It is the first cave to be excavated in Lenggong, notable for having two burial sites from two different cultures, showing evidence from 14,000 to 2,000 years ago. To reach the mouth of the cave, you would need to take a 4 x 4 vehicle or motorbike.
Rock shelters are commonly found in limestone formations across Malaysia. Tucked at 76m above sea level, Gua Teluk Kelawar is carved into the side of Bukit Kepala Gajah, and faces the lush tropical rainforest. Excavation in 1990 uncovered its most famous resident - a near-complete female human skeleton of around 8,000 years old.
Legend has it that a tiger's roar was hear within the mouth of the cave upon its discovery, hence this cave was named Gua Ngaum. It holds evidence of human habitation from as far back as 7,000 to 6,000 years ago, with stone tools, pottery fragments, and food remains placing it in the Neolithic era.
The river area of Lata Felda Lawin Selatan has been turned into a campsite and recreational area. It is an ideal place for camping and having picnics amidst nature.
Bukit Sapi is a curious geosite that features remnants of volcanic ash that once shrouded Lenggong. Roughly 74,000 to 75,000 years ago, one of the largest supervolcano explosions in human history occured in Lake Toba in Sumatera, Indonesia. The site shows that the valley was covered in 6 metres of volcanic ash.
Lata Kekabu is Lenggong Valley’s stunning waterfall and recreational area. Located in Taman Eko Rima Lata Kekabu, it is a welcoming sight for visitors, with refreshing mountain waters framed by pristine greenery and a suspension bridge. It takes 15 minutes to walk from the entrance to the waterfall.
Located in the village of Kampung Chepor, Telaga Biru is a blue well believed to be over 200 years old. The water spring sports a unique blue hue and always seems to be swirling, which is why locals claim that the water has health and anti-aging properties.
Gunung Pulut is one of the oldest rock formations in Lenggong Valley and Hulu Perak, dating back to the Cambrian Period (550-490 million years). At 651 metres, Gunung Pulut is a popular hiking spot with forest trails that lead up to majestic views. The trail itself is considered intermediate to challenging, and takes roughly 2 hours to reach the peak. If you are lucky, you can be rewarded by a sea of clouds!
Surrounded by the Teluk Batu Karst Geosite, this tranquil village is graced by paddy fields and rolling limestone hills. There are a number of homestays within the vicinity, if you are looking to experience a slower pace of living. In the past, villagers would take part in traditional games in the middle of the paddy field after the harvesting season. Unlike other places, Teluk Batu still carries out the tradition during festive seasons like Independence Day. Some popular games include football, fishing and mini tournaments.
Tasik Chenderoh is a huge and iconic manmade lake in Lenggong Valley, made through the damming of the Perak River to supply more power for the tin-mining towns of Perak in 1928. At the edge of the almost 100-year-old lake are traditional villages like Kampung Beng.
Raban Lake, or Tasik Raban, is a picturesque lake nestled north of Tasik Chenderoh. It was named after the Malay word for ‘meraban’, which means ‘to scramble’, supposedly because villagers had to scramble to higher land during the construction of Chenderoh Dam. Dataran Tasik Raban is the main square here, graced by stunning lakeside sceneries, and filled with vibrant restaurants and street stalls. On Mondays, you can visit the night market from 3pm to 7pm.
Lenggong sees its share of Night Markets (or Pasar Malam) four times a week in different parts of town. Good time to look out for street food, clothes, household goods and other knick-knacks!
Monday: Dataran Tasik Raban (3pm - 7pm)
Wednesday: Kampung Luat (3pm - 7pm)
Friday: Econsave Lenggong (3pm – 9pm)
Sunday: Kampung Luat (3pm - 7pm)
Built in 1541, Masjid Raja is the oldest mosque in Hulu Perak. Originally, it has golden chengal wooden pillars, a roof made from thatch leaves, and walls made from traditional kelarai weaving. The over-480-year-old mosque stands on the Toba volcanic ash deposit. Locals believe that it functions like concrete and can provide a strong foundation.
Masjid Raja was built by the founders of Kampung Chepor, two brothers by the name of Tun Saban and Tun Puteh. He was one of the sons of the Sultan of Melaka, Sultan Mahmud Shah, who retreated after Melaka fell into the hands of the Portuguese.
The vibrant Masjid Yahya Ubudiyah stands out in the middle of Kampung Banggol Belimbing, a small village in Lenggong. It was built during the reign of Sultan Alang Iskandar Shah, the 30th Sultan of Perak.
While Wat Luang Poh Tuad seems small and just like any other temple, it might shock you to know that worshippers from Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore flock to this underrated Thai Buddhist Temple.
It was established in Ayer Kala in 2007 to honour the legendary monk, Luang Poh Tuad. The founder, who was then diagnosed with cancer, claimed that the monk appeared in his dreams and asked to build a small temple. In return, his cancer was cured.
