Over the weekend, we (Jimbo and family) took a short trip up North to Gua Tempurung, one of the longest cave in Peninsula Malaysia. Gua Tempurung is located near the town of Kampar in the State of Perak.
The last time we were there was in December 2009 when we took a guided tour that cost RM 6 per person and lasted merely 40 minutes! This time, we took the slightly longer one, costing RM 9 per adult and lasts 1 hour and 40 minutes.This guided tour is known as the ‘Top of the World’ tour in which one is taken to the ceiling of the cave (am told it is 30 story high) where you can literally touch the roof! It is also part of the ‘Dry Tour’, meaning you do not get wet and dirty. The ‘Wet Tour’ includes descending via dark unlighted pathways and stairs and along or even inside the river that runs within the cave. This tour would take anything between 3-4 hours.
I tried to take some pictures inside the cave the last time and was frustrated with the results as the cave was too dark for any point-and-shoot cameras. This time round, however, I discovered a very useful mode in my Canon IXUS 80IS called the ‘Color Swap’ which, quite literally, swaps the dark for light and vice versa. There is drawback of course, one has to hold the camera very very still while taking the pictures. As I did not have a tripod with me, I had to rely on my not-so-steady hands to snap the pictures. Here are a few clearer ones.
The entrance (and exit) of the cave. The river runs below the walkway.
Through another opening, you can see the sunlight streaming into the cave. Other than the numerous yellow electric lights lining the pathway, this is the only light source in the cave.
The cave opening from a distance. There are 5 platforms along the walkway designed to take one from the opening right up to the roof of the cave. These platforms are connected to each other by hundreds of steps. On the steps, as with everything else are bat guano and the smell permeates the air. Inside the cave, it is warm and humid.
Wave formation seen on one of the walls of the cave.
The view from platform 3.
The Wind Tunnel. This narrow path connects 2 large caves and once you reached this point, you will be rewarded by a cool breeze that flows from one cave to the other. It’s like someone switched on the air conditioning! 
The roof of the cave! The picture does little justice to the awesome feeling of staring up at such a high roof!
All kinds of limestone formations could be found within the cave. The guide regaled us with various descriptions of these formations ranging from aliens to dinosaurs to dragons, to turtles, to Obama ben Laden (I kid you not!), to naked women bathing, to ducks to elephants, to just about anything one can imagine!
Magnificent stalactites could be seen hanging from the roof. We were told it takes thousands of years for the stalactites to eventually join the stalagmites below to form a limestone column.
The view from platform 4. Really really awesome.
The next time round, I want to take the Wet Tour!!!
Tues, 160310 @ 2122
Go take the wet tour! It was really awesome..!! I went there a few years back, it was really..really adventurous.. we walked in the river all the way back, there were even places where we had to literally dive to go across- because the roof was too low. LOL!
Yup! Definitely will try it if I go back there again.
tell me tell me! i wanna go also! just passed by there today on the way back from Kampar
wow, it was nice, wasnt it? my frens and i went last last last holidays and we took the wet tour…and we never prepare for that! so next time around pls be prepared with cloths and more importantly torch light for wet tour! oh..don miss out the salten chicken too!! yummy!