Take an eye-opening trip up north and delve into the mystical lifestyle of prehistoric man amid cave dwellings
Take an eye-opening trip up north and delve into the mystical lifestyle of prehistoric man amid cave dwellings
There is much more to Malaysia’s latest renowned heritage site than meets the eye, especially if you are a history or geography buff.
Lenggong Valley, nestling by the meandering Sungai Perak amid dense vegetation, has been inscribed a UNESCO World Heritage site by the World Heritage Committee on Jun 30, 2012.
Because of the historic finds, the valley has attracted visitors from all parts of the world. From Ipoh, it is a 45-minute drive up to Lenggong,a small settlement town about 300km north of Kuala Lumpur and 100km from Ipoh, Perak’s state capital.
En route to Lenggong, you should stop by the Archaeological Gallery at Kota Tampan, which arranges guided tours to the archaeological hill sites up north.
Mystical Caves
The sites, dating to the Palaeolithic (Stone Age), Neolithic (New Stone Age) and Metal era, comprise a series of limestone caves and open-air spots. They represent one of the earliest records of human settlement in the world.
Some of the caves have bizarre names: Gua Bunuh (Murder Cave), Gua Harimau (Tiger Cave) and Gua Gunung Runtuh (Cave
of Collapsed Mountain).
Nonetheless, archaeological evidences gathered confirm that prehistoric man took refuge in the caves here. They included artefacts such as bronze axes, stone tools and pottery; charcoal drawings on the cave walls; and a burial site of an ancient tribe at Gua Harimau.
Remarkable Discoveries
One remarkable find at Gua Gunung Runtuh in May 1990 made headline news.
The expedition led by Prof Emeritus Dato Zuraina Majid discovered the burial site of a deformed man in his 40s. The remains of his skeleton were found intact on the ground after 10,000 years!
During your visit to Lenggong, you will learn about the moving tale of this “Perak Man”, apart from other exciting historical discoveries.
Visitors embarking on this journey to a World Heritage Site will find the trip a first-hand learning experience!
Malaysia’s other World Heritage sites are: Georgetown in Penang and Melaka City (both of which share the same Heritage City status), Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, and Kinabalu Park in Sabah.
For more information, contact: Tourism Malaysia (Singapore), 80 Robinson Road, #01-01 B/C/D, Singapore 068898, Tel: 6532 6321, Fb: Facebook.com/TMSingapore.
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