Kek Look Tong

KEK LOOK

TONG

FILM TOURISM

Our AS SEEN ON
Tropical MMAJuRAlTyLIAA2YL0S2AIA5R'TSSFFIRLSICTK-

KINTA 1881, 2008

Getaway

HTT557 | HM2415C

EDITORS

AFZA BINTI SARIFF
2021100759

MIZAN MAIZATUL MAYANG PUTERI
2021102895

ALIYA KHADIJAH BINTI ABDUL RAZAK
2021505359

NUR HADIRAH SOFIA BINTI MOHD SUFIAN
2021110391

CONTENTS

2 BACKGROUND OF THE PLACE
3 MAP OF THE PLACE
4 MAP OF THE PLACE (TOURISTS' POV)
8 PLACES OF INTEREST NEAR KEK LOOK TONG
10 HOW TO GET THERE?
12 THE DESIGN STANDARDS
13 THE DEVELOPMENT
15 ECONOMIC IMPACTS
16 SOCIAL IMPACTS
17 ENVIRONMENT IMPACTS
18 THE ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS
19 FUTURE PLANNING
20 CONCLUSION
21 REFERENCES
22 APPENDICES

1

BY ALIYA RAZAK BACKGROUND
OF THE PLACE

Ipoh is the capital of the state of Perak located in Peninsular Malaysia's west
coast with a population of 657,892, makes it Malaysia's fourth biggest city and is
renowned as the "Hipster Capital of Malaysia." In terms of film tourism in Ipoh,
the city has become more vibrant, and several sites have gained popularity as a
result of their appearance in films or television shows. Not only that, Ipoh has
been chosen as one of the filming locations for some or all of a movie. The
setting for the filming of Kinta 1881 was Kek Look Temple, which turned out as an
ideal location for the production of Malaysia's first arts film on that year.

Kek Look Tong cave temple was known as 2 Other activities available to visitors
the Cave of Ultimate Bliss, or Great including strolling, cycling, paddle boating,
Happiness. This attraction is heavy on the and fish feeding. Then down from the cave
nature and relaxation near the Gunung to the Zen Garden behind the cave temple
Rapat area in Ipoh's south, which plays a is a walking trail around the first lake with a
key part in Ipoh's worship. sign directing you to go around in a
clockwise direction. The gardens are well-

kept and include gazebos, a reflexology
The Chinese cave temple is a famous trail, monkeys, flowers with a lovely
tourist attraction as well as a local hangout. landscapes.
The size of 12-acre area has been utilized
as a place of worship since the 1920s. Kek Look Tong Cave Temple is a must-
Although, the area was used for iron ore visit religious site that should not be
mining throughout the 1960s, once the overlooked. Apart from that, there are
mining activity stopped, the place hotels close to the attraction where
reopened for religious reasons and to the visitors may spend the night. There's a lot
tourists in the 1970s. The roof and upper of restaurant nearby, where you can easily
walls, on the other hand, have some get food to dine in or even drive-thru.
magnificent stalactite formations and Visitors may also visit Go Chin Pomelo
remain in their original state. Originally, the Nature Park, Sam Poh Tong Cave Temple,
cave was a huge cavern with large Ling Sen Tong Temple, and Tasik Cermin,
entrances on both ends. With plenty of which are all located near Kek Look Tong.
natural light and a refreshing wind that
flows through the cave.

Map of The Place

3

Map of The Place

TOURISTS' POV OF KEK LOOK TONG

BY MIZAN MAYA

4

The starting of your journey. From your right, you can see Goddess
of Mercy, Kwan Yin surrounded by Koi

fish.

Goddess of Mercy, Kwan Yin. A stone Confucius welcomes you at the
threshold of Kek Lok Tong.

A Buddha statue on the right when you The stairs to the next level.

5walk inside.

The lower view after you climb the stairs. The stairs.

An elevator is provided for 'OKU'. The area up here is where you can get
the best view of the cave’s natural
beauty.

The secret stairs that lead up to a 6 Our editor posing with the low
part of the cave with low clearance. clearance of the cave.

The stairs that lead to the Zen Garden. A walking path surrounds the lake.

Statues Of Buddhist disciples along Main lake on the grounds of Kek Lok
the jogging path. Tong.

Tandem bicycles for rent. 7 Visitors can ride paddle boats
along a small lake.

Places of Interest
Near Kek Look Tong

BY MIZAN MAYA

GoChin Pomelo Farm has been open
for more than 20 years, and the oldest
tree is approximately 50 years old. The
entrance is free, enabling you to stroll
around the paths while learning about
the nearby fruits and snapping pictures
next to the pomelos that are hanging
from the trees.

0.6km from Kek Look Tong

Ling Sen Tong represented numerous
statues of various animals, deities, and
other figures from Chinese folklore that
adorn the temple. The front yard is
embellished with colorful statues of
Chinese mythological figures, including
the Monkey King from the well-known
story Journey to the West.

1.1km from Kek Look Tong

Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural
Village offers numerous lakeside and
outdoor activities, such as jungle
trekking, bicycling, barbecuing,
campfires, fish feeding, etc. There are
several old-fashioned, colorful chalets
available, as well as Suseiki Hall, a
campfire, and barbecue facilities
suitable for both private and business
occasions.

8 1.6km from Kek Look Tong

Places of Interest
Near Kek Look TongCONT...

Muniswaran Temple is one of Ipoh's
most potent temples and the only one
in Malaysia constructed with three
Goburams. It is located below the hills
in such a tranquil area with a man-made
lake next to it. There is a statue of Lord
Shiva that is beautifully constructed on
the hills.

1.2km from Kek Look Tong

Ipoh has a hidden gem called Tasik
Cermin that you must absolutely
discover! Tasik Cermin, which translates
literally to "Mirror Lake," is hidden
among the numerous limestone karst
formations that are associated with the
Malaysian state of Perak and the city of
Ipoh. If you didn't already know, the city
is known as the "Guilin of Malaysia"
because to its limestone hills.

1.8km from Kek Look Tong

The Geological Museum Ipoh is a
premier museum in Malaysia that
covers the subject in greater detail.
The casual visitor would benefit
greatly from a visit, but someone
studying geology or geography would
find it particularly interesting.

2.3km from Kek Look Tong

9

How
to get
there

?

BY HADIRAH SOFIA

Kek Look Tong is located in the natural and picturesque area of Gunung Rapat in the south
of Ipoh, Perak in west Malaysia. In 1920, Kek Look Tong was used as a place of worship featuring
a number of Buddhist figures and deities of the Chinese shrine. Thus, people are motivated to visit
the infamous tourist attraction.

There are several ways to go to Kek Look Tong, tourists can choose whether to drive or
with any public transportation. Those who are willing to drive from Kuala Lumpur will take about 3
hours and 15 minutes via Lebuhraya Utara – Selatan. A trip from Ipoh town to Kek Look Tong is
about 15 to 20 minutes. The temple is not in plain sight from the main road like Sam Poh Tong
Temple. To get here, firstly take a route to a block of suburban bungalows that begin on Persiaran
Sepakat 3 and at the end of Persiaran Sepakat 8, take an offshoot road that leads to Kek Look
Tong. At the junction, there is a yellow sign with “GUA KEK LOK TONG”, but it is quite small and
hard to notice. Following after that, the narrow road to the temple is long and winding but on the
right side at the end of the road, there is an Muslim graveyard. Eventually, the limestone cliffs will
be in full view and the sight of temple gates will slowly reveal.

The other alternative to visit Kek Look Tong is by taxi or Grab car from the city center for
around RM20 where the train stations and bus stations are located. Buses will not take tourists to
the Kek Look Tong. Returning back to the town, tourists need to make a prior arrangements with
the driver before departing as it is not easy to get a Grab car or taxi after visit.

10

It is time to
come and
Cuti-Cuti
Malaysia



11

The Design
Standards

BY AFZA SARIFF

Several areas of the Kek Lok Tong
Cave have been excavated in the
past, stalactite formations can still be
observed on its ceiling due to the
work done a few decades ago.

This cave is one of Malaysia's most LANDSCAPING
beautiful caves, and is certainly a
sight to behold. It is a beautiful cave Kek Lok Tong cave's front door is compared to the head
flooded with light from the sun, thanks of a dragon goldfish, its mouth gaping into the sky.
to its open, wide design. Standing at This is evidenced by a quote taken from the cave's
the bottom of a flight of stairs that led website: "The cave is linked to a carp."
to the mouth of the cave with its wide A staircase leading down to the back cave entrance
and gaping opening, the Chinese symbolizes a goldfish's throat, which is the back
guardian lion stared out into the entrance to the fish belly cave.
distance. As a symbol of Buddhist A moss-covered back cave has evergreen hanging rock
peace, purple flowers are arranged formations to the side and there are even gill-like
between the lions in an area that has limestone formations.
been well-kept.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This place has a large and spacious
parking space where it is not a There are 12 acres surrounding the cave temple. A
problem for visitors to come here in limestone hill in the cave consists of crystallised kinta
large numbers. The benches, railings, limestone; its colours range from light grey to white.
and stairs have all been installed. In (Ipoh Tourism Board, 2013)
addition, to some of the metal The limestone with about 5 mm to 1 cm strips of
Buddhas and Tao statues thrown in argillaceous material is planted with thick argillaceous
Taiwan, its airy atmosphere makes it material, and iron can still be seen in the deposits.
an appealing place for people to sit,
relax, and meditate. Nature and 12
ecosystems rely on limestone caves
for their existence. In contrast, caves
of limestone face dangers such as
excavations and other clearing
activities. Malaysia has a lot of
limestone hills but unfortunately not
all of them are protected. The supply
of limestone needs to be ensured
continuously for the future by all
stakeholders.

The Development of Kek
Lok Tong

BY AFZA SARIFF

Malaysia is famous for various raw mining materials such as gold, silver, copper, bauxite,
pewter, clay, feldspar limestone, tin ore, and iron ore. Malaysia's diversity has been created by
the mining industry, attracting foreign traders from countries such as India, the Mediterranean,
Arabia, and workers from China. The tin mining industry was one of the earliest mines carried
out in Malaysia in the 1820s in Perak. Other mining materials such as iron ore and limestone
were also in demand.

Why is it called the Gunung Rapat? The literal translation is "close mountain". This is
because it can be said that many mountains and limestone hills in Ipoh are close to each
other. The remote location has not prevented it from becoming a tourist hotspot. Those
visiting this cave temple will surely be amazed by the impressive caves and stunning gardens.
Since the 1920s, this cave has been used as a place of worship. The area used to be involved
in iron ore mining activities in the 1960s and part of the cave was excavated to facilitate the
mining process. As a result of mining that took place decades ago, there are a large number
of these mountains containing natural caves.

13

Then, in the 1970s, after the mining activities have
stopped, Kek Lok Tong Cave was strategically converted
back for religious and tourism purposes and remains to
this day. Apart from that, the activities developed around
this cave area are the new attractions to encourage
tourists to come and spend time and enjoy the natural
beauty here. Kek Lok Tong now offers cycling on land or
water activities that visitors can do while visiting.

A large area of ​the temples' vast gardens now has
paddle boats and bicycles available for rent at a
predetermined price. It also has the longest reflexology
walkway in Ipoh. The uniqueness of the park around this
cave has won awards. It is certainly one of the most
relaxing places to release stress. Other than that, around
the cave, Buddhist statues of both large and small sizes,
as well as deities, can be viewed, allowing many
Buddhists to pray peacefully while taking advantage of
the cave's spacious and peaceful atmosphere.

This place is increasingly known to many people
because most of the visitors that came will share their
experiences on social media such as Instagram and
Tiktok. There is no denying why many people fall in love
with this natural beauty of this place.

Strolling along the path offers a lot to
see besides the beautiful plants and
flowers. They are the original followers
of Buddha, the 18 Lohans (Luohans),
that have attained complete
enlightenment. In a row of 18 statues,
each with its name etched on its base,
the 18 statues are neatly grouped.
There is another small pond outside the
cave entrance, which has turtles and
fish swimming in it, as well as some

1 4 monkeys that hang around.

IMPACTS

ECONOMIC

POSITIVE IMPACTS NEGATIVE IMPACTS

BY MIZAN MAYA 1.High cost of maintenance
Maintaining the natural limestone cave can be
1. Managed by a non-profit organisation expensive. The management relies on public
donations in keeping up the place (Lee,2018).
Kek Look Tong is managed by a charitable, So there are a lot of things that need to be
non-profit organisation called Kek Look Seah fixed and the issues could not be resolved on
which also managed Kek Look Seah temple the spot.
nearby in Ipoh (Loh,2022).
2. Low paid jobs
2. Collaborate with other local businesses

Even though Kek Look Tong does not gain
revenue from the visitors, the temple allows
other businesses to run inside the place. The
boat and bicycle rental services for the visitors
to try are managed by Riverfun Management
PLT (Teh,2020). There are also vending
machines available for the visitors run by other
businesses.

3. Job opportunities Nevertheless, the job opportunities given to the
locals to handle the outdoor activities and
Since Kek Look Tong collaborates with others, maintaining the cleanliness at the attraction
it opens job opportunities for the locals nearby were paid very low.
to gain some money. The Riverfun management
PLT hired locals to handle all the outdoor 15
activities available at the temple.

https://www.ipohecho.com.my/2020/10/02/added-attractions-at-kek-lok-tong/

SOCIAL

POSITIVE IMPACTS

BY HADIRAH SOFIA

1. Tourism as a peaceful force 4. Benefits of sustainable tourism for
visitors
Visiting the site brings people into building
communication with each other. Centered in There are many benefits of sustainable tourism
nature, Kek Look Tong temple has an for visitors, for example, visitors may
educational element to inspire individuals to appreciate unspoiled nature and sceneries, as
comprehend each other's cultures and create well as the environmental quality of goods and
opportunities for cultural interchange between services historical religious sites. It appears to
visitors and hosts. Regarding so, the be a contribution between local communities
opportunity given lets people develop a sense and organizations to preserve nature by
of humanity and understanding, reduce racial planting more greenery and saving mineral
inequity, and polish positive changes. water from the limestone for the manmade
attractions at the cave entrance.
2. Heighten spiritual connection between
communities NEGATIVE IMPACTS

Sustainable tourism can interact to increase 1. Ignorance due to tourist behavior
the connection level between communities in
various ways. For example, the temple Tourists who visit the site fail to follow and
incorporates not only a tourist spot but also for respect local customs and ethics out of
praying and religious worship to the locals and ignorance or carelessness. Some of the cave
visitors. It has the potential to be a powerful walls have been tarnished with vandalism from
motivation to strengthen communities between tourists which causes an erosion and improper
local religious groups under the influence of action in the religious site showcasing a
tourism. Local residents have a greater impact discourteous activity from visitors.
on tourism development to portray a religious
tourist destination site through business and 2. Limited implications to preserve
organizational skills development. the site

3. Encouraging pride and participation in To control the visitor occupancy, organisation
society does not allow any business outside of the
temple from the local community. Regarding of
In between preserving nature and cultural sites, that, Kek Look Tong doesn't receive many
tourism helps to boost local awareness. It may sponsorships to preserve the site. The
foster a sense of pride in local and national organization takes advantage of this situation
heritage, as well as an interest in its by not managing the aesthetic of the site. For
preservation. More tremendously, the example, miscellaneous items are not stored in
engagement of local communities in
sustainable tourism development and 1 6 a hidden place.
operation appears to be a crucial requirement
for the long-term use and protection of
biodiversity.

ENVIRONMENT

POSITIVE IMPACTS NEGATIVE IMPACTS

BY ALIYA RAZAK 1. Ecological Disturbance

1. Construction and maintenance Ecological disturbance is described as a non-
improvement inside the temple biological or biological event or force that
causes organisms to die and their patterns to
As the number of visitors to Kek Look Tong shift in the environments they live in. The
Temple grows over the years, several building natural or human activity might produce
and maintenance projects are being developed disruption. Disturbances, on the other hand,
and improved. These are important steps in are unpredictable and can occur at any time.
maintaining the overall number of visitors as well Disturbance occurs in the Kek Look Tong
as ensuring their safety. Kek Look Tong cave cave temple as a result of a landslide, which
temple has maintained its service to extend the causes temporary changes in the landscape
temple's life expectancy and avoid large-scale as well as substantial environmental damage.
upgrades such as stairs, installation of a lift for
OKU, and construction of the concrete road. 2. Noise pollution

2. Increasing environmental awareness and Noise pollution occurs when the cave is
prevention overcrowded with tourists both inside and
outside the area. The crowds of tourists will
In order to maintain the authenticity of the therefore impact the animals' peacefulness
attraction and respect for the mother nature, the inside the cave and the garden area where
tourism industry has helped tourists understand they live. In addition, access modes of
the value of natural environment conservation and transportation such as cars, buses, and
actions that might harm the environment. The motorcycles can result in noise pollution in
attraction alerts tourists about the cave's natural the parking area, which can affect the
ecology and provided dustbins in order to environment as well as the tourist
maintain the cleanliness of the surrounding area, experience.
reflecting the behaviors of visitors who value
environmental preservation. Apart from that, Kek
Long Tong cave temple has kept the lake and
garden area clean and instructed staff is sent to
maintain the attraction on a daily basis.

17

The Analysis
of Impacts

BY AFZA SARIFF

According to the economic impact above, has become an attraction. One of the
there are two non-profit organisations that negatives can be the ignorance of tourists'
manage Kek Lok Tong Cave and a number of behaviors. This can be seen by the carvings
local businesses as partners. Job and scratches done by irresponsible parties
opportunities are also opened up for the on the limestone caves. The site also needs
locals by the management of this temple to be preserved, although the implications
cave. Despite the difficulties, it gives a are limited to preserve its beauty.
positive impact on the management and the
local community. In addition, maintenance to On the environmental impacts, construction
maintain this natural place requires high and maintenance improvements at Kek Lok
costs. Aside from that, the management has Tong are playing an important role in order to
to pay people to clean this temple cave to maintaining tourism activities at the cave
maintain its beauty and cleanliness, which temple. Apart from the positive sites, there
negatively impacts economic growth. are also negative impacts which can the
ecological disturbances found around the
The positive impacts of joint nature activities recreation park. This is a serious matter
are particularly noticeable for the social because it involves public facilities that will
impact because they promote tourism as a be used by visitors who visit there. Last but
peaceful force to reduce racial inequality and not least is noise pollution. It happens due to
polish positive change. Additionally, Kek Lok uncontrolled carrying capacity every holiday
Tong can be turned into a religious center season. Admission is free which causes more
and at the same time a tourist attraction to visitors to come. It not only causes pollution
enhance the spiritual relationship between in the cave, but even animals that live in the
the communities. The tourism industry has cave-like bats will also feel disturbed.
created awareness among the locals and However, in order not to harm the
locals on the importance of preserving the environmental beauty of Kek Look Tong, the
environment. By developing sustainable cave temple management plays a role by
tourism, it will allow visitors to appreciate increasing environmental awareness and
and preserve the natural environment that prevention of destructions to the tourists.

18

Future Planning
BY AFZA SARIFF

Other than being an attraction site, Kek Lok Tong Cave
also has a plan of doing to preserve and conserve this
place so that it is better known to the visitors and
especially for the knowledge of future generations.
Adding facilities that the management considers
necessary for the visitors is a means of developing the
cave temple. As part of the future plans for this place,
more seating will be constructed within the recreation
park area to allow you to wait for your turn to ride a
paddle boat. In addition, this cave temple is a great place
to explore, but the weather surrounding the cave can be
quite hot. Visitors who are sensitive to hot weather will
find it easier to stay cool by purchasing or renting
umbrellas. As a result, management also can earn money.

Apart from that, this cave temple has provided an elevator to make it easier for people with
disabilities to explore the situation in the cave themselves, but the exploration is only there. For
future planning, the management can also provide a route or elevator for such people to go
down to the recreational park environment and explore the natural beauty there. With such
facilities and initiatives, it will attract visitors from various groups to come visit and experience
the beauty of nature that is in a place that is relatively hidden from the city.

Providing tour guide services can help the management
attract more tourists to the cave. By doing this, it will not
make visitors feel bored merely looking at the rocks
without knowing how limestone was formed. Kek Lok
Tong is seeing an increasing number of foreign tourists,
which is also boosting the economy of the country. To
preserve these natural attractions, the tourism industry
must always be concerned and cooperate with each other
in this new period of globalization. It is important because
Malaysia is a country that has many natural attractions that
are very popular among foreign tourists, not only within
the Malaysian community.

19

Conclusion
BY HADIRAH SOFIA

Is Ipoh worth visiting? Absolutely yes, it’s a great place for any

travelers. Does Ipoh deserve to be on the top list of places to visit in

Malaysia? Yes, as it is one of the greatest landmarks in Malaysia. Ipoh

offers a lot of things from the rich historical site to the variety of

Malaysian food to be explored. Therefore, we assured our 2 days and

1-night trip to Ipoh went successfully well from the itinerary planning

until the day of the trip. We spent a wondrous time at Kek Look Tong

and the nearest tourist attractions around the temple. It was hard to

leave at the end of the trip, but we surely went home with happy

hearts and all the knowledge gained that can be applied in our

studies. 20

REFERENCES

21

APPENDICES

Picture 1: The Front of Kek Look Tong

Picture 2: Inside of Kek Look Tong

22

Picture 3: The Garden of Kek Look Tong

Picture 4: The Eighteen Luohans

23

Picture 5: The Lake of Kek Look Tong

Picture 6: Ride Paddle Boats Along A Small Lake

24

Picture 6: Outside of Kek Look Tong

Picture 7: Visiting Kek Look Tong

25

Kek Look Tong
Film Tourism Magazine