It is incredible but true. I am standing in a dark cave, looking at a pencil-like tower that's almost two storeys high, illuminated only by the beam from my guide's torch.
The narrow beam reveals the surreal, gnarled structure perched at the tip of the tower which is an amazing stalagmite growing from the floor.
And right at the top, I see what looks like the head of an old man with a beard and turban. As I stare, the vision becomes clearer and it strikes me!
But before I can voice out loud my thoughts, guide Manan whispers: "That's Osama bin Laden!"
I gape in awe, not quite believing that I'm staring at "Osama" or what looks like the militant Islamist, right here in Gua Tempurung near Gopeng, Perak. But it is a limestone structure after all.
I try to take a picture of the unique formation but, alas, all that shows is only a black frame.
Well, the incredible sights do not stop at "Osama". Other bizarre formations have an uncanny resemblance to Zorro's masked eyes, a dolphin, a jellyfish, a cow's head, a tiny rooster and even a dainty foot.
How can all these be formed" My mind is racing for answers. Then I recall the story of Sang Kelembai which my late grandmother would tell to scare me when I was a little girl. She would say: "If you're naughty, Sang Kelembai will come and curse you to become a stone!"
Sang Kelembai is a mythical monster in Malay folklore which, when irritated, could curse anybody or any living thing to turn into stone. According to some stories, Sang Kelembai was a woman whose curse was potent. Could these weird formations in Gua Tempurung be the work of the despicable Sang Kelembai?
Ancient Treasures
Naturally sculptured rocks and wall "paintings" can be just about anything that your mind wants them to be. Whenever Manan turns off the torchlight, I feel wackier as my eyes play more tricks on me. Why, I can even see Mona Lisa and the Lord Buddha!
The feeling gets even more surreal knowing that I'm exploring an ancient cave in the Kinta Valley with magnificent limestone structures that were shaped over 400 million years, long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth!
These limestone hills then were under the sea and corals and single-celled organisms thrived on it. These life forms were known to have existed during the Palaeozoic era 570 million years ago. They went through a complex process, absorbing lime from the sea that eventually formed shells. When the creatures died, their shells made up thick masses of lime mud which, over time, crystallised into limestone. Rainwater picked up carbon dioxide from the air and soil, dissolving the limestone into calcium bicarbonate. This happened along joints where the water found its way down. Some joints turned into sinkholes and these became vertical chimneys and horizontal galleries. In short, caves were formed.
Today, Gua Tempurung is one of the larger cave systems found in the limestone hills in Perak. It is even said to be the largest natural limestone structure in the peninsula, running 1.9km in length and rising to the height of a 30-storey building at its tallest ceiling!
The cave passage follows a direct course through a mountain range called Gunung Gajah-Tempurung, located south of Ipoh towards Gopeng and Kampar.
The cave is inside Gunung Tempurung which is about 250 million years old. This means Gua Tempurung is even older than the mountain that rises majestically like a karst tower. Visible from the North-South Expressway near Gopeng, the mountain is an erosional remnant near an ancient coastline. Years of mineralisation of the limestone rocks yield deposits of tin and other ores.
In several locations inside the dry upper chambers of the cave, vein deposits of tin (cassiterite) are evident in walls and ceilings. One can also see, on the cave walls and pillars, calcite crystals that glitter like millions of little stars.
Then there are the stunning speleotherms - not only the stalagmites and stalactites but also rim stone pools, curtains, straws and pillars. There are majestic columns of marble inside its huge cavern honeycombed with smaller caves of different dimensions. Within the karst tower, there is a river-cave system. With its source in a small catchment area nearby, the river, Sungai Gua Tempurung, runs about 1.6km.
The Golden Flowstone
The cave is so full of mystery that the visit leaves me more curious than ever about its past. It was first identified in 1887 in the Map of Perak-Malay Peninsula, which indicated a mountain spelt as "Gunong Tempoo Rong". The Department of Minerals and Geosciences estimated the age of the rock formations there to be between 250 and 400 million years. The formations happen very slowly over a long period of time, as as slow as an inch in 200-300 years, some even in 4,000 years and above. So if you are ever tempted to touch, break or take any of the formations in the cave, stop a minute and consider how precious and fragile they are.
War Sanctuary
Before 1935, tin mining activities on small scale took place in the cave. During World War 11, the cave served as a refuge for locals from the invading Japanese and during the Malayan Emergency period (1948-1960), it was used as a communist hideout.
On the cave walls are hand-drawn pictures and words by the communists. There are also inscription of hate slogans and song lyrics against the Japanese army. After the Emergency, mining activities resumed but ceased years later.
In the 1970s, the Perak State Government started to develop the area as a tourist attraction. The show galleries in the cave were first opened in 1997.
Today the cave, managed and maintained by APT Consortium Sdn Bhd, continues to attract locals and foreign tourists. Last year, it won Perak Tourism Appreciation Awards 2007 in the Exciting Tourist Attraction category.
Cave Galleries
From the cave entrance are walkways over the gurgling river and to showcase galleries with dimmed lighting. The crystal clear river flows over marble stones - another handiwork of Mother Nature. On the cave walls are "artworks" formed by guano or bat droppings.
The cave has five gigantic domes with ceilings resembling coconut shells (tempurung), giving rise to its name of Gua Tempurung. The five domes form the showcase galleries.
The Golden Flowstone gallery has a sloping, wavering floor and wall with a golden hue as a result of water dripping over them. The Gergasi (Giant) gallery holds a huge column that looks like a space ship. The Tin Mine gallery has remnants of mining activities of the old days while the Alam (Universe) gallery has a slender stalactite called Tongkat (Cane). One of the more spectacular sights is in the Fallen Warrior and Battlefield gallery where among the many formations is one that resembles a warrior falling in a battlefield.
Cave Tours
There are several types of tours offered. I choose the Dry Catwalk Tour of the showcase galleries though the more adventurous will find the Grand Tour incorporating both the dry and wet adventure most exhilarating.
You can expect thrilling moments in the adrenalin-pumping spelunking adventure of your lifetime as you wade through the underground river that reaches chest level in certain stretches, duck-walk and crawl through holes, climb near-vertical walls and slide down slippery stones. It takes you to the eastern side of the cave facing the North-South Expressway and your return journey is entirely along the underground river.
Sounds exciting? Definitely, but the claustrophobic and those who have a problem with crawling through tiny holes should stick to show caves where walkways, vertically-inclined staircases and illuminated corridors offer the thrills with none of the danger.
Getting There
Gua Tempurung is located in Lembah Tempurung, a 15-minute drive from Gopeng. It is 25km to the south of Ipoh, which is less than 30 minutes' drive away.
Take the North-South Plus Expressway and exit at the Gopeng toll plaza. From the plaza, turn left (southwards) towards Kampar. Drive for about 5km before turning left and driving a further 2km to reach Gua Tempurung. Signboards will help you find the way. The road leads to the car park just outside the cave entrance.
For more details about cave tours and entrance fees, call APT Consortium at 05-318 8555. For group bookings, call Manan at 019-543 7192.
For some tips on caving in Gua Tempurung, please see page T6.
Where To Stay
In Gopeng, there's MyGopeng Resort (Tel: 019-542 3773 or 016-512 9192) and Adeline's Place (Tel: 019-556 1113). Both resorts organise trips for guests, including to Gua Tempurung.
There are also many hotels in Kampar (about 20 minutes drive to the cave) and of course in Ipoh.
