KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — Cool drive, great food and one helluva adventure.
That describes my day trip to Perak — primarily Ipoh, as I spent most of my 11-hour trip there — last week.
Equipped with a second-generation Mazda CX-5, an iPhone 6s and only RM200 in cash, I started off my day trip at 7am from Klang and headed to Ipoh via the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE).
The 216-kilometre two-hour drive was quite scenic once you pass the Selangor border, but what impressed me the most was the sheer silence of the 2.2 litre Mazda diesel engine.
Not much noise could be heard from inside the cabin — apart from Eagles’ 1976 album Hotel California blasting through the speakers — so it is definitely an upgrade from the debut model launched in 2012.
I reached the Ipoh toll at about 9.10am and headed for one of the town’s most famous breakfast pit stop, Kedai Makanan Nam Heong along Jalan Bandar Timah — the home of Old Town white coffee.
I had skipped dinner the night before to ensure I had more space in my belly. I ordered a plate of char kuey teow which cost me RM6.
This wasn’t my first trip to Ipoh but strangely enough — please do not bash me for this — it was my first time at Nam Heong.
Needless to say, I finally discovered why it was one of those places with a “must-go” tag on it.
The iced white coffee which cost RM2 was alright and tasted more or less like one you can get from a 3-in-1 instant packet.
I took a walk around Old Town to look at the street art before taking an eight kilometre drive to Kledang Hill for a short hike. I spent a good hour there and for a quick refuel I headed to Restoran New Holly Wood to have an ice coffee and its famous char kueh.
A lot of the stalls were closed but what makes this kopitiam famous is its halal status. Owner Chan Tuck Seng said that the fasting month is when they suffer a slight dip in business.
“Most of my customers are Malays and of course during this month, my business suffers a bit.
“But that was what my whole goal – to be able to sit down at a restaurant I own and see a united Malaysia.”
Chan was even kind enough to lead me to possibly the best meal I had on my trip, the town’s well-known dry curry mee at Kedai Kopi Yee Fatt.
Indeed what a meal it was.
A plate of noodles with a generous amount of char siew, plenty of curry and the right level of spice, it was definitely perfect for my tastebuds. And it only cost me RM6.
Similar to Nam Heong, this shop has been in operation for at least 40 years but be prepared to wait for about 15 minutes during the peak hours on weekends.
Great food and a short workout wrapped up my visit to Ipoh and next, I took a 30-minute drive to Kellie’s Castle in Batu Gajah, Perak.
I did not spend much time there as I was keen to visit Gua Tempurung; my first time there in more than a decade.
If there is another place to add to your “must-go” places in Perak, then this one fits the bill perfectly.
The cave is home to large chambers and some spectacular stalactites and stalagmites, along with some speleological wonders found only in this part of the world.
Certain tours require an extra change of clothes and shoes, but fear not, torch light and safety helmets are available for rent.
I dropped by Kampar next, another half hour drive before wrapping up my Perak day trip.
The town is known as the home of claypot chicken rice, and Heng Kee in Wing Loke Yuen Coffee Shop can lay claim to having the best claypot chicken rice on offer.
A short stop by West Lake followed before I headed down the toll-free road back to Klang.
What I enjoyed about the drive was passing by the small towns of Tapah, Bidor, Sungkai, Slim River, Tanjung Malim and Teluk Intan before crossing the border back via Sekinchan, Tanjung Karang and Kapar.
The drive was longer, but with the CX-5’s ability to handle corners, its steering and torque behind the wheel, the vehicle’s full potential was able to be tested.
To wrap up, it was a memorable trip in a very fuel-economical vehicle which gave me 15.9km per litre.
The 173hp behind the wheel definitely gave me a lot of fun both ways and with 420Nm of torque at 2,000rpm there are no complaints about the CX-5.
Here’s the budget breakdown for every cheapskate out there like me who prefers a cheap but memorable outing:
Toll: RM19.80
Diesel (Euro 5 @RM2.28 per litre): RM70
Food and drinks: RM50
Balance: RM10
* This article is brought to you by Mazda.
