Sam Poh Tong and Nearby Temple Caves

Sam Poh Tong (Cavern of the Triple Gems) is in Gunung Rapat, 5km from Ipoh. Sam Poh Tong's original temple was built in the 1890s by a Chinese monk who found the cave and decided to use it as a hermitage. The present construction dates from the 1950s, with 246 steps that lead to the caves and a panoramic view of Ipoh and surrounds. This temple and its sister temple Kek Loh Tong (located in the same hill range) are built directly into the limestone hillside and utilise the caves within as part of its architecture. Sam Poh Tong is said to be the largest of its kind in Malaysia.

Inside the caves, Buddhist statues and iconography peek out from among the stalactites and stalagmites. The temple grounds contain gardens and ponds, including the tortoise pond which houses hundreds of tortoises (a symbol of longevity) of various sizes, which visitors can feed tortoise with stalks of vegetables. The temple is also home to a number of monks and nuns. Outside the temple is a vegetarian restaurant which is open daily for lunch only.

There are 6 similar cave temples in the area, such as Ling Sen Tong, Nam Tian Tong, Kwan Yin Tong, Kek Lok Tong, Chee Chei Buddhist Temple and Sri Muneswari Hindu Temple. Kek Lok Tong is the latest, and is similar to Sam Poh Tong, but with the advantage of being in a quieter location, accessed through the Gunung Rapat housing estate.