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Tourism Malaysia

5 things to do in Teluk Intan

Teluk Intan is a small town that is just 2-hours away from Kuala Lumpur. Once known as Teluk Anson, (Anson Bay) it was named in honour of Major-General Sir Archibald Edward Harbord Anson who planned for its modern township in 1882. A century later in 1982, the name was finally cemented as Teluk Intan which translates to ‘Diamond Bay’, where Perak rulers once held court for hundreds of years.

With a rich history solidified by ancient landmarks and friendly townspeople, Teluk Intan is sure to provide lasting memories for every visitor.

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For a town that is barely 127 square kilometres wide, it is surprisingly busy. With the town in constant motion, the hustle and bustle of people about their day allows for visitors to immerse themselves entirely with the pulse of the place. From it’s colonial architecture, to its accessibility to the river bank and its colourful shop lots, the different elements come together to give travellers a sense of paradise. It also has all the modern day essentials for the urban traveller with shopping malls, a movie theatre and fast food joints scattered around town.

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Of course, no trip to the riverside town would feel complete without fishing! For a fetching price of RM300 a day, you have the option to rent a boat from the town’s jetty and fish the day away! The calming waters and the cool and crisp breeze could just be what you need to escape the routine lifestyle. Just sit back and be part of nature. Leave it to the local boatmen to take you to the best fishing spots. While fishing, travellers (who are advised to bring a pair of binoculars) can engage with nature and enjoy some birdwatching. You will definitely walk away with a deeper appreciation for nature and seafood for dinner.

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Menara Jam Condong Teluk Intan or the Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan is certainly a must visit. Built under the guidance of Leong Choon Chong, a 19th century contractor, this beautifully designed building was once used as a Japanese watchtower during World War 2 before becoming a national monument in 1957. Standing tall at height of 8-storey, this tower chimes every 15 minutes and only needs its mechanisms rewound every 7 days. Even though the tower looks like it has 8-storey, it actually only has 3 very tall floors. The lean of the tower is what makes it unique and is most prominent when standing in front of the tower. Although it is more of a tourist attraction nowadays, the tower was once used to store water for the town during a drought or in case of fire. A trip to Teluk Intan would certainly not be complete without a visit to this Malaysian wonder.

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No town in Malaysia would be the same without its street food! With a wide variety of choices, Teluk Intan’s street food has all the local delicacies along with food native to the town. Eateries are accessible and available at any hour of the day. Freshly made ‘Mee Rebus’ (blanched noodles) and ‘Chee Cheong Fan’ (rice noodle rolls) are available for the hungry traveller regardless of the hour. Among the local desserts found is the famed ‘Apom Balik’ (turnover pancake). It is believed that the best stall for this dessert is located near the Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan. The stall that is manned by a charming Malay couple that have served this delightful dessert for years.

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Teluk Intan is also known for their fruit orchards and the produce can be seen with the availability of fruits everywhere. Travellers should not miss the chance to sample the assortment of fruits sold by street vendors. There are dozens of dusuns (fruit orchards) bearing all sorts of fruits from bananas, papayas, dragon fruit, mangoes and jambu batu (guava) to the local specialty, pineapples. A visit to the ‘Bazar Nanas Kampung Selabak’ (Kampung Selabak Pineapple Bazaar) is a must for any fruit lover. Fruists sold here are fresh from the orchard with a new batch arriving every 3 to 4 days. Besides fruit, the bazaar also offers other locally made snacks and condiments such as wild honey, rojak sauce (black fish paste sauce to be mixed with fruits) and another local delicacy, salted fish.

For an up close experience of the Teluk Intan Leaning Tower, check out this video: