Did you know that Ipoh has ancient cave paintings you can see for free? These are over at Tambun Cave.
Where is Tambun Cave exactly? Are the paintings worth seeing? How do you find the paintings without a guide?
Read on and we’ll share how you can see them in person for yourself!
What is there to see at Tambun Cave?
Despite the name, this is not a cave that you can venture in and explore with headlights. If you are looking for a real caving experience, we recommend heading over to Gua Tempung in Gopeng.
The main highlight here is a collection of cave paintings dating to the Neolithic era. That puts them at around 3,000 years old.
While discovered in 1959, there is still nothing being done to promote or preserve this heritage site.
There are signs for Tambun Cave, but they are not in good shape.
Since there is nothing else to see at Tambun Cave besides the paintings, we didn’t spend too long here. On separate occasions that we have visited Tambun Cave, we only spent about 10 minutes tops to admire the paintings.
Where is Tambun Cave?
Tambun Cave is at the end of a large field that is part of a polo club.
The polo club is next to a petrol station (Caltex) which is at the intersection of the main road towards Tambun (A13), and the AH2 (North South Highway).
You cannot see the site from the main road. On our first visit to Tambun Cave years ago, there were some signs to direct visitors to the cave.
But these have since fallen or have been removed because we didn’t see them on our most recent visit.
How Do I Get To Tambun Cave?
- Just before the entry point for the North-South highway, is a small Caltex gas station (on your right) as you’re coming from town.
- You’ll have to make a U-turn to enter the Caltex gas station.
- Park your car at the gas station past the pumps to the corner on the right.
- Walk to the back of the gas station around a fence (there are usually horse trailers parked here)
- There will be a guard and a gate for a private road (just tell the guard you’re going to see Gua Tambun).
- And then you just turn left after passing the gate.
- Walk down through the field towards the line of large trees directly opposite.
- Cross a bridge over a drain/stream to a dirt path. This path is very muddy after some rain!
- The path runs along a limestone hill to a wooden gazebo beside some stairs.
- The stairs (~120 steps) are steep and covered with leaves which can be dangerous if you’re not watching your step!
- At the top of the stairs, you’ll see graffiti but keep walking towards the right and look up – the cave paintings should be above you
What Facilities Are Available At Tambun Cave?
There are no wheelchair ramps, covered walkways, toilets, on-site food stalls or cafes, prayer rooms, or lifts at Tambun Cave.
The site only has rusty railings, a concrete leaf-covered staircase, and a wooden gazebo (which has a rather low roof).
Since there are no artificial lights here, you should plan your visit in broad daylight.
We thought it’d be hot to visit Tambun Cave at midday, but it wasn’t. This is because there is still some shade from surrounding trees and the limestone hill where Tambun Cave is.
What Are The Entrance Fees For Tambun Cave?
There are no entrance fees for Tambun Cave.
You don’t have to pay to park beside the petrol station either.
Who Should Not Visit Tambun Cave?
Elders and anyone with mobility issues will find it difficult or impossible to access the site of the cave paintings. This is because of the steep stairs that you need to climb.
On the same point, it is not advisable to bring children here.
Lastly, anyone who does go to see the paintings does so at their own risk. As there are no wardens at the site.
How To Prepare For A Visit To Tambun Cave
Allocate around 30 minutes if you plan to visit Tambun Cave. This includes the walk and the climb up to the overhang where the paintings are.
Bring ample protection against sunshine and mosquitoes. The mosquitoes are plentiful here and very aggressive too. Even with our DEET inclusive mosquito repellent, we still managed to secure a few mosquito bites.
Don’t bring any food here to avoid attracting the notice of monkeys which may become a nuisance. We haven’t yet personally seen any monkeys during our visits to Tambun Cave but we’re sure there are since this place is isolated from housing areas.
Wear long sleeves, long pants, and comfortable shoes. A hat and umbrella are a good idea since part of the walk is exposed to sunshine during most of the day.
If you want to take photos of the paintings, bring a camera with a zoom lens. This is because the paintings are quite high up above eye level.
Note: Don’t use flash as this may cause the paintings to fade faster
Tips:
- Don’t come here late in the day. As there are no lights along the path.
- A lot of mosquitoes and monkeys here
- Track is quite rundown
- This place isn’t suitable for elders
- You might have to ask for permission to enter
- Sometimes, the place is locked up
PS: If you happen to have a hard hat in your possession, you might want to bring it a long for this trip. Cause we felt very vulnerable indeed walking underneath the overhang while looking at the paintings.
Conclusion
The cave paintings at Tambun Cave are fading and the overhang where they are has fallen victim to vandalizers.
Thus, we recommend seeing them if you are physically able before it is no longer possible. It is not every day that you can see paintings that are over 3,000 years old! And for free too.
But for those that have absolutely no interest in nature, geology, or history, this attraction is probably not worth the effort.
If you want to see limestone caves, we recommend going to Kek Look Tong or Gua Tempurung. There are other cave temples, but these don’t have very huge chambers in comparison.
