Lost World of Tambun, Ipoh - Day 2

The Lost World Theme Park opens at 11am which gave us ample time to sleep in and have breakfast.  

The area around the park is beautiful too.

There was no restaurant at the hotel. The free breakfast that came with the room was across the road and carpark, right where theTheme Park was.

The same place where you have breakfast is converted to a cafeteria 
which serves the Theme Park in the afternoon. 

Breakfast consists of Nasi Lemak, sausages, omelette, fried Kway Teow/Bee Hoon, cereal, toast, fruits - nothing fantastic, basic meal before you start the day.

Purchasing the entrance tickets online not only saved us money, it helped us beat the queue at the entrance which was quickly forming.

Having experienced Sunway Lagoon in Kuala Lumpur, we tried to cover as many places as we could at Lost World this time, not to dwelling too long in one area.  This would give us ample time for water play in the afternoon.  We started with Tiger Valley, going up to Swan Lake, Tin Mining and Team Building Park before moving on to Petting Zoo and finally heading for the waters.

I have selected pictures from our takes at each attraction.  Enjoy!

Tiger Valley - we did not hang around to watch Tiger Feeding.

Swan Lake - real swans!  Look at the well-fed fishes craving for more food!  

You can also take swan paddle boat rides.

View of the Tin Bearers attraction past Tin History Walk 

(Thanks to the backlight function on my Samsung phone camera 

without which my photo would have been too dark)

Dulang Washing (Tin Mining) attraction

Beautiful view at Team Building Park.

SW found his own rock to climb.

The activities at the Team Building Park were interesting, but not suitable for children.  We could however, have a go at the Firefox.

The Petting Zoo was a highlight of our trip.  There were rodents, birds, snakes, goats and deers, the latter two of which we did not see.

Racoon

Beautiful Hen and Rooster

At the Aviary, it was delightful to see all kinds of birds around us, roaming about freely.  Their colors were amazingly beautiful.  Amongst the many species were White Peacock, Indian Peafowl, Lady Amherst Pheasant, Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Ruddy Shelduck, Wood Duck, and Mandarin Duck, Parrots and Quails.

Golden Pheasant

Victoria Crowned Pigeon

It was difficult to take pictures and finding out the names of the species when a group of tourist with screaming children came in.  The birds started fluttering and flying about. I made my way out before anything undesirable dropped on me!
It's time to jump onto the train ride and head for the Water Theme Park!

 

Lost World Hot Spring and Spa during the day looks different.  The hot spring makes your body feel even warmer hence it is better to go later in the day or at night.  The temperature at various pools start from 37˚C, the hottest being the Steam Cave which one can hardly stay in there for 5 minutes (contact lens users beware).  There is also the Top of the World Jacuzzi which allows few people to go in at a time.  Besides having the water fountain massaging your back at the Sapphire Pool, the Foot Spa has smooth pebbles at the base that massages your feet as you walk round the pool.  It is also good for those who do not wish to get wet, but do not mind a little fun.  At the Infinity Pool, you could enjoy a sip  while you relax and enjoy the fresh air and mountain view.

The Theme park closes at 6pm and you could stay at this section for the Night Spa.  It would have been interesting to see the place light up for the night as the sun goes down. 

Sapphire Pool

 Sapphire Baby Pool

Stairs leading to Top of the World Jacuzzi

Infinity Pool

Heading back to the Hotel after a day of fun.

Again, if you have a car, it would be a good time to head to town for dinner.  For us, we rested early to prepare ourselves for Cameron Highlands trip the following day.  A good shower at the hotel with cup noodles, snacks and apples, chatting over the day's events sealed our day.

Related articles:

Getting to Lost World at Tambun, Ipoh

Lost World of Tambun, Ipoh - Day 1

First Flight

Getting to Cameron Highlands - Part 1

Lost World of Tambun, Ipoh - Day 1

Ipoh is surrounded by beautiful mountains.  Perhaps it is such a unique location, with natural hot spring that attracted the Sunway Group to locate their Theme Park here, called Lost World of Tambun.

The Lost World Hotel is new and just opened its doors on 28th April 2011.  It is a 3-star hotel right opposite the Theme Park, serving mainly visitors to the Theme Park.  The building designs blends in very nicely with the mountainous landscape.

The Lost World Hotel taken from the main road

What I found out-of-place was the row of modern terraces located 

too close to the Hotel which spoils the beauty.  Can see that the window view from the 

lower floors of the hotel might be somewhat blocked too.

Check-in time to the hotel was 3pm and we were early.  I have read of a river around the Theme Park, but it looked more like a drain to me.  The receptionist suggested we take a cab to town for sight-seeing and makan, but we did not want to take another round in the cab and Uncle Lai the taxi driver has already left, so we just hopped by to the Mcdonald's opposite and grab some cup noodles, snacks and slippers at the Giant hypermarket nearby.

Giant on the Left and Mcdonald's on the Right.  Walking time approximately 10 to 15 minutes from Lost World Hotel.

Ipoh did not look very busy.   On hindsight, it would have been fine to rent a car from the airport to explore Ipoh, well known for its Beansprout Chicken and Ipoh Hor Fan amongst others.

Upon our return, our rooms were ready and we were given nice connecting rooms on the 3rd Floor.

Nice, clean rooms without carpet.  Floor mat not provided at the toilet.  Need to bring slippers.  Free Wi-fi in Rooms.

View from our Hotel Room 352

Clean toilet.  Body lotion, soap, bath towels, hair-dryer, Box Tissue provided.  

Body and Hair Shampoo is in dispenser in the bathroom.

The Lost World Hotel has one of the longest corridors for a hotel.

It was noisy at night when the guests returned or just arrived.

After brief rest at the Hotel, we took a walk around the area, taking pictures and enjoying the peacefulness of a weekday visit.  There was also a souvenir shop at the entrance where Mom got her fridge magnet, adding to her travel collection. 

We have purchased entrance tickets through the Theme Park Online Store at a discount for the following day.  Usual price at the Counter was RM48 for adults and RM38 for children and senior citizens.  

There were no restaurants at the hotel.  The only restaurant at the Theme park that served dinner was deserted when we went.  

There was a Unique Seafood Restaurant right beside the Hotspring and Spa, but it was out-of-sight.  Do not be fooled by the Google map as it shows its location near Giant.  That is their new location from next February onwards.  It was a good thing we asked for directions at the guard house.

True to its name, Unique Seafood Restaurant serves some unique dishes.

Price was reasonable and service was prompt.

To think that dinner is the last event of the day before you retire at the hotel would be a a total waste of time if you visit Lost World of Tambun.  It is the Night Hotspring and Spa that one simply should not miss.  Hotel guests are given 2 free tickets per room to the Night Spa.  Bring your hotel key to collect the wrist bands from the hotel receptionist.  

There was a small commotion during our dinner where the waiter serving us the fish dropped the entire plate and glass shattered on the table and floor.  SW's jeans was stained as he was closest to the waiter.  Fortunately, no one was hurt.  The manager had our entire table replaced, including the drinks and rice.  We thought we were not able to make it to the Night Spa.  According to the receptionist, if you miss out on the first night of the Night Spa, you can accumulate them for the following night's - which means the 5th person in our group would not need to pay to go in.

The Night Spa closes at 10pm and at 8pm after our dinner, we made it.  

Unfortunately, I have no pictures to show - that is because I was enjoying myself there, and no lockers were available.  Unlike many spas in other places, you need not be scantily clad and the whole family can have fun together.  We all wore swimsuits and Mom wore T-shirt and short stretchy pants.

The Hotspring and Spa was beautifully lit with mood lights at night.  I found out the following day that you could enjoy the same facilities as it is connected to the Theme Park.  However, the experience is different.

For hotel guests, ask for towels upon your entrance to the Night Spa to wrap yourself back to the hotel across the carpark and small road.  If not, bring a T-shirt along in case you catch a cold.  In any case, the heat from the Spa would be enough to keep your body warm till you get back to the hotel.

I will elaborate on the Spa in Day 2 since I would have the pictures to show.

Getting to Lost World at Tambun, Ipoh

We decided not to drive or take the coach to Ipoh because of the long hours of travel - about 9 hours.  With direct flight via Firefly from Singapore to Ipoh, we have cut down traveling time to an hour, saving our day for sight-seeing.  See First Flight for our experience on Firefly.

Firefly leaves from Singapore Budget Terminal which is just next to Singapore Changi International Airport.  (I made the mistake of assuming this applies to Budget Airlines overseas which nearly cost us our flight back to Singapore)  Here are some pictures of the Budget Terminal on 15th December, 2011:

Entrance to Singapore Budget Terminal at Changi

No queue at the Firefly Counter even after we have checked in.

Singapore Budget Terminal now has food outlets including Mcdonald's.

Our Boarding Pass

Upon arrival at Ipoh Airport, I looked around for the Taxi Service to avoid being overcharged as the local taxis do not run on metre.  I found this counter right next to the entrance:

There was no one sitting at the table (it was not even a counter), so I waited.  Then came a fairly tall Chinese man in tinted glasses who spoke in Cantonese asking me where I was heading.  My request seemed unusual as he repeated after me, pondering for a second "Medan Gopeng to buy coach tickets then to Lost World at Tambun..."  

He scribbled me a pink ticket RM30 with the said destinations, then told me to wait at the front where he would pick us up himself.  From my earlier research, I knew Medan Gopeng Ipoh Bus Terminal is along the way to Tambun, but not sure how far it was exactly.  Good thing it was just about 30 minutes drive from the airport!

Once in the car, Mr. Lai, the taxi driver, started chatting to us in Mandarin like an old friend.  He said he had been driving taxi for the last 51 years and he could find his way around Ipoh with his eyes closed.  At Medan Gopeng Bus Terminal, he was going to help me book the tickets and I had to make known of my email reservation with Unitity Bus.  

I was a little shocked when I stepped in to Medan Gopeng Bus Terminal to hear people shouting at me from their counters.  From the destinations they uttered in English, I realized they were actually touting for business.  The second counter we stopped at had the date and time of Unitity bus which we wanted.  The sign board at the counter read "Eighty Eight".  It was very misleading as I had interpreted it as Lapan Lapan, which is another bus company.  Nevertheless, I got the tickets and at the right price of RM15 per person.

When I was planning this holiday, it took me much googling to finally make a coach booking to Cameron Highlands.  Most of the agents at the counters are not internet-savy and only take telephone bookings.  It was by chance that I came across Titiwangsa Tours and received email confirmation through Mr. Chai.  As I later learned when I got to Cameron Highlands, Titiwangsa Tours and Travel owns Unitity Buses and minivans, run local tours, as well as their own hotel and restaurant.  Hence if you are planning to visit Cameron Highlands without your own vehicle, this is an option you can consider.  More will be mentioned on Cameron Highlands later.

Back in the taxi, Mom and the kids were perspiring and were glad we were back.  From there, we headed for Lost World at Tambun, which was about 20 minutes from Medan Gopeng.  Mr. Lai asked if we needed him to drive us to the station on the day of departure, and we gladly booked him on the spot.  He even offered to bring us out for early breakfast - and gave us his number if we were keen: 016-5418122.  So now you know who you can call if you are in Ipoh and need a cab!

To be sure, I checked with the receptionist at Lost World Hotel and was told that the taxi fare from airport to Lost World was about RM25 to RM30.  With value-added service from Mr. Lai, what else do I have to complain about?