Gopeng, Perak

Gopeng signboard on the road into town (12 August 2017)

Gopeng (Jawi: ڬوڤيڠ; Traditional Chinese: 務邊, Simplified Chinese: 务边; GPS: 4.47143, 101.16648), a small town in Kinta District in central Perak which was once a major tin-mining town. It is about 20 km to the southeast of Ipoh. Gopeng is administered under the South Kinta District Council based in Kampar, one of the three district councils of Kinta, the other two being Ipoh City Council and West Kinta District Council based in Batu Gajah.

As with most of the towns in the Kinta Valley, Gopeng is a major tin producer in the early 20th century. With a history going back to 1850, Gopeng is believed to be older than Ipoh and Kampar.¹ After the tin deposits were exhausted, the town went into a state of hibernation. Of late, visitors are returning, not so much to visit Gopeng, but to explore a major tourist attraction nearby such as Gua Tempurung and Gua Kandu. Other Gopeng attractions pale in comparison. There are a few guesthouses and bed-and-breakfast (called Homestay in Malaysia) offering visitors relaxation close to nature.