Tasik Cermin (Mirror Lake), Ipoh

Tasik Cermin, Ipoh, Perak (1 October 2022)

Tasik Cermin (GPS: 4.55983, 101.11864) is a beautiful lake in the Gunung Rapat area of Ipoh, Perak. It is located off Jalan Sultan Nazrin Shah. The distance from the roadside to the car park is roughly 850 metres.

Tasik Cermin is a natural lake. It is surrounded by the sheer cliffs of the Gunung Rapat limestone hills. The lake is otherwise unpenetrable, if not for the mining of iron ore, which bored a tunnel right through the limestone hill to the lake. Now that mining activities have been discontinued, the lake has been turned into a tourist attraction. An operator is now brought in to ensure that the lake is properly maintained, and the safety of visitors looked after. During my visit in October 2022, entrance fee was RM3 (discounted down from RM5) for Malaysians and RM6 (down from RM10) for non-Malaysians.

A wooden jetty is built by the side of the lake for visitors to admire the view and also to take boat rides. When the air is absolutely still, the surface of the lake becomes as reflective as a mirror. The highlight of a visit here is in admiring the reflection of the karst cliffs against the lake.

The operator of Tasik Cermin has also introduced boat rides on the lake. I did not take the ride, as I was pressed for time. The boat ride ticket is priced at RM25 per adult and RM18 per child. Other activities provided by the operator include rock climbing, flying fox, hiking and trekking. A camping site has also been created outside the lake.

On your way to Tasik Cermin, you will pass by a smaller lake, or pond, called Tasik Cermin Kecil. It has a subterranean river going into it. Further up the road, before arriving at the main lake, you will pass another attraction, called Snake Mouth Cave, which is a collection of stalactites and stalagmites on the karst cliff.