With Visit Perak Year 2017 rolling along at full steam, Ewe Paik Leong recommends 10 things to do in Lumut and Sitiawan, both located in the district
1. Masjid Al Adly
LOCATED on Jalan Iskandar Shah in Lumut, the mosque has great historical significance as it was built to commemorate the transfer of Tanah Merah (now Lumut) in 1935 to Perak which was part of the Federated Malay States.
The mosque has no centre dome but three smaller domes and a two-tiered roof. The walls are of brick and the windows are tinted, suggesting a renovation from the original structure. Carpeting in the prayer hall is blue to complement the domes.
2. Masjid Alang Sultan Iskandar Shah
LOCATED in Kg Dato Seri Kamarudin, Sitiawan, the mosque was officially opened in 2003 by Dr Nazrin Shah, the then Raja Muda of Perak. The building has a central bell-shaped dome and two minarets crowned with helm roofs. The perimeter verandah features ogee-shaped and semi-circular arches.
Interior decoration is minimal and extends only to the use of stained-glass windows in the shape of eight-pointed stars. A freestanding metal tower in the compound bears the name of the mosque at the top.
3. James Cendul
AT first slurp, the caramel-like flavour of the palm sugar wraps itself lovingly around your tongue. The squiggly cendul delivers a firm bite amidst a deluge of shaved ice swirling like snowflakes in your mouth. Soft red beans burst with a nutty flavour to fortify the coconut milk.
You can add pulut if you want. The stall is located outside the Arulmigu Maha Mariaman Temple in Jalan Lumut, Sitiawan. Opens daily from 11.30am to 6pm.
4. Teluk Batik Beach
LUMUT’S Teluk Batik beach is crescent-shaped and is lined with shady casuarinas and swaying palms. Deck chairs, rubber dinghies and motor boats can be rented. The park adjacent to the beach has a children’s playground and decorative Islamic-styled towers. It is decorated with replicas of the sundang, the Malay broad sword that was used to assassinate James Birch, the first British Resident of Perak, in 1875.
5. Tua Pek Kong Temple
GIANT statues of deities at the entrance of this temple keep shutterbugs happy. Inside the compound, the mouth of a massive dragon leads to a passageway where scenes of hell and the torture of sinful souls are depicted on both walls.
There is also a food court which sells hawker fare and souvenirs. A kiosk sells the mind-altering weasel coffee but its prices are not for the faint-hearted. The temple is located in Jalan Pasir Panjang, Sitiawan.
6. Chinese bagels
KONG piah, or Chinese bagels, is a Foochow specialty sold only in Sitiawan. Like naan, it is prepared by sticking a piece of unleavened flatbread filled with onions and minced meat against the inside wall of a hot clay oven. When the outer crust crumbles under your teeth, oniony gusts and meaty flavours are released which accelerate your heartbeat. Though several stalls in Sitiawan sell kong piah, the most popular is Cheong Cia Gong Pia at No. 12, Jalan Tok Perdana.
7. Wat Sitawanaram
JALAN Lin Chen Mei in Kampung Koh, Sitiawan is home to Wat Sitawanaram, a Thai-Buddhist temple. The main structure showcases Thai architectural elements in the roof such as the lamyong (decorative undulating structures on the bargeboard) and chofah (finials).
A smaller shrine houses the White Tiger deity, which is of Taoist origin. Wesak Day is celebrated yearly with offerings of vegetarian meals to devotees, releasing of birds, a blood donation campaign and prayers.
8. Hasil Laut Norfateen
YOU can buy ikan bilis mata biru, ikan bilis tamban, sotong putih, sotong cumit, udang geragau, ikan masin, keropok udang and many types of dried seafood from several stores in Lumut. However, one of the biggest and most popular is Hasil Laut Norfateen in Jalan Titi Panjang. The store has frequent promotions.
9. Pioneer Methodist Church
In 1903, Pastor Lin Chen Mei and two other missionaries led a group of 484 Christian clans people from Fuzhou to sail to then Malaya with the aim of settling down in Sitiawan. Only 363 survived the journey.
They built the original structure of the Pioneer Methodist Church in 1905, which was later destroyed in a fire. In 1907, a new building came up. In 1927, it was replaced by the present brick building. The structure has a steeple-less side tower and its floor plan conforms to the shape of a cross.
10. Red wine mee suah
Red wine mee suah (wheat flour noodles) is a specialty at Foochow restaurants in Sitiawan only. Among them are Restoran Bee King, Restoran Lido and Restoran Makan Laut Villa.
The scarlet soup delivers flavours in layers — sweet, saltish, sourish and yeasty — while the noodles give a firm bite and a wheaty flavour. Either chicken or pork is added to the dish.
Pictures by Ewe Paik Leong