Location: The cave is located in Lembah Tempurung (Tempurung Valley) near Gopeng, Perak, Malaysia. It is 25 km to the south of Ipoh, the capital of the state of Perak.
Exact Site: It is a massive cavern inside Gunung Tempurung (Tempurung Mountain) standing at 497 metres high. It is visible from the North-South Expressway near Gopeng.
Classification: Karst cave. It is a cave of marble limestone (calcite calcium) of the Kinta limestone type.
Cave Age: More than 400 million years old.
Cave Length: 1.9 km.
Cave Height: 120 metres.
Number of Domes: Five gigantic domes with ceilings resembling coconut shell (tempurung), hence its name Gua Tempurung. Gua is the Malay word for cave.
Galleries: The five domes form the showcase galleries beginning with Golden Flowstone Cavern, Gergasi (Giant) Cavern, Tin Mine Cavern, Alam (Universe) Cavern and Fallen Warrior and Battlefield Cavern.
Underground River: The river is called Sungai Gua Tempurung. The river passage runs about 1.6 km through the cave inside Gunung Tempurung.
Large and intricate cave system with beautiful speleotherms like stalagmites, stalactites, rim stone pools, curtains, straws, calcite crystals and pillars. These and more form the natural limestone cave architecture. The most commonly known formations are stalagmites (growing on the cave floor) and stalactites (growing on the cave ceiling or wall). Just remember this “mantra”: the “mites” go up and the “tites” come down! They develop when the calcium bicarbonate containing water drips down joints in the cave roof. The drop can partially evaporate and it hangs a little. Small amount of calcium carbonate is also deposited and it leaves a cascading effect. When the drop drips, partial evaporation happens and when the drips splash on the floor, they cause stalagmites to grow. Generally, stalagmites are thicker than stalactites, which are thin and fragile. When stalactites grow too long, they break easily.
Cave columns are formed when the calcium carbonate deposits from above meet the ones below. There are also finger formations called helictites that originate from stalactites. Finger curtains are formed when water runs through a long crack in the roof, causing dripping to take place at several spots. When water continually flows down a wall or along a floor, a flowstone is formed. Ridge pattern effects occur when heavy rainwater falls over irregular surfaces.
The river or stream flows along the cave passageway at the lowest part of the cave gallery. The stream has potholes below the water surface, and pools where the floor dips. It has different water levels at different stretches, from ankle deep to chest high. The stream finds its way out of the cave and hillside.
Animals found in the caves include bats as well as various insects, worms and mites. Fishes also thrive in parts of the stream and pools outside.
Cave columns are formed when the calcium carbonate deposits from above meet the ones below. There are also finger formations called helictites that originate from stalactites. Finger curtains are formed when water runs through a long crack in the roof, causing dripping to take place at several spots. When water continually flows down a wall or along a floor, a flowstone is formed. Ridge pattern effects occur when heavy rainwater falls over irregular surfaces.
The river or stream flows along the cave passageway at the lowest part of the cave gallery. The stream has potholes below the water surface, and pools where the floor dips. It has different water levels at different stretches, from ankle deep to chest high. The stream finds its way out of the cave and hillside.
Animals found in the caves include bats as well as various insects, worms and mites. Fishes also thrive in parts of the stream and pools outside.
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