Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village (清心岭休闲文化村) is one of my top favourite Ipoh attractions and is located behind a neighbourhood near the Gunung Rapat limestone range – very much like Kek Lok Tong. Qing Xin Ling, means hill which purifies the soul/heart. True to its name, it wasn’t a surprised that my family and I experienced this zen-like vibes as we stepped into the village.
Qing Xin Ling is famous for its Guilin-like picturesque views. We were awestruck when we first saw the magnificent limestones surrounding the lake in the middle. I thought I was in China for a moment.
Where to Buy Tickets to Qing Xin Ling
Admission to Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village is by advanced booking only. Tickets are sold at RM10/person and can only be bought at Syarikat Perabot Kota. If you are traveling in large groups, it is advised to book one or two days in advance as the management controls the number of visitors to the village every day to avoid overcrowding.
Top 6 Things to Do at Qing Xin Ling
After we bought our ticket, we were given a simple attraction map. There are lots of things to do at Qing Xin Ling and we spent almost two hours here.
1. Visit the Chalets and Fish Feeding
There are a few wooden chalets which are open to visitors. These lakeside chalets are really beautiful and are perfect for some photoshooting. These chalets used to be opened for overnight stays in the past. However due to some complaints from residents nearby, they have been revamped and are only opened for exhibition purposes today.
2. Treat Yourself with Nostalgic Antiques
There are lots of antiques on display inside the chalets as well as around the village. Some of them are pretty nostalgic to say the least. Most of them are probably from the 60s to 70s. There are a few from the 80s too. If you are traveling with elderly, it will be much more fun as you check out these antiques which seem to vanish silently over time.
3. Bike around Qing Xin Ling
My favourite thing to do here has to be getting on this 4-wheel-bike and roam around the village. The village is not big but it’s just pure fun paddling around with my family. There are two-seater bikes for couples too. So make sure you come here with a few travel buddies to enjoy biking around!
Perhaps you can explore Qing Xin Ling by foot first and after you have seen it all, get a bike and paddle for a couple of rounds before you leave.
4. Wish Upon This Old Banyan Tree
There is a huge old Banyan tree at the middle of Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village. Immerse yourself in some traditional Chinese culture by writing your wishes on the red ribbons. Staffs will collect and hang your ribbons on the Banyan tree later.
5. Walk Up the Memory Lane Hill
Memory Lane is an uphill leisure walk featuring some windmills and old street stalls. It is a very nostalgic walk as you don’t get to see such stalls today. How I wish that they are really operational and not just for show only.
The Memory Lane ends with two Dinosaur statues (a little bit out of place for a cultural village). There is actually steps leading you further up the hill. I went and found that it led to a dead end with no view. Felt a bit disappointed.
6. Play Justice Bao
There was a family which made full use of the setting and played a scene out of Justice Bao (包青天), a famous Chinese Justice in ancient times. There are lots of drama series written based on this character who in his days went all out to investigate mystery cases and serve justice to the people.
In short, Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village is a place where you can relax in nature and have a bit of fun immersing in traditional Chinese culture. The village is open daily except Sundays and public holidays from 9:30am to 5pm. Make sure to buy your tickets first at Syarikat Perabot Kota as they don’t take walk-ins!
Would you like to know more about Ipoh? Check out our top Ipoh attractions and food recommendations here!
