IPOH, June 24 — The country’s second national geopark, Kinta Valley, will be launched in October by Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, the state government has revealed.
State Tourism, Culture and Arts committee chairman Tan Kar Hing said with the launching, it would be a major boost for the state’s ecotourism.
“We will have programmes leading to the launching with the Mineral and GeoScience Department to be the anchor body,” he said, adding that the first geopark is located at Langkawi.
Speaking to Malay Mail at his State Secretariat building office here, Tan said guides would be trained to promote the 2,000 sq km site.
The park, added Tan, had been in planning since 2005.
It was previously reported that the park is spread out at Ipoh, Batu Gajah and Kampar, featuring limestone hills, waterfalls and hot springs.
A geopark is a specially gazetted area that advances the protection and use of geological heritage in a sustainable way, and promotes the economic wellbeing of the people who live there.
The geopark in Perak would comprise of 18 sites:
1. Gunung Panjang: Gua Tambun
2. Gunung Datok
3. Gunung Rapat
4. Lata Ulu Chepor
5. Gunung Kanthan
6. Gunung Lang
7. Hutan Lipur Ulu Kinta
8. Gunung Tasek
9. Lubuk Timah hotsprings
10. Gua Naga Mas
11. Sungai Chelik waterfall
12. Jeram Papan
13. Gua Kandu
14. Gua Tempurung
15. Jeram Sungai Kampar
16. Sungai Salu waterfall
17. Batu Berangkai waterfall
18. Gunung Korbu
