It’s a little far off the traveler’s beaten track in Malaysia but tucked away in a little quiet corner of Ipoh, a town best known for its delicious white coffee and striking street art, is the somber story of Sam Poh Tong cave temple.
The temple is said to date back to 1912, when a large cave was discovered by a Buddhist monk from China who lived there for about 20 years. Loosely translated as ‘Cave of Triple Gems’ (even though there don’t seem to be any gems in sight), the complex includes the cave temple, the monastery, a crematorium and an exquisite landscaped garden complete with fish pond, hanging lanterns and interesting rock formations. There is also a large ‘tortoise pond’ full of native tortoises fed by visitors, although this feels a little soulless.
While the complex is interesting and undoubtedly beautiful, it’s got a sad tale to tell as the monastery only has one living monk. The monk is cloistered inside until his death, living alone in solitude until his passing.
