Often referred to as the Land of Grace, Perak Darul Ridzuan is a wonderful destination with something for everyone. The people here are warm and friendly and there is a rich and vibrant culture and history.

Perak is the second largest state on the Malaysian peninsula and provides a perfect place for a holiday with sun, sea and sand. Boasting beautiful holiday resorts, parks, impressive architecture and a range of interesting museums, the former tin haven draws large tourist crowds each year. The vast area covers some 21,000 square kilometres, equivalent to just over six per cent of the total area of the country, and has a population of over two million.

The word ‘Perak’ in Malay means ‘silver’, which refers to the colour of tin, as the area is famous for its large tin deposits. Those tin deposits, alongside the rubber industry, have helped Perak to prosper over the years.

Perak is a good place for nature tourism with around half of the area being forested, of which around four per cent is mangrove forest and the remainder tropical rain forest. The Cameron Highlands, famed for tea production, are in this area and it is here where you will find the country’s most popular hill station among both tourists and locals alike.

Perak’s major attractions include the cave temples of the capital city Ipoh, the historic town at Kuala Kangsar, and Pangkor. There are some excellent hotels and resorts as well as stunning beaches and lush forests, making Perak a terrific holiday destination throughout the year.

The origins of the name Perak are not clear, and there are a few different versions of how this part of the country got its name. ‘Perak’ in Malay means ‘silver’ and some say that is was the silver-like glimmer of the fish in the water in Perak that gave it the name. Others say the name originated from Bendahara Tun Perak of Malacca. Whichever theory is true, most people would agree that as one of Malaysia’s treasures, it is aptly named.

Research has shown that the history of Perak goes back to the prehistoric age. In fact, Kota Tampan in Lenggong is considered the only proof that the Palaeolithic age existed at all in what is now Malaysia. Perak state saw plenty of change and evolution between the period 400,000 BC and 8000 BC.

The period that followed saw the development of smaller territories in the region, such as Manjung in Dinding district. It was during this period that Islam became firmly established within the state. Perak was further formalised through the rule of Sultan Muzaffar Shah, who descended from Sultan Mahmud Shah of Malacca.

The economic boom also saw the birth of a multicultural society, specifically with Chinese people moving to the mining areas. The British had kept an eye on Perak for a while and after rioting in Larut they intervened via the Pangkok Treaty in 1874. The result was the introduction of the residential system, with James Birch as the first resident.

The system effectively ended with the arrival of the Japanese during WWII. The Japanese occupied Perak until the end of the war, and the state inevitably suffered. The end of Japanese occupation didn’t immediately lead to independence, as the British continued to rule with the introduction of the Malayan Union in 1946. A strong nationalistic fervour swept the country however and finally the British granted independence in 1957.

Perak benefits from warm and sunny weather all year round. The range of temperatures here tends to be from the low 20s to the low 30s (°C), but anywhere in this scale can feel uncomfortable along with the high humidity that is common. Whenever you visit, humidity of over 80 per cent is a distinct possibility.