IPOH: A one-of-a-kind quarry eco park located near the Instagrammable Tasik Cermin in Gunung Rapat is now open.

       The Tasik Cermin Eco Park would have several attractions, including two “mirror lakes” that are accessible via tunnels.

       Perak tourism committee chairman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi said one of the lakes, to be called “Hidden World”, is accessed by boat through a 200m water tunnel while the other is by land.

       She said more facilities would be developed there within three to five years, including a glamping site, rides, floating platforms, rock and tin ore gallery, petting zoo and facilities for eco-activities like hiking and cave exploring.

       “The park is located in one of our 19 Kinta Valley Geopark geosites.

       “It has a low-carbon concept that uses environmentally-friendly materials, which is in line with the Ipoh City Council’s strategic plan,” she told a press conference after a soft-launch of the eco park here yesterday.

       Nolee Ashilin said the park would open up more economic opportunities for locals in the surrounding areas.

       The eco park, she said, was developed with advice from the Mineral and Geoscience Department to ensure that there would be minimal impact to the surrounding area and safety.

       “Everything was done according to the guidelines. Former quarries that are not safe will be left as they are,” she said.

       On Pulau Sembilan, which is famous for its “blue tears” plankton phenomenon, Nolee Ashilin said it was still not allowed to be opened for landing, adding that tourists can only view the island from their boat.

       “We want to fully rehabilitate the island before opening it to tourists again,” she said, adding that no time frame was set for its full rehabilitation.

       Pulau Sembilan, a cluster of nine islands off Perak, was closed in April 2017 after authorities found that the area had been damaged by tourists.

       On the rising cases of Covid-19, Nolee Ashilin believed that it would have an impact on the tourism industry in the state.

       “People are more wary now about going out during the holidays, especially those with small children who have not been vaccinated. I expect that we will have fewer tourists compared to the holidays in December,” she said.