River-based activities are big business on the Geroh River near to Ipoh and white water rafting in particular long been a popular activity for visitors to the region. We were visiting the beautiful city of Ipoh for a long weekend and a white water rafting trip felt like the ideal escape from the city and a chance to test our skills on the rapids.
How to book your white rafting trip
We booked with Gopeng with River Bug Asia through Klook. It was a very smooth process with our tour guide sending us a WhatsApp the evening before our tour to confirm the pick up point and what we needed to bring.
Is it a private tour?
The boats can accommodate six people plus the guide so there’s a chance you’ll be placed with other guests if your party is less than six. We were a group of four and had a private tour, which worked really well and we felt as if we had plenty of space in the raft and could take our time relaxing in the river.
The company try to keep groups separate if possible, but it’s not guaranteed.
What to bring with you
It’s a good idea to wear your swimming gear when you arrive as there are limited places to get changed at the HQ. Lockers are provided free of charge for your gear and valuables, so you won’t need to take anything onto the boat with you.
- Aqua shoes
- Swimming gear
- Rash guard or other long sleeved top
- Towels
- Go-Pro or similar waterproof camera
- Spare clothes to change into afterwards
- Some cash for snacks and tip (optional)
Getting to the meeting point
Once you’ve booked the tour, the company will contact you on WhatsApp to arrange the meeting point. In most cases (e.g. if you’re coming from Ipoh or Penang), they’ll ask you to meet them at the Gopeng Toll Plaza.
This tends to work well and Grab drivers are quite happy to drop you off here. Just make sure you have mobile phone data so you can stay in touch with the company on WhatsApp in case anyone is running late.
What to expect on the tour
Reaching the start point
The tour starts with a fifteen minute transfer from the toll plaza to River Bug’s base next to the Geroh River. After filling out a couple of forms and getting changed (there aren’t any changing rooms as such, you just need to use one of the toilets), you’re transported to the actual start point in the back of a large truck (no seats, so either sit on the floor or engage in some truck-surfing).
It’s not the safest transfer we’ve ever encountered but it’s probably the most fun. It takes about twenty minutes, depending how often the driver needs to pull over to let cars go past. At times the exposed hillside is inches away from the tyres, so it’s best not to look too closely. We had to keep on reminding ourselves that this wasn’t even supposed to be the adrenaline-filled part of the trip.
Safety briefing
As this is a wild and untamed experience, your rafting trip will vary depending on recent rainfall levels. There can be a significant difference between dry and wet months, with the rapids becoming more intense and offering more of a challenge when the river is at its fullest.
Safety is taken seriously by the company though and you’ll be given a full safety briefing before you get out onto the water. Lifejackets are provided in three sizes and the same with helmets. Your kids might find it tricky to locate a helmet exactly the correct size, so get ready to tighten those straps.
How involved are you?
The truth is that with the combination of the current and the guide’s expert paddling skills, there isn’t really a great deal for you to do, other than hold on and enjoy the ride.
During the safety briefing, you’re taught how to hold the paddle safely and some other basic techniques including how to dislodge the boat in case it gets stuck and where to sit if there’s a particularly crazy section up ahead. But aside from that, your skills (or lack thereof) aren’t integral to the success of the trip.
It’s worth checking that your kids have listened to (and understood) the rules though. By far the biggest danger are the paddles, especially if someone lets go of them and they end up flying into the boat. Loose teeth and black eyes could be the result, so do take care.
R&R stops
At various points along the course, your guide will ‘accidentally on purpose’ make the raft flip over, tipping you all out into a safe stretch of the river. From here, parents can swim to the small beach area and leave the kids to swim and splash in the shallow, gentle water.
The river is beautifully refreshing and the lifejackets ensure the kids are perfectly safe for twenty minutes or so.
Photos
Included in the price is a separate photographer who positions themselves at various strategic points along the course to get photos of you shooting along rapids and falling into the river. They’re great at their job and know exactly where to stand to capture the best moments. These photos are free to take home afterwards and they’ll transfer them to your phone or send them to you later.
You could take your own phone on the trip but the risk of damage from either the rocks or water is probably too high to justify the blurred photos you’ll take. A Go-Pro or similar waterproof camera is a better choice.
Reaching the end
The trip ends River Bug’s base (the same place you were driven to). From here you can get changed, grab your photos from the office before being transported back by minivan. The staff are happy to drop you off either back at the toll plaza or in Gopeng town centre, from where it’ll be much easier to get a Grab taxi back to Ipoh.
Is it suitable for kids?
Yes, this is a fantastic activity for kids, although do note that the minimum age for the white water rafting experience is seven years old. It’s best if your kids are comfortable in the water as there will be times they are thrown overboard, either intentionally or otherwise. The lifejackets will keep them afloat but there could be a few seconds of confusion when they first enter the water.
We visited during a drier spell, so the river was quite low and the rapids weren’t too crazy. We didn’t really have much to do in terms of paddling, so the kids weren’t expected to follow critical instructions, so their (and our) lack of rafting experience wasn’t an issue.
Our boys loved splashing around in the river and got a huge thrill as we raced along the river, with massive smiles on their faces throughout the whole trip.
Final thoughts on Ipoh white water rafting trip
Ipoh is a fantastic place to visit for a few days and the white water rafting trip is the perfect accompaniment, offering the chance to escape into the countryside and spend some time on the river.
The actual amount of time rafting is quite limited, more time is almost spent chilling on the beach or splashing in the river, and it takes about two hours from reaching the toll plaza to getting onto the river. But in some ways, this relaxed and chilled-out approach works well, and it feels like a good combination between adrenaline and relaxation.
If your kids are anything like ours, they’ll have an absolute blast out on the river and it’ll be an experience to live long in your memory.
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