After exploring Kuala Lumpur for a few days, we decided to stop at the capital of Perak on our way to Cameron Highlands. Towering limestone cliffs and forested hills greeted us on our way to the city while rows of Chinese Shophouses and impressive colonial buildings in varying degrees of dilapidation welcomed us as we made our way from Old Town bus station to our hotel in New Town.
It wasn’t as popular as the rest of Malaysia’s tourist attractions on the “Banana Pancake” trail but we found ourselves staying here for two nights just for its excellent hawker food and old world charm.
Here are some of the things you can do in Ipoh.
1. Check out the Chinese Shophouses
Experience the nostalgia and the rich culture of the past before they completely vanish by exploring the cobblestone alleys and paved streets lined with a mixture of decrepit and restored Chinese Shophouses. Both Old Town and New Town offer an extensive collection of shophouse architecture.
A period movie being shot on one of its back alleys
2. Explore the Lost World of Tambun
This multi-million dollar waterpark is hugely popular among the locals and is usually packed on weekends. The theme park is located at the foot of a forested limestone cliff and landscaped with lush greenery trying to recreate the atmosphere of a lost civilization. Aside from exciting water activities, the park also offers natural hot springs, artificial ruins and a petting zoo.
3. Do the Ipoh Heritage Walk
Start at the train station (Ipoh’s version of Taj Mahal) in the Old Town and amble your way around its historic structures with the help of the trail map available from the tourist office and most hotels. About 6 kilometers of leisurely walking will reveal a medley of remarkable whitewash buildings in an atmosphere of old-world, colonial grandeur.
4. Explore Gua Tempurung
Caving enthusiasts can either book a short tour or an extensive cave exploration of different lengths and difficulties. Gua Tempurung is the largest natural limestone cave in Peninsular Malaysia and is situated about 25km south of Ipoh near Gopeng exit.
5. Visit Perak Cave Temples
Check out Perak Tong Temple just 6km north of the city along Jalan Kuala Kangsar. Perak Tong extends into a maze of small chambers and grottoes and houses over 40 Buddha statues, amazing murals on the interior walls and a 15-meter high image of Buddha fronting the cave entrance.
In the southern part of the city is Malaysia’s largest cave temple – Sam Poh Tong. The temple houses a small reclining Buddha inside, numerous Buddhist art works and a beautifully landscaped garden. Visitors can increase their good karma by releasing turtles in its turtle ponds.
Just on the other side of the same limestone hill is the more serene Kek Lok Tong. Its main attraction is a fat Chinese Buddha sitting in the company of other Bodhisattvas as well as an ornamental garden with ponds and pagodas.
6. Get Acquainted with Ipoh’s History
Drop by at Muzium Darul Ridzuan and check out the displays recounting the history of the once flourishing tin mining industry and forestry in Perak. The museum is housed in a 1926 villa constructed for an affluent Chinese tin miner and is situated north of Padang.
Rock enthusiasts can book a free-guided tour and lectures at the Geological Museum in Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah about 5km from the town center. It houses hundreds of mineral samples, impressive collection of fossils and rock specimens. Both museums are free of charge.
7. Explore the Local Wet Market
Weave your way into the largest wet market in Ipoh and observe how the locals go about their business. This massive market situated between Jalan Sultan Idris and Jalan Sultan Iskandar is spread over four floors of fresh produce, seafood and poultry, florist stalls, Ipoh delicacies as well as a food court on the top floor.
8. Shop for local Products
Ipoh’s fragrant biscuits, export quality pottery, juicy pomelo, and Ipoh’s famous white coffee are just some of the things you can take home. Night Markets set up in different parts of the city as well as the flea market along Jalan Lim Bo Seng are good places to find groceries, bric-a-brac, antiques, imitation goods, and other interesting souvenirs.
9. Eat While in Ipoh
Ipoh offers cheap and delectable dishes from its signature bean sprout chicken and Sar Hor Fun dish (flat rice noodles), Chinese favorites like Dim Sum, Hakka noodles, Hor Hee noodles and other Chinese food, as well as Malay/Indian dish like Laksa Perak and Banana Leaf Rice.
10. Visit Kellie’s Castle
Check out the deserted six-storey structure of William Kellie Smith at Batu Gajah. The wealthy Scottish rubber-plantation owner commissioned artisans and labourers all the way from India to build a mansion for his son but it was later abandoned after his death. Tales of secret chambers and ghost stories have added to its air of mystery.
No. 10 is very interesting! I only made it to KL this time, but I bought 3 bags of Ipoh white coffee.
Love it!
Wow 3 bags! We only tried its hot and cold version at the kopitiam and weren’t able to buy a pack to take home. Now, I wish we did coz i’m starting to miss its unique and sweet flavor.
Wow! This is so interesting! My family and I missed it when we were in Malaysia…We only confined ourselves in KL. Well anyways, because we only have few days to spare… Hope to be back there and go places…Thanks for your posts!
There’s so much to see in KL so I stayed here mostly during my first visit to Malaysia. I think we spent a total of 5 days on this trip but we still missed visiting many tourists attractions.
this post reminded me na me K talaga ang Malaysia to say that they have the most tourist arrivals in Southeast Asia.nung nakita ko banner pic.yung mga temples sa cliff yung naka pronta so I thought you went to Tibet. Ganun yung feel eh no? I was watching CNN last night and I saw the place in Indian Himalayas where Tibet-ian exiles including the Dalai Lama lives. ganyan na ganyan ang feel.:D
Aggresive lang siguro yung tourism campaign nila at ok yung infrastructure. Maayos yung daan kahit sa malalayong probinsya pati na rin transport system. Pero kung natural attractions lang naman, kaya nating pantayan.
My son and his wife loved their trip to KL last year. I’d love to visit but will have to settle for your wonderful blog and photos. What a wonderful place this must be!!
Regards,
http://www.mariscamera.blogspot.com/
You’re gonna enjoy street photography in KL and even in the countryside. There’s so much going on and you won’t run out of interesting things to see and do.
I remember passing through the countryside around Ipoh while on the train heading north , the limestone peaks appearing through the forest . Great post Claire.
Were you on your way to Penang or in transit to Thailand?
On the way to Penang and then into Thailand .
Seems like they have preserved their heritage buildings very well. Planning a trip to SG and KL next month. We’ll see if we can fit this in.
Actually the ones in Penang are more intact and preserved but they do have extensive collection of heritage buildings. I would say Ipoh has the grungier version
the cobble-stoned alleys seems like an interesting place to go to for a day-long photowalk. sayang, we didn’t go here when we were in Malaysia last April.
Indeed, after a while of walking I got tired of taking pictures of Chinese shophouses and colonial structures.They seemed to be everywhere. The whole city is a mecca for heritage junkies.
Number 1 and Number 9 look very interesting. Is it a city you can bike around and tour for a day?
Hi Grace, I guess using a bike would make navigating around faster but it’s ideal to do it on foot especially if you’re into colonial structures.
wow! ang galeng. naunahan mu pa ako mag-post ng IPoh! hehe nice yung photo mu ng Kuala Lumpur.
Nag-Ipoh ka din pala, lalo pang madadagdagan backlogs mo nyan kapag natuloy na yung big trip mo.
Old world charm and excellent food – those are more than enough reason for a visit methinks:-D
For me, food alone is enough
I will try number one and number 10! hehe. pero pag marami akong oras, lahat na rin!