Ipoh is the 4th largest city in Malaysia, and has been named as one of the most under rated cities in all of Asia! Surrounded by limestone hills, Ipoh is a charming and colourful city, with peaceful streets, picturesque sites, and a-lot of cafes and restaurants.
The city is also well known for its large number of food establishments. Foodies will love Ipoh!
I have put together this short Ipoh travel guide to help you plan your trip to Ipoh.
9 Fun Things To Do In Ipoh
1. Walk Concubine Lane
Concubine lane is Ipoh’s most famous alleyway. It is no surprise that taking a wander down this charming alleyway of cafes, stalls, restaurants, and souvenir shops, is one of the best things to do in Ipoh.
Some places you should visit on Concubine Lane are:
- Kuma Rainbow Cheese Toast: the viral rainbow toastie
- Platform 9 1/2: a Harry Potter themed cafe
- Kedai Makanan & Minuman Ding Feng: try the Ipoh speciality of tou fu fa
2. Murals Art Lane
Georgetown might be known for its street art, but Ipoh has some cool murals to check out too. One of the most fun things to do in Ipoh is to explore Murals Art Lane.
Murals art lane is packed full of colourful murals, depicting local Malaysian heritage. Aswell as colourful art, murals art lane also features some old buildings with plants and trees growing out of it, which is interesting to see!
My favourite was the colourful elephant one. Some people say to get here early to avoid crowds, but it is actually a quiet place with not too many tourists.
I recommend cooling off from the Malaysian heat with a Hokkaido Ice Cream Puff.
3. Ho Yan Hor Museum
This small museum was a pleasant surprise, initially just on a walk, a lovely lady at the door invited us in. The entrance is free, the museum tells the story of Ho Yan Hor, a local Chinese doctor and business man who founded a herbal tea company.
At the end of the self-guided tour, you are invited to taste different types of herbal tea, again, at no cost. You can also buy the teas that you enjoyed at the end.
This is a fun free thing to do in Ipoh.
Klook.com4. Unwind with a coffee and cake at Chloe.co
Ipoh has no shortage of great cafes, one cafe that really stood out to me was Chloe.co.
The coffee is strong, and the pastries not only looked great but tasted delicious! The environment is so relaxing, you could stay here for hours.
I recommend the biscoff danish, it was so nice.
5. Perak Cave Temple
Perak cave temple is one of the best things to do in Ipoh! Located on a limestone hill, at this cave you will find a 40 foot sitting golden buddha and his goddesses, four guardian deities.
Climb up the 450 steps for an incredible panoramic view of Ipoh city.
6. Market Lane
Taking a walk down market lane is one of the most colourful things to do in Ipoh. Known as the second Concubine Lane, this vibrant street features colourful ribbons, umbrellas, interactive street art, and fun drawings on the road.
Unlike Concubine lane, market lane does not have many shops or cafes. On the lane you will fine Nam Chau Kopitiam which is a Chinese restaurant, Baba Nyonya Alley a new westernised Asian eatery, and Xi Yang Yang, place famous for its hotpot.
Aside from restaurants there are some fun murals, such as a 3D mural depicting a man loading bags on to a tricycle.
7. Take A Pitstop At Tin Corner 39
Tin Corner 39 is a self serve craft beer bar. The upstairs balcony overlooks the town, it a nice spot to chill out after a day of sightseeing.
They also serve delicious food, along with many German meals.
8. Heritage Train
Discover Ipoh’s most beautiful and historic buildings on Ipoh’s old heritage trail. This trail is 4 miles long, takes approximately 90 minutes to complete, and leads you around all of Ipoh’s important buildings.
You can pick up a map of the old heritage trail in at the tourist office in Ipoh, however the old town is not that big so you don’t really need a map, you can just wander and get lost in the alleyways.
Highlights of the trail include, Ipoh Post Office, Birch Memorial Tower, Ipoh Railway Station, and F.M.S restaurant, the oldest restaurant is Malaysia.
9. Sam Poh Tong Temple
Sam Poh Tong Temple is the biggest cave temple in Malaysia. Although in need of some repairs, it is a beautiful temple to visit while in Ipoh. The surrounding landscape is serene, offering a relaxing respite from the city.
Make sure to check out the turtle pond behind the temple!
Where To Stay In Ipoh
Ipoh offers plenty of affordable accommodation for great prices. I stayed in an apartment in the Octagon. The facilities were incredible, with a pool, gym, and walking track. The apartments are large, and located in a central area.
If you would prefer to stay in a hotel, Bedrock Hotel is highly rated with modern suites. It is located in the centre of Ipoh.
How To Get Around Ipoh
Ipoh is a walkable city, you can get to all the cities attractions on foot.
To get to the surrounding attractions, such as the caves, you will need to take a taxi. Grab is a popular app here.
How Many Days Is Enough In Ipoh
Two days is enough in Ipoh to see everything. You can explore all the main city sites in one day, and spend day two visiting the places outside of town.
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