The Ultimate Ipoh Travel Guide in every budget

Ipoh, the capital of the Perak region in Malaysia, is best known for its colonial heritage, limestone caves, street art, and food. It grew from a small settlement to the current state after the boom of the tin mining industry. Despite being one of the largest cities in Malaysia, it retains the vibe of a country town. Ipoh is a popular weekend getaway for locals living in other major cities in Malaysia. But it is often overlooked by mainstream foreign tourists who flock to more popular destinations like Penang or Kuala Lumpur instead. The absence of foreign tourists adds to its charm. Ipoh was merely a gateway to Cameron Highlands till Lonely Planet ranked it among the Top 10 destinations to travel in Asia in 2016.

In this article, I will share detailed information to help you plan a trip to Ipoh on every budget. Please I had to make it a little long to include all the necessary details.

Things to know before you go

How to reach Ipoh

Local Transport

The best way to explore the city center is on foot.

You will need to book taxis to see various limestone caves scattered around the outskirts. Local taxis do not follow any fixed rate. The safer way is to hire a grab. If you plan your sightseeing route in an optimized way, you can manage taxi costs within will be around 25 USD/ 1800 INR. 

Few public bus routes are available in and around the city. They are not reliable and do not cover all the tourist attractions. 

You can rent bikes/scooters. Though it is not a very popular option in Ipoh. Please ensure all safety measures before booking. You can book them online here.

Ipoh Attractions

Ipoh city is split into two by the Kitna river. The west side is called the old town. It is full of colonial buildings, Chinese shophouses while the east side has a more modern vibe but with the right balance of history and arts.

Ipoh’s main attractions are 

• Colonial architecture and heritage buildings
• Street arts and picturesque lanes
• Limestone caves and cave temples
• Food

Colonial Architecture and Heritage Buildings

Ipoh city is built and rebuilt by tin miners, British, Malays over the last century. You can see their influences on buildings laid across both sides of Jalan Sultan Iskandar road. 

Start your walk from the Ipoh Railway Station which is also another architectural marvel. It is called Tajmahal of Malaysia by locals for its Mughal influenced architecture and the use of white marble.  Then walk around the old town to see a few famous ones like Birch Memorial, Chung Thye Phin Building, High Court, Han Chin Pet Soo. These are good photo spots in the city.

Street Arts and Picturesque Lanes

Till recently people recognized George Town as the street art capital of Malaysia. But do you know the same artist who painted George Town murals, painted murals in Ipoh too? Ipoh streets are full of murals by different artists. Walk across old town alleys to see them.

Do not forget to visit Mural Art’s Lane in the new town. They are as impressive as the old town’s paintings.

If you love leisurely walking, you must visit Market lane and Concubine lane and cafes and boutiques around.

Limestone Caves and Cave Temples

Sam Poh Tong Temple, Ling Sen Tong Temple, Nam Thean Tong Temple

These 3 temples are located next to each other just off the main road in the outskirts of Ipoh. They are all built inside limestone caves of Mount Rapat. 

Sam Poh Tong is one of the oldest Chinese temples in Ipoh. It has various statues of Buddha, a landscaped garden with a fishpool, a tortoise pond, 246 staircases which lead to the top of the cave providing a bird’s eye view of Ipoh and its surrounding. 

Location: here
Opening Hours: 9 am to 6 pm daily
Admission: Free

Lien Sen Tong which translates to the rock of heavenly spirits is a beautiful Taoist temple. It has paintings and statues of Chinese mythological figures. 

Location: here
Opening Hours: 9 am to 6 pm daily
Admission: Free

Nam Thean Tong was established in 1897 and has wall paintings of eight immortals in Taoist mythology. 

Location: here
Opening Hours: 9 am to 6 pm daily
Admission: Free

Da Seng Ngan Temple

The Taoist temple is 100 years old. It is quite far from the highway. It was flooded in the early ’70s and laid covered under mud and rubble until 2006. The area surrounding is still under renovation which may make you think that you are in the wrong direction. The road condition is extremely poor. But keep driving and you will find the temple after a 4-5 mins drive. The large Buddha statues in the open area are worth driving the dirt road.

Location: here
Opening Hours: 10 am to 5 pm daily
Admission: Free

Kek Long Tong Temple

Spread across 12 acres, the temple comprises several Buddhist and Chinese deities. It has a large garden and a lake associated with it. 

Location: here
Opening Hours: 7 am to 6 pm daily
Admission: Free

Perak Tong Cave Temple

Perak cave temple, one of the most beautiful cave temples in Malaysia, has walls full of colorful depictions of Buddhists and Chinese deities. You can climb up 450 stairs to the top of the hill to see a mesmerizing view of Ipoh and its surrounding. 

Location: here
Opening Hours: 9 am to 6 pm daily
Admission: Free

Tempurung Cave

Gua Tempurung is one of the largest limestone caves in Malaysia. An underground river flows through it. It is located around 30 km away from Ipoh city center. You can explore some parts of the cave through guided walkways. You will get to choose from different trails including walking across an underground river. Please make sure to carry wet clothes if you want to explore the underground river. 

Location: here
Opening Hours: 9 am to 6 pm daily. The last tour starts at 4 pm.
Admission: MYR 20-50 / 350 – 900 INR / 5-12 USD depending on the trail.

Food

You can visit Ipoh for food alone. Every second building in Ipoh is a food store. Food in Ipoh is quite different from the rest of Malaysia. So do not come back from Ipoh without trying at least some of the famous dishes it is known for.

The ideal breakfast is white toast with kaya butter (which is basically a coconut jam) and the world-famous Ipoh white coffee. Do not forget to try egg tart here. If you have to try only one dish in Ipoh then it has to be Chicken with Bean Sprouts. This is two separate dishes, poached chicken and beans sprout salad, combined, and served with plain noodles or rice.

You should also try dim sums, chee cheong fun, curry mee, hakka mee, salt-baked chicken, sar hor fun to name a few. For dessert, tau fu fah (bean curd) is must try. I have never tried anything similar elsewhere. If you are being adventurous, try chicken biscuits. I did not dare to try it.

You do not need any food guide for Ipoh. Every traditional eateries, cafes, hawker stalls serve delicious food at every. You will find a plethora of options around the market lane, concubine lane, night markets.

Some of the places I tried in Ipoh are:

• Restoran Tauge Ayam Lou Wong. The surrounding area becomes alive after sunset till late in the night.
• Various food stalls surrounding a garden in the Taman Jubilee area.
• RESTORAN YEE LOCK

Ipoh Itinerary: Day Trip vs 3D2N Itinerary

You need at least 2 full days to cover all attractions in Ipoh. You can follow the below itinerary.

Ipoh 3D 2N Itinerary

Day 1: Explore limestone caves and its temples

Today we will visit limestone cave temples around Ipoh. It will be a hectic day and involve a lot of walking and climbing stairs. So, wear comfortable shoes. Dress conservatively or carry scarves as shorts or off-shoulder clothes are not allowed inside temple complexes. Ipoh get rains in all season. Hence, do not forget to carry a rain jacket or umbrella.

Start your day with white coffee, kaya toast, and egg tart. Make sure to have a heavy breakfast as getting good food outside the city will be a challenge. Once finished, take a grab and head straight to Tempurung Cave. It will take 1-2 hours to complete depending upon the trail you choose. Then follow Ipoh Travel Map – Day 1 to visit other cave temples. At dinner, have the famous Chicken with Beans Sprouts at the night market.

Day 2: Explore the artistic charm of Ipoh

After a hectic day climbing stairs in cave temples, you need to give your feet little bit rest. Start late today and head to the market lane. It is full of cafes, hawkers stalls, and traditional dim sum joints. So, it is a perfect breakfast place. Dim sums are popular breakfast here. After breakfast, follow Ipoh Travel Map – Day 2 to around the old area to visit murals, heritage buildings. Do not forget to try out cafes or eateries between sightseeing. Then head to the new town to visit the mural art’s lane. Finish your day at the night market.

Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh day trip: Is it possible?

A day trip from Kuala Lumpur or George Town is not recommended, but feasible. For a day trip, book a taxi or rent a car and start early. Once you reach Ipoh, follow Ipoh Travel Map – Day 2.

Accommodation

Accommodation is very affordable in Ipoh. You will get plenty of options from USD 8 – 100 or INR 500 – 10,000. You can book from booking.com or Airbnb.

So you have all information now. So pack your bags and start for Ipoh!!! If you need any other information, feel free to ask in the comment section.