Ipoh, Perak’s capital city, used to be a booming tin mining town. Today, there are many things to do in Ipoh, a once-sleepy city.
Food, cave temples, street art, and British colonial-era architecture draw in many local and international visitors.
If you’re unsure of what to do when you’re here, then continue reading!
1. Eat Famous Food
Start the day at one of the locals’ favorite dim sum restaurants (like Chooi Yue Dim Sum) or a kopitiam!
Ipoh is famous for its street food too:
You can have Tau Fu Fah for a snack, Hakka Mee for lunch and Portuguese egg tarts for tea! And Bean Sprout Chicken for dinner!
Other must-try food in Ipoh:
Chee Cheong Fun
Kai Se Hor Fun (Prawn and chicken noodles!)
Kaya Puffs
Caramel Egg Custard
Curry Mee
2. Drink Ipoh White Coffee
Lonely Planet rates Ipoh as one of the top 3 coffee towns!
It is also the birthplace of the famous Ipoh White Coffee. The history of this famous drink dates as far back as 80 years ago!
Kedai Kopi Sin Yoon Loong is one of the pioneering coffee shops in Ipoh! It was started by Sin Yoon Loong, a Hainanese immigrant in 1937.
Nam Heong White Coffee Shop is another iconic coffee shop. Not only do they serve Ipoh white coffee, but while you’re here, take a bite of their famed egg tarts!
3. Follow the Ipoh Heritage Trail
Time for a post-meal walk at Ipoh Heritage Trail! Feast your eyes on the heritage buildings constructed during Ipoh’s boom!
This trail is a great way to appreciate the history of Ipoh. It includes colonial architecture, Chinese heritage, and interesting murals!
Famous stops along the trail:
Ipoh Railway Station - A still-functioning, whitewashed railway station
Ipoh Town Hall & Old Post Office - Next to each other, these Neo-classical buildings were up and running in the late 1910s.
High Court - this other Neo-classical landmark was used by the Japanese during their occupation of Malaya.
St. Michael’s Institution – This all-boys school in Ipoh used to be the Japanese’s administrative headquarter during the war.
Birch Memorial - Erected in 1909, this clock tower stands across from the Ipoh State Mosque - a memorial to J.W.W Birch (First British Resident of Perak)
Navigate your way through the heritage trail by following this map trail.
4. Discover Concubine Lane
Historically, Concubine Lane was a present from a mining tycoon to his wives. It was also where wealthy men kept their mistresses!
Concubine Lane today is vibrant and bustling with activity, especially during weekends! It is a great place to catch a snack and cool off with the famous colorful iceball (ais kepal)!
Many food and souvenir stalls line the alley. Drop by Wife Lane and First Concubine Lane within the vicinity too!
5. Check Out Han Chin Pet Soo Museum
Han Chin Pet Soo Museum used to be a Hakka Miners’ Club building.
The daily guided tours provide insight into the lives of the Hakka people of the tin mining industry.
Make sure you book in advance by giving them a call or book online as limited spots are available. Walk-ins are not allowed.
Opening Hours: Daily from 11am to 3:30pm (Closed on Mondays)
Contact: +605-241 4541
Entrance Fee: Admission is free. But an expected donation of RM10 per adult will go into maintaining the building.
6. Pay A Visit To Ho Yan Hor Museum
Next to Han Chin Pet Soo Museum is Ho Yan Hor Museum. Visitors are free to tour the building and discover the origin of Ipoh’s most successful herbal tea business.
Free herbal tea tasting at the end of the tour is definitely one of the highlights of this visit!
Opening Hours: Daily from 10am to 4pm (Closed on Mondays)
Contact: +605-241 2048
Entrance Fee: Admission is free.
7. 22 Hale Street Heritage Gallery
This air-conditioned gallery requires no reservations beforehand. Register at the counter at the ground floor and proceed upstairs.
The multilingual audio guides allow visitors to browse the gallery at their own pace. The gallery showcases many antiques from Ipoh’s past including a traditional wedding bed. Downstairs, there is a gift shop where you can purchase local handicrafts.
Opening Hours: 10 am–1:30 pm, 2:30 pm–6 pm (Closed on Mondays & Tuesdays)
Phone: +605-241 3991
Entrance Fee: RM10 per person
8. Check Out Kong Heng Square
On weekends, Kong Heng Square is a small but interesting space to explore close to Concubine Lane. You can pick up local handicrafts from the small artisan stalls here.
There is a spacious air conditioned café (Plan B) too if you need time off from the heat!
9. Search For Ipoh Street Art
You can see street art by Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic in Ipoh Old Town. His street art skillfully portrays Ipoh’s history, culture, and food!
There’s also an entire lane in Ipoh New Town called the Mural Art’s Lane dedicated to street art! Most of the art painted here is the work of art teacher, Eric Lai and his students.
Famous street art by Ernest Zacharevic:
Old Uncle with Coffee Cup
Paper Plane
Hummingbird
Evolution
Trishaw
See more photos of street art in Ipoh.
10. Try A Special Snow Beer
What happens when regular beer comes in contact with a frozen glass? It becomes snow beer! The beer foam will look like shaved ice and the froth is smooth to the touch!
Head over to Kafe Sun Yoon Wah to get a taste of snow beer. Order some finger food to accompany the beer! Definitely try their deep-fried snacks, stir-fried dishes, and squids!
Fei Bo Snow Beer is another place to get your snow beer fix! They also serve delectable Chinese cuisine! The large round tables make them suitable for large group gatherings.
11. Rocks And More At The Geological Museum
Despite the simple exterior, you can have a look at locally found stones, minerals, and prehistoric fossils from interactive displays!
The air-conditioned museum tells the history of mining activities in Perak too. With dual-language informative boards placed throughout the museum to aid understanding.
Opening Hours: 9am to 12pm, 2:30pm to 4:30pm (Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays: Closed)
Contact: +605-540 6000
Entrance Fee: Admission is free
12. Drop By Qing Xin Ling Leisure And Cultural Village
Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Qing Xin Ling Leisure and Cultural Village is just a 15-minute drive from Ipoh Old Town!
Majestic limestone hills and a picturesque lake make up the scenery here. Visitors can ride a bike, feed the fish, and visit the vintage exhibitions there!
Opening Hours: Daily from 9:30am to 5:30pm (Closed on Sundays)
Contact: +605-312 4140
Entrance Fee: RM12 (Malaysian), RM20 (Foreigner)
13. Visit Cave Temples
Ipoh has nearly 30 cave temples nestled snugly among the foothills of its limestone hills. They are open to the public who can come to admire the limestone formations! And temple architecture!
The majority of these temples are dedicated to Buddhist and Taoist worship.
Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple
Perak Cave Temple
Sam Poh Tong Cave Temple
Ling Sen Tong Temple
Kwan Yin Tong Temple
14. See The Gua Tambun Cave Paintings
At Gua Tambun, visitors can see Neolithic rock arts of humans, animals and some abstract shapes among more recent graffiti!
No one’s really sure how long these drawings have been there. But they’re supposedly between 2,000 to 5,000 years old!
You will need to climb a flight of steps to get to the cave painting. And you’ll need a moderate level of fitness, comfortable shoes, mosquito repellent, and drinking water!
15. Spend A Day (Or Evening) At The Lost World of Tambun
There are several zones to explore at The Lost World of Tambun!
These include the amusement park, the Hippo Kingdom (with real hippos!), and of course, the water park (with an artificial beach!) during the day!
Don’t miss the tiger-feeding session in the afternoon! New residents to the petting zoo include giraffe, camels and capybara!
And in the evening, you can wander the Luminous Forest and soak your tired limbs at the Hot Springs at night!
Note:
There are pay-per-ride activities, locker rental and tube rental which will incur extra charges.
Lost World has its own hotel, but visitors can try first-class glamping in the outdoors too!
Opening Hours: Daily from 11am to 11pm; Saturday & Sunday 10am to 11pm; (Closed on Tuesdays)
Contact: +605-542 8888
Entrance Fee: Access to all parks:
RM127 (Adults)
RM120 (Children 12 years old & below / Senior Citizens 60 years old & above)
Access to night park ONLY:
RM85 (Adults)
RM76 (Children 12 years old & below / Senior Citizens 60 years old & above)
Tip: Book online for cheaper rates; If you stay at the Lost World Hotel, you get complimentary hot spring tickets!16. Visit A Pomelo Plantation
Did you know that Tambun, Ipoh produces the best pomelos? Pomelo is the largest citrus of the Rutaceae family (e.g. grapefruit)!
The surrounding limestone hills boost the growth of the fruit with rich minerals that they absorb from the water.
Take a quick tour around Tambun Pomelo GoChin Agro Farm to find out more about the process of growing and harvesting pomelos!
Notes:
Entrance is free and you can buy pomelo here!
There are 2 varieties – sweet (white flesh) or sour (pink flesh).
Prices of pomelo vary by size – it is cheaper to get them in Ampang than at Ipoh Old Town
17. Enjoy The Outdoors At Gunung Lang Recreational Park
To get to Gunung Lang Recreational Park, visitors need to take a scenic boat ride to cross the lake. The artificial waterfall on top of a limestone hill at the entrance is another highlight!
Take a stroll or rent a bike around the 30-acre park.
Opening Hours: Daily from 8:30am to 6pm
Contact: +605-208 3333
Boat Fee:
Adult: RM3
Children/Senior Citizens: RM1.50
Notes:
Last boat ticket at 5:30pm
Beautiful location; Unfortunately not as well-maintained as it should be!
18. Visit Kellie’s Castle
Kellie’s Castle is in Batu Gajah near Ipoh. A Scottish planter, William Kellie Smith built the castle after his son was born.
Sadly, construction halted permanently when Kellie died of pneumonia at the age of 56.
The impressive Moorish and European-style mansion houses a wine cellar, an incomplete rooftop tennis court and a shaft for a lift!
Opening Hours: 9:30am to 5:30pm
Entrance Fee: Malaysians: RM5 (Adults), RM3 (Children below 12 years old), RM4 (Senior Citizens) International: RM10 (Adults), RM 9 (Children below 12 years old)
19. Explore Gua Tempurung
Said to be 400 million years old, Gua Tempurung is the largest accessible limestone cave system in West Malaysia!
It is famous for its spectacular rock formations and an underground river.
Famous for its spectacular rock formations and an underground river!
Explore the cave via 1 of 4 tours:
Tour 1 - Golden Flowstone
Tour 2 - Top of the World
Tour 3 - Top of the World & Short River Adventure
Tour 4 - Grand Tour
You can choose to stay either wet or dry as the last 2 tours involve crossing the underground river!
Notes:
The wet tours need at least 8 participants to start!
Torches, shoes, and helmets are available for rent!
Opening Hours: 9am to 4pm Contact: +6014-220 4142
Price: ~RM30 (Varies based on the tour options)
20. Go white water rafting at Kampar River
White water rafting at Kampar River is perfect for thrill-seekers! Beginners won’t find it too daunting as the river currents range from gentle to rapid!
Participants will go through a 10-15 minute briefing and a water confidence test before the activity!
Price: ~RM150 (Adult)
21. See TT5 Tin Dredge At Tanjung Tualang
Tanjung Tualang is renowned for its big-head freshwater prawns! And the country’s last remaining tin dredges, TT5 tin dredge!
The 4,500-ton tin dredge has made a comeback as a Perak tourist destination after closing down in 2012 for restoration works.
Call ahead to see if they have tours available before you go!
Opening Hours: Daily from 9am to 5:15pm
Contact: +6014-904 3255 Entrance Fee: RM10 (Malaysians) RM20 (International)
Getting Around Ipoh Tourist Attraction
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Conclusion
Many things to do in Ipoh feature food, Ipoh Old Town, and the limestone hills!
Ipoh Old Town is a must-see for first-time visitors. It has buildings, galleries, and museums with numerous artifacts from Ipoh’s bygone era of the tin mining industry!
And when you want a change of pace, there are outdoor locations like Gua Tempurung, lovely parks and even a water park with hot springs!