Enterprising millennials and creatives are breathing a new lease of life into Ipoh, a city that was forgotten once its tin-mining heydays were over. Ipoh, today, is undergoing a metamorphosis: Crumbling buildings are being transformed into hipster cafes and hotels, vibrant murals are coming up on mottled walls, empty streets are buzzing with night markets and hawker stalls after sundown, there are heritage walks and events where locals eagerly tell you about their city…there really is no better time to be in the heart of all this upheaval and watch a city being reborn. We have the best things to do in Ipoh covered in our three days in Ipoh itinerary.
IPOH / MALAYSIA
Malaysia’s third-largest city, Ipoh shot into the limelight after the New York Times ran an article named Why Ipoh, Malaysia, Should Be on Your Travel Radar last year. Since then, a steady stream of travellers is heading to Ipoh to explore its art-filled streets and to eat at its hipster cafes which, helmed by enterprising millennials, are springing up all over the city. Once the bustling, indomitable heart of the Malaysian tin-mining industry, Ipoh’s fortunes sprang and ebbed with the silvery metal and by the late 1980s, the streets, lined with offices and theatres, were mostly empty. Shophouses that saw brisk business once upon a time now stand silent with peeling Chinese calligraphy and fading bamboo chicks. Thanks to restoration initiatives by the city council, Ipoh’s crumbling architecture is getting a new lease of life. Colonial-era shophouses are being restored and reopened as cafes, galleries, and event spaces. Streets are being cleaned, artists are being invited to paint on Ipoh’s walls, there are music and food festivals by the Kinta River, and a push to popularise Ipoh’s delicious street food. There’s no better time to be in this wonderful city than now and it is must-visit destination on any Malaysia itinerary! Our three days in Ipoh itinerary covers all the best things to do in Ipoh.
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Ipoh Itinerary Day 1
Concubine Lanes & Kong Heng Square
AM // There’s no better way to start an Ipoh itinerary than with breakfast at an old-school kopitiam. Order a cup of the famed white coffee, kaya toast, and half-boiled eggs at Nam Heong or Sin Yoon Loong, two of Ipoh’s best kopitiams. If the heat feels too overbearing as it can on Ipoh’s tree-less streets, consider getting breakfast at the air-conditioned Lim Ko Pi, a 1920s café housed in a beautiful red building. If you want something more filling, go for a bowl of piping hot Curry Mee, before heading to the Concubine Lanes.
The three Concubine Lanes, Lorong Hale (Wife Lane), Lorong Panglima (Concubine Lane), and Market Lane, are some of Ipoh’s primary tourist attractions. Once full of opium dens and hideouts for mistresses of tin-mining tycoons, today the lanes with their murals and Chinese lamps are bustling with cute cafes, stores selling souvenirs and mini cacti, pop-up stalls serving a variety of snacks, and art galleries.
Cool off with an Ais Kepal at Bits and Bobs in Kong Hong Square, Ipoh’s very Instagrammable hipster precinct. There’s an artisan market, 11 am – 5 pm on weekdays and 10 am – 5 pm on weekends, with stalls selling souvenirs like magnets, totes, and hand-painted postcards. Spend some time at Book Xcess, a bookstore built within an abandoned bank vault, or grab a snack at Burps and Giggles.
Ipoh Mural Lane & Night Markets
PM // Walking the mural trail is one of the best things to do in Ipoh. Once the sun is no more threatening to scorch you, set out to track down Ernest Zacharevic’s famous murals that adorn the lanes of old town Ipoh. Apart from Zacharevic’s, there are lots of stunning street art by local artists. In the new town of Ipoh, there’s an entire lane called Mural Lane dedicated to street art by local artists. Colourful murals showcase the city’s culture, traditions, and festivals.
If you want to taste local Malaysian food, head to the street food markets, a must-feature in any Ipoh itinerary! In the evening, head over to the night market on Jalan Dato Tawhil Azar to taste some local delicacies. There’s the beansprout chicken at Café Lou Wong and salted chicken at Ayam Garam Ang Kheng Lim (9 am – 6 pm). If seafood is your preference, try the blanched baby octopus at Tuck Kee. For desserts, dig into a plate of Tau Fuh Fah at Funny Mountain Soya Bean or head to Purple Cane for a refreshing cup of Chinese tea and their signature four-season tea jellies.
Ipoh Itinerary Day 2
Museum Tours & Sunday Flea Market / Photo Walk
AM // Day 2 of this 3 days in Ipoh itinerary starts with more coffee at some of Ipoh’s best kopitiams. Can you say no to another round of kaya toast and kopi-o for breakfast? If not, then head back into a kopitiam and add a couple of egg tarts and salted egg floss to your order. And of course, you can treat yourself to some Kuey Teow Soup or Wantan Hor! Post breakfast, head over to the Han Chin Pet Soo for a lesson in Ipoh’s tin mining history. The museum, once a club for Hakka tin mining tycoons, has an excellent collection of antique furniture, Belgian mirrors, original English floor tiles, and murals.
If it’s a Sunday, head over to the flea market on Memory Lane where you can chance upon some vintage colonial-era bric-à-brac. We saw a gramophone on display alongside old records and a pair of hand-painted wooden clogs. There are stalls selling silverware, pots and pans, watches and used clothes, and of course, snacks. The area around Memory Lane also has some of the best examples of Ipoh’s eclectic architecture. Abandoned theatres and office buildings, threadbare shophouses, and five-arch walkways create an atmosphere which, despite its ghost-town-like appearance, is immensely photogenic.
For lunch, head to Dong Café @Hale Street for a plate of traditional Nasi Kerabu (the blue colour of the rice comes from butterfly pea flowers) with Chicken Rendang or more kaya toast (!). We tried the mushrooms with century eggs and it was delicious! Post lunch, head upstairs to the museum where you can see period furniture, clothes, and porcelain that were used by affluent Chinese families during the pre-war days.
Kinta River Walk & Ipoh’s Dessert Street
PM // A new addition to any Ipoh itinerary is a walk along the lovely Kinta River. Stroll through the lanes to the Kinta River Walk, a recently renovated stretch where you can rent bicycles and tricycles and ride along the river banks. Seat down on a bench and watch the sun setting over the majestic limestone karsts that line the horizon. Post sundown, the bridges across the Kinta are lit up. The weekend we were visiting, a food and music festival was happening. We tried a bunch of snacks, including dim sums, oyster omelettes, and char sieu. There were several stalls selling local handicrafts too.
For dinner, head to Tong Sui Kai, Ipoh’s dessert street where you can dig into a massive bowl of Mixed Fruit Ais Kacang. But first, order the mains! We recommend the Ipoh-style Laksa, Hokkien Mee, Wantan Hor, and Rojak.
Also read: Where to next? How about spending a weekend in the Cameron Highlands with our guide: Top Things To Do in the Cameron Highlands.
Ipoh Itinerary Day 3
Dim Sum Breakfast & Cave Temples
AM // Day 3 of this 3 days in Ipoh itinerary starts with an early dim sum breakfast. Make your way, just like the locals do, to the fabulous Foh San Restaurant where you can taste some of Ipoh’s best breakfasts. Ordering can be somewhat tricky; just watch the locals and do as they do. At Foh San, the black pepper sui mai, duck dumplings, salted egg custard, meat floss roll, and supreme prawn dumplings are pretty popular. Across the streets, there’s Restoran Chef Fatt and Ming Court, both as popular for dim sum as Foh San.
TIP: Vegetarian options are hard to come by; vegan, even harder (2019). The only options we found were a salted egg custard bun and a vegetable sui mai.
After breakfast, book a Grab or hop onto Bus #T34 or #T37 from Medan Kidd to see the Buddhist and Taoist temples pocketed in the limestone karsts that surround Ipoh. The largest and most visited is the Sam Poh Tong Temple. Climb the 240 steps to the entrance and you’ll be rewarded with mesmerizing views of Gunung Rapat! Nearby are the Ling Sen Tong Temple and the Nam Thean Tong Temple. The Kek Lok Tong temple is one of the most majestic; it is located further to the east and you’ll need to book a cab to get there.
Also read: George Town on Penang Island is an absolute must-stop on your Malaysia trip. See our 3 Days in George Town, Penang for an itinerary.
Ipoh Heritage Trail
PM // No Ipoh itinerary is complete without a mention of Ipoh’s grand architecture. Walking the heritage trail is one of the best things to do in Ipoh. So, once the sun has mellowed, take on the Ipoh Heritage Trail that will take you past some of Ipoh’s architectural gems. Like the heritage buildings of Serampore, most of the buildings in Ipoh don’t allow tourists in but you can admire them from the outside. The British left behind their legacy in the form of magnificent colonial-era buildings, one of which, the Ipoh Railway Station was called the Taj Mahal of Ipoh. Visit the station later in the evening, at the end of the tour; between 8 – 11 pm, there’s a free fountain and light show there. Other buildings on the heritage trail include the Arlene Building (Chung Thye Building), Hong Kong & Shanghai Building, Dramatists’ Hostel, Birch Memorial, Perak Hydro Building, Han Chin Pet Soo, Perak Koo Kong Chow Association, and the S.P.H. De Silva Building. On the day that we were there, several couples dressed in traditional Malay wedding dresses were getting their photos taken at the Birch Memorial. In the golden hour, they appeared dazzling!
How to Reach Ipoh
Ipoh is roughly halfway between Kuala Lumpur and George Town. From Kuala Lumpur TBS, some buses go to the Aman Jaya Terminal in Ipoh. The 3-hour ride starts from RM 25. You can also ride the ETS train from KL Sentral and George Town to Ipoh. Buses from George Town start from Penang Komtar and usually cost around RM 20 to Ipoh.
Where to Stay in Ipoh
Ipoh has a wide variety of hotels, guesthouses, and aparthotels. We stayed at the Ban Loong Hotel, an erstwhile Chinese shophouse turned hotel. It is located in old town Ipoh, on the same street as Nam Heong and Sin Yoon Loong and a 5 min walk from Concubine Lane. Located in Kong Heng Square, the Kong Heng is one of Ipoh’s most well-known hotels. Sarang Paloh, right next to Lim Ko Pi, has excellent reviews too.
Three days in Ipoh will let you scratch the surface, barely. Aim for a week-long Ipoh itinerary to experience this city beyond the confines of central Ipoh. There’s so much to see and so much to eat! Ipoh’s street food, though not quite vegetarian-friendly, is among the best in Malaysia. Some of the best kopitiams in the country are here in Ipoh. The best way to explore Ipoh is on foot. The streets are lined with beautiful buildings dating back to Ipoh’s tin-mining era. Some of these have been restored, others stand bearing the scars of time on their walls. For longer distances, take public buses or book a Grab car.
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How did you like our 3 days in Ipoh itinerary? What are your favourite things to do in Ipoh?
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