Ipoh has been a rising star in the liveable city category and has even overtaken Penang on the Lonely Planet rankings lately. I had a chance to bring my family for a 4D3N trip to Ipoh to check out this amazing city which is famous for its limestone caves and amazing food.
How to Get to Ipoh
Ipoh, the capital city of Perak State, is about 1.5 – 2 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur. The best way to get to and around Ipoh is by car. Alternatively, you may also take a bus or ETS train to Ipoh and then take a GRAB to your respective destinations. I usually book my bus and train ticket from Easybook.com.
Where to Stay in Ipoh
There are plenty of hotels to choose in Ipoh. The one that we stayed and highly recommend is Hotel Pi, located at Jalan Veerasamy. Not only it is close to many delicious eateries (scroll below for our top food recommendations in Ipoh!) but also has an underground carpark (free of charge). The room is clean, comfy and comes at a reasonable price tag.
First Impression
My first impression of Ipoh is that this is a naturally and culturally rich town, with a perfect mixture of the old and new. The roads in Ipoh are wide , easy to drive about and you are always surrounded by beautiful limestone cave landscapes. People here are friendly and the streets are not overcrowded like in Penang and Melaka. Oh and they have petrol stations everywhere! Alright let’s get straight into my top Ipoh attractions now!
Top Attractions in Ipoh You Must Visit
1. Ipoh Old Town
Whether you are driving, taking a bus or a train to Ipoh, the first “attraction” you’ll encounter is undoubtedly Ipoh Old Town itself. The town has heritage buildings all around. Some have even been refurbished into hipster cafes and guest houses. If you like these kind of heritage vibe, you may start from the Ipoh Railway Station and Birch Clock Tower.
From here, you can also check out the famous Concubine Lane 二奶巷 (now named as Lorong Panglima). If you want to buy souvenirs, this might be the best place to hunt for some.
You might also want to check out the lower-profiled “First Concubine Lane 三奶巷” (now named as Market Lane) just around the corner. It has these colourful umbrellas which makes it a popular Instagram spot.
Oh and don’t forget to get yourself some Ipoh White Coffee!
2. Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village
We visited Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village (清心岭休闲文化村) on Day 1. We have long heard about this beautiful place which is well furbished with Chinese cultural decorations all around. Qing Xin Ling, in Chinese means hill which purifies the heart/soul. So we were not surprise we got this “Zen” feel once we reached here.
Admission is through advance ticket booking at Syarikat Perabot Kota, a furniture shop nearby. If you are coming in large groups or during peak season, it is advised to book one or two days in advance. You may read more about Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village here.
3. Kek Lok Tong
Kek Lok Tong is one of the most beautiful Chinese temple caves in Ipoh. I have visited most of the other temple caves in Ipoh such as Sam Poh Tong, Ling Sen Tong, Guan Yin Tong and Nan Tian Tong but Kek Lok Tong is my personal favourite.
Not only does it have a huge, well-lit cavern but also has a beautiful secret garden behind the cave. Some local folks come here to exercise.
Kek Lok Tong is just a stone’s throw away from Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village so you can visit both on the same day.
4. Perak Tong
Perak Tong is actually not located in Ipoh town but it is close enough to be included in your itinerary. Perak Tong is a Chinese temple cave in Kuala Kangsar, about 25-minute drive from Ipoh town. The cave houses one of the largest Buddha statues in Malaysia. There are also lots of Buddhism murals on the cave walls which were quite fascinating to say the least.
The best thing about Perak Tong for me is the 450-step-climb to the peak of the cave. The steps are very steep and narrow but there are a few pavilions for you to rest on your way up. The view at the peak is really stunning. It took me about 1.5 hours to climb up and down the cave.
5. Taman Rekreasi Gunung Lang
Also located at Kuala Kangsar, Taman Rekreasi Gunung Lang is a recreational park featuring a man-made waterfall. The recreational park is actually on the opposite side of the waterfall separated by a lake.
Take a 1-minute boat ride across the lake to access the recreational park which has a mini zoo, Malay traditional chalets, children’s playground and a lush green space for picnic.
6. Gua Tempurung
Gua Tempurung is one of the largest limestone caves in Malaysia and is located at Gopeng, about 25-minute drive from Ipoh town. There are altogether 6 levels of tours through Gua Tempurung with ascending difficulty levels. Level 1 and 2 (non-guided) are for beginners and involves only stair climbing whereas Level 3 onwards (guided, need to book in advance or try your walk-in luck at 9am) will get you wet in the river at the bottom of the cave. We took Level 2 (Top of the World) which grants us access to Platform 5.
One of the interesting experience I had at Gua Tempurung was the wind tunnel. Formed by natural ventilation, there are segments along the tunnel where you can feel a significant breeze. Was it Bernoulli’s Principle?
7. Kellie’s Castle
After Gua Tempurung, you might want to visit Kellie’s Castle which is also located near Gopeng (Batu Gajah, Kinta district). Kellie’s Castle is an unfinished, abandoned castle built for William Kellie Smith, a Scottish planter back in the 1900s. The castle has since been refurnished and it is believed to be haunted by some. If you like creepy ancient buildings, this is a must visit attraction!
Make sure to climb all the way to the rooftop for an amazing view of the surrounding Kinta district! But do be careful because there are no barricades.
8. Sam Poh Tong
Sam Poh Tong is another Chinese temple cave located in Ipoh town within the Gunung Rapat limestone mountain range. Like Kek Lok Tong, Sam Poh Tong also has a garden at the back of the cave, but much smaller. Do put on some insect repellent when you visit Sam Poh Tong as there are lots of hungry mosquitoes lurking around. One thing to mention is the early closing time of Sam Poh Tong at 2:30pm (other temples usually close at around 5pm – 6pm).
9. Mirror Lake
Mirror Lake is lesser known to tourists as it is well hidden behind limestone rocks. It is known as Mirror Lake because of the mirror-like reflections of the lake. Thanks to Google Map, you can easily locate Mirror Lake today. Use the Continental Tyre Shop (on your left) along Jalan Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah as your landmark and make a left turn into the junction. From there, you will drive past some pretty rough terrain for maybe about half a minute. When you see this entrance, park your car here and walk straight in. You will see a tunnel bored through one of the limestone rocks. Mirror Lake is just at the other end of the tunnel!
Awesome Food You Must Try in Ipoh
When it comes to food, besides reading reviews from blogs, I always get a second opinion from locals as I want to try food that are actually loved by locals first. Special thanks to Vincy and Angel for recommending some of these sumptuous Ipoh food for me!
1. Ong Kee Beansprout Chicken Rice
Ipoh is most famous for its beansprout (or locally known as tau-geh) chicken rice. Along the famous food street Jalan Yau Tet Shin, you will see lots of beansprout chicken rice restaurants. If you only have one shot, go for Ong Kee located at the corner of the road. The beansprouts are big, juicy and has a bit of peppered flavour to it.
The chicken is also very tender and succulent. Get yourself a slice of chicken meat mixed with a spoon full of their juicy beansprouts and savour them in one bite to get the best out of this local delight!
2. Restoran Tuck Kee
When it comes to Chinese dish, Tuck Kee’s Hor Fun immediately springs to mind. This outlet is well loved by locals and foreigners alike because of the amazing wok-hei that they are able to produce from their dishes. A couple of MUST TRIES are their Moonlight Hor Fun (月光河) and Steamed Baby Octopus. The Hor Fun is so smooth and tastes heavenly. It’s so hard to describe it in words. Try to go there before 7pm to aoid the crowd.
3. Xin Quan Fang & Yee Fatt Curry Mee
If you are wondering what to eat for breakfast, I highly recommend Xin Quan Fang or Yee Fatt Curry Mee. Both these outlets serve curry mee in their own flavours passed down from generations ago. For me, I prefer the wet curry mee of Xin Quan Fang and the dry curry mee of Yee Fatt (locals call it roundabout curry mee). Go early to avoid long queue.
4. Market Lane Cartoon Laksa
This hidden gem is located right at the Middle of Market Lane (also known as First Concubine Lane 三奶巷). The Laksa sold here is called Cameron Laksa because they use tomatoes and you can see it from the extra red colour of the Laksa. It is also much more sour and spicy than the other Laksa I tried in Ipoh. And it has that home-cooked taste to it as well.
Kinda like the deco of the shop as well esecially the beer bottle cap tables.
5. Sin Yoon Loong White Coffee
Kedai Kopi Sin Yoon Loong is the first coffee shop which popularized the Ipoh White Coffee. If you’d like some authentic Ipoh White Coffee for breakfast, head down to Sin Yoon Loong or Nam Heong (just opposite) and you won’t be disappointed. The Ipoh White Coffee here is smooth and has a sourly taste to it.
You can also try out the Wan Ton Noodles here. The Char Siew is really succulent! Writing this made me feel hungry again.
6. Canning Garden Chee Cheong Fun
This humble little corner shop at Canning Garden sells one of the best Chee Cheong Fun that I’ve ever tried. They make their Chee Cheong Fun on a tricycle and their Chee Cheong Fun has a number of sauces for you to choose. You can opt for the all-in or ask them to omit some of the sauces that you don’t like. For me, I prefer without sweet sauce.
Unlike Hong Kong style Chee Cheong Fun, this local favourite is more chewy and has no meat fillings in it. So the taste really depends on how well they make their sauce.
7. Woong Kee Tau Fu Fah (Beancurd)
Although the Ipoh tau-fu-fah (beancurd) limelight is still with Funny Mountain outlet, this Wonng Kee Tau Fu Fah is fast becoming local’s favourite of late. Woong Kee Tau Fu Fah has this extremely smooth texture whereby the beancurd just melts in your mouth almost instantly. They also serve their beancurd in various types of sugar and toppings. I prefer the original flavour with no toppings – it can never go wrong!
8. Restoran Eatime Laksa 三轮车叻沙
I noticed that Ipoh’s Laksa usually comes with Yong Tau Fu. The famous one is actually the Dai Shu Geok Laksa (located at Pasir Pinji) but I personally prefer this 三轮车 Restoran Eatime Laksa. I find this outlet’s laksa has more ingredient and richer in flavour. And the owner is a really nice guy! Always has a smile on his face and put customers first.
9. Restoran Thean Chun Kai Si Hor fun
We heard that the famous Old Town White Coffee gets its Kai Si (sliced chicken) Hor Fun inspiration from this little outlet just beside Concubine Lane. The Kai Si Hor Fun at Restoran Thean Chun has a sweet flavour to it which can be very addictive to some. They also sell this sweetened steamed egg (炖蛋) which tastes like caramel.
If you come here for lunch, be prepared to wait for your seat as it is usually packed and also be well prepared to wait up to an hour for your Kai Si Hor Fun. We ordered some Satay from a road side stall while waiting for our Hor Fun to be served.
10. Tong Sui Kai Dessert Hawker Street
If you are wondering what to have for late dinner or supper, look no further than this dessert cum hawker street along Jalan Sultan Ekram known as Tong Sui Kai (糖水街). There are a whole bunch of hawker street food and desserts for you to choose from. We ordered food from different stalls and topped up with a mix-fruit shaved ice. Yummy!
From the map, notice that Tong Sui Kai is located at the end of Jalan Sultan Ekram as you turn in from Jalan Theatre. I reckon that you park your car somewhere along Jalan Theatre and walk to Tong Sui Kai as the stalls are actually all over Jalan Sultan Ekram which makes it very difficult to drive down that lane.
So there you have it, my top favourite attractions and food in Ipoh! Is Ipoh Malaysia’s most liveable city? Well I have not lived there long enough to judge it at the moment but I must say, out of the cities/towns that I’ve been to (Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Ipoh, Penang, Kuala Terengganu and Perlis), I’d say Ipoh is so far my personal favourite city! Not too fast-paced and not too laid back; Not too new and not too old; And plenty of natural landscape all around. I’d say it has the right mixture of everything a city needs.
Here’s a suggested 4D3N Ipoh Trip Itinerary especially for you guys who are planning to visit Ipoh for the first time! Feel free to use it and share it with your friends! Be sure to cross check the opening times of the attractions and restaurants/coffee shops!
4D3N Ipoh Trip Tentative Itinerary
