Why Ipoh is Malaysia’s Most Underrated City (And Why You Must Visit)

Ipoh, Malaysia tends to get overlooked because people think it’s just a small town. Many talk about it as just a stop on the train line from Kuala Lumpur to Penang but we fell in love with this place. We actually think it’s worth just stopping here for a few days instead of going all the way to George Town. I know crazy, right? But hopefully throughout this article, I can convince you to add it to your itinerary.

With the dramatic backdrop of the limestone karst mountains, Ipoh feels like a scenic destination. The city itself sits in the Kinta River Valley but the mountains are visible everywhere throughout the city. Also mountains seem to just pop up out of nowhere while you’re going down the road. It’s super refreshing to see such beautiful scenery all the time. 

As a tin mining town, Ipoh grew in popularity and size in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s as tin mining took off in the area. This brought many workers from all over the world including Hakka Chinese. Having been ruled by both the British and the Japanese, influences from all these cultures such as the colonial era architecture and hawker food stalls are still felt today.

With around 800,000 residents, it’s got the small town, slow feel with modern conveniences. It also happens to be the capital of the state of Perak. 

What To Do in Ipoh – Downtown

You can hop right off the train, walk a few blocks, and you’ll find yourself in the cutest downtown area. This 6 block radius is filled with cute shops, cafes, restaurants, and many stores. 

We recommend you check out Kong Heng Artisan Market for adorable clothing stores, BookXcess for an old bank turn funky book store, Concubine Lane for a variety of cute stores, and of course don’t forget Heritage Trail. Following this path to see all the murals and art throughout the downtown area.   

We spent an entire afternoon searching for fun travel souvenirs (KL and Penang didn’t seem to have the availability of cute souvenirs). For food, we stopped at both hawker stalls and sit down restaurants (recommendations below!). If you want a delicious cendol dessert or a pick me up of local white coffee, just throw a stone and you’ll be at a cafe or street cart that serves it. Don’t have a plan, just wander the streets and alleys of the downtown area. Stop in the shops, talk with the locals, and enjoy. 

If you want some authentic Chinese tea, we recommend HillTown. This family run business sources most of their tea direct from Yunnan, China but they are also doing some interesting and fun mixes with tea from Cameron Highlands, a local tea area. 

Downtown you’ll also find Han Chin Pet Soo. This grand building is over 100 years old. It was an old gentlemen’s club for the tin mine owners where they could gamble, drink, and indulge in the vices of the time. Now the building has been restored. The tour shows off the history of not only the building but also the town and surrounding area. They offer free tours (with a donation box to help upkeep the place) but you have to sign up online in advance, no walkups. 

Pro tip: literally right next door to the Han Chin Pet Soo is the Ho Yan Hor Original Herbal Tea building. This renowned Malaysian brand was established in 1941 right here in this building. They also offer a free tour, no need to sign up, just walk right in. After the free tour of the company’s history, they will let you try 5 of their signature therapeutic tea blends. The satisfying taste of 31 Chinese herbs and premium Pu-erh tea is worth it! 

Just a few blocks east of the downtown area, you find the biggest Sunday Flea Market we’ve ever been to. Come early to beat the heat because by 10am, it’s too hot to be walking from stall to stall. Search Pasar Karat Ipoh and Memory Lane on your map and walk up and down these streets. Be prepared to bargain for good deals and antiques that make for great souvenirs. And heads up, it’s cash only. 

Just south of here is the Gerbang Malam Night Market that opens daily at 6pm. If you’re in the area it could be worth walking through but over all this was a pass for us. The vendors are all selling knock off goods like t-shirts, purses, shoes, and toys. Nothing we wanted to buy.  

What To Do in Ipoh – Nature 

Now two of our favorite things we did here are visiting the cave temples and hiking. Ipoh has many cave temples due to its unique geological landscape. Like we mentioned, there is a high concentration of limestone karst mountains in the Kinta Valley. These limestone mountains are very soluble so they naturally form beautiful, easily accessible caves. These natural caves, discovered by Chinese immigrants and monks in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, were considered ideal, serene places for worship, meditation, and shelter, creating a unique fusion of nature and faith. 

The best and most astonishing to us was the Perak Cave Temple (Tokong Gua Perak) just north of the city. Take a cab up there and enjoy walking through this unique cave temple. When you see the staircase on the back left side, take it all the way up to the top. Keep going as far up as you can. It might feel like you are taking a staircase next to an abandoned house but the reward on top is worth it. 

After soaking up all the natural beauty, if you’re feeling hungry, head just across the street to Ta O Tomyam. A local man and his Thai wife own this amazing restaurant. Try the refreshing Lemon Tea, you won’t regret it on a hot day! 

Just south of the city is a group of temples that are just ok. We weren’t blown away by them. You can grab a taxi to Sam Poh Tong Temple, Nam Thean Tong Temple, and Ling Sen Tong Temple. They are all on the same street and easy to walk between. Sam Poh Tong was the best of the three for us. If you head back to the turtle pond, you’ll be greeted by a peaceful oasis of a temple surrounded by mountains on all sides. It seems impossible that it’s there. This was definitely unique but unfortunately that building is closed and seems in disrepair which is too bad. Ling Sen Tong felt like the Disney World of temples as every statue was over the top and the bright colors were really intense. All in all, if you don’t have time to come out here, no need to worry. These are a pass for us. 

Another pass is Mirror Lake. The reviews seem to state that back in the day when it was free to enter and walk around, it was great. But now you have to buy a ticket to enter and a ticket for a quick boat ride. Most people said it wasn’t worth it so we didn’t do it. 

We love hiking and when we found out there are a few good trails just 10-20 minutes away from the city, we knew we had to check it out. Bukit Kledang offers a few great hiking trails. 4-2 is the easiest at about an hour to the top. It’s a combination of both flights of stairs and dirt paths. You will be rewarded with views of the city and surrounding area from the open platform at the end of this trail. 4-9 is about two hours and takes you past some beautiful waterfalls. And finally, you’ll read some people do the four hour trail to the top of the hill where the radio tower is but we were told that most of that trail is covered in trees so there is no view at the top, so stick to the 4-2 or 4-9 if the view is what you came for. 

What to Eat in Ipoh 

The traditional kopitiams (coffee shops) are a must here as Ipoh is the home of White Coffee. White coffee is made by roasting beans with margarine. Sounds odd, but it creates a very subtle caramel flavor to the beans. If you are a staunch black coffee drinker, white coffee is probably not for you as they add sweetened condensed milk. It’s a super indulgent creamy treat. There are a few popular old school kopitiams that open early (6:30am) and close by the afternoon all on the same street: Kedai Makanan Nam Heong, Kedai Kopi Sin Yoon Loong, Kedai Kopi Ah Chow 亚洲茶室.

These stores tend to have plastic tables and chairs, you may be seated with other diners depending on how crowded it gets, and they are open air so no air conditioning but the fans help. You order your drinks from the counter or the guy who owns the store, but you order your food from any of the few hawker stalls on site. It makes for a really interesting, fun and unique way to have breakfast. Everything is paid in cash so come prepared. 

If you want a more elevated coffee experience, check out any The Coffee Diver locations. They have house specialty blends of coffee with many distinct flavor profiles. They serve all their drinks in an adorable plastic bag with a straw. We tried the Kadah (woody aroma with charcoal like after taste inherited from the roasting process) and the Ipoh Chang Jiang Teh (full bodied smooth tea). Both were delicious! 

If you’re in the downtown area looking for the best lemongrass chicken salad I’ve ever had in my life check out Plan B. We actually went back multiple times. Not only was the lemon grass chicken salad amazing, but any of the dishes or bowls that use the lemongrass chicken are outstanding. The peri peri chicken dish is also notable. The sauce was super flavorful without being overly spicy. Definitely a delicious spot! 

Even though this is a little farther from the downtown area check out Tamara’s. This Sri Lankan food spot is every foodie’s dream. They start with a plate of rice and they add to it any of the side dishes you’d like. It’s like the Chipotle of Sri Lankan food. Every side dish was bursting with flavor, texture, and amazing goodness. We went back twice here as well because we craved the flavor so much. Right now it’s a lunch only spot so stop in from 11:30-3pm. 

Where to Stay in Ipoh 

While the downtown area is really cool to walk around, it might not suit everyone’s needs when looking for a hotel. The hotels downtown are located in older, renovated buildings which come with their own charm. Read the reviews to make sure you’re aware of all the differences including noise and amenities. Most don’t have pools or gyms if that’s what you need. 

If you’re looking for a more modern place to stay still within walking distance check a few blocks outside of the downtown area for newer hotels like Wiel Hotel or ICC Suites. If you really want to treat yourself, book a night at The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat. It’s far outside of town but this wellness spa will relax and revive you!

Conclusion

Yes Ipoh is a small town but its charm is evident throughout. Stop by for a few nights to soak in the slower pace of life, the natural beauty, and to enjoy some traditional foods and of course the home of White Coffee. As long as you don’t expect big city vibes, flashing lights, and constant activity, you’ll enjoy this retreat away from the big city.