Ipoh
Ipoh is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Perak.
Located on the Kinta River, it is nearly 200 km (120 mi) north of Kuala Lumpur and 150 km (93 mi) southeast of George Town in neighbouring Penang. As of the 2020 census, Ipoh had a population of 759,952, making it the ninth-largest city in Malaysia by population and the fourth most populous state capital, after Johor Bahru, Shah Alam and George Town.
Getting to Ipoh
- 01Sultan Azlan Shah Airport
Serves only a small number of flights, with a single domestic flight to Johor Bahru on AirAsia, and international services to Singapore on Scoot.
- 02Ipoh Railway Station
- 03Terminal Amanjaya
16 km north of city center, from where buses run to most of Peninsular Malaysia.
- 04Jalan Bendahara
Choice is limited but for Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Butterworth or Singapore, they represent a better option than a trip out of town.
Worth seeing
The heart of Ipoh Old Town lies on the west banks of the Kinta River and is vaguely bounded by the train tracks. A two- to three-hour guided tour of the Ipoh heritage trail starts at the Railway Station at 8AM every Saturday (as of 2015, RM30 per person). Rejuvenated Kong Heng Square on Jalan Sultan Yussuf houses buzzing small cafes and shops. = =
- 01Birch Memorial Clocktower
Dedicated to the first British Resident Minister of Perak who was murdered by a local Malay chief.
- 02Ipoh Railway Station
One of the three grand British-built stations on the former Malayan network.
- 03Ipoh Town Hall and Law Courts
The two buildings opposite the Railway Station, in neoclassical style.
- 04Muzium Darul Ridzuan
An interesting historical museum of Perak in a former tin-mining tycoon's pretty mansion.
- 05Padang Ipoh
Seenivasagam was planted by the British during the colonial period as the cricket ground for the Ipoh Club, then a whites-only establishment.
- 06Han Chin Pet Soo
A painstakingly restored Hakka Miners' Club that documents the activities of tin miners far away from home with cash to spend.
Things to do
Cricket: Royal Ipoh Club (at Padang Ipoh). Founded in 1895, this is the club's football and cricket ground.
- 01Caving at Gua Tempurung
Gua Tempurung is the largest limestone cave in Peninsular Malaysia.
- 02Bukit Kledang
- 03Ulu Geroh
Be an ecotourist and experience the rainforest here.
- 04The Lost World of Tambun
Ipoh's only water theme park provides great rides and entertainment for families and also organizes tours into the nearby limestone caves for those interested in eco-tourism.
- 05Gunung Lang
A general recreational park with a man-made waterfall and a long waterfront boardwalk.
Where to eat
When tin mining died out, food sustained Ipoh and made the city bustle once more. Like everywhere in Malaysia, the local food is dirt cheap and sublime. Loads of people come from all over just to fill their bellies, creating a headache of congestion during weekends. Quite a few locals already avoid the most famous stalls, whether due to dropping standards or the unrelenting crowds.
- 01Sin Meng Kee Products
Jalan Datuk Onn Jafar 34 (corner with Jalan Foo Choo Choon) (in front of the Central Market (UTC Perak)).
- 02Choy Kee Bakery
- 03Dai Shu Geok
- 04Restoran Li Heng Fatt
Bouncy fishballs, springy fish cakes and chewy fish paste dumplings, all served in a light soup with noodles of your choice, altogether better known as hor hee.
- 05Restoran Nam Chau
Their dry curry noodles are topped with roast pork, chicken, prawns and a generous dousing of rich curry gravy.
Getting around Ipoh the local way
- Get inETS service to Butterworth (with a ferry connection to George Town (2 hr) has ticket prices of RM22-33.
- Go nextPangkor is a 2-hour drive and ferry ride away.
From Wikivoyage: Ipoh, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.