Old town
First-timersHeritage shophouses, murals and coffee shops.
Ipoh city guide
Things To Do In Ipoh
A tin-mining town of colonial shophouses among limestone hills, with Buddhist temples built into caves, murals in the old town, and some of the best food in Malaysia.
11
Hostels in the city
8.1
Average, from 1,358 reviews
Tin
The source of its wealth
2.5 h
To KL by train
White coffee
Invented here
White coffee and cave temples
Ipoh grew rich on tin in the late nineteenth century, and its old town is full of colonial buildings and shophouses from that era. Limestone karsts rise around the city, with Buddhist and Taoist temples built into their caves.
It is famous across Malaysia for its food, especially white coffee, bean sprout chicken and salted chicken.
Ipoh is between Kuala Lumpur and Penang, and on the way to the Cameron Highlands. Two days is right.
Where to stay
Stay in the old town, west of the Kinta River, where the heritage shophouses, murals and coffee shops are. The new town, across the river, has more hotels and some of the best-known restaurants, and is a short walk away.
New town
FoodMore hotels and famous restaurants, across the river.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 4 top-rated hostels. Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Ipoh
Ipoh grew rich on tin mining in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and its old town is full of colonial buildings and shophouses from that boom, including the railway station, nicknamed the Taj Mahal of Ipoh.
Walk the old town to find the murals by Ernest Zacharevic, who also painted George Town's, and Concubine Lane, a narrow lane of restored shophouses, once home to the mistresses of tin tycoons, now full of stalls and cafés.
Ipoh is surrounded by limestone hills, and several Buddhist temples are built inside the caves: Kek Lok Tong, with a garden and lake behind, Sam Poh Tong and Perak Tong, with its painted walls and steps to a viewpoint.
Kellie's Castle, an unfinished mansion begun by a Scottish planter in the 1910s, is half an hour away, and Gua Tempurung, one of the largest limestone caves in the country, has guided cave walks.
Free things
Free things to do in Ipoh
The old town, the murals and Concubine Lane are free to walk. The cave temples, including Kek Lok Tong and Sam Poh Tong, are free or ask for a small donation.
The railway station and the colonial buildings around it are free to see.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Ipoh
Ipoh is one of Malaysia's great food towns. Ipoh white coffee, roasted with palm-oil margarine and served with condensed milk, was invented here, and the old coffee shops still serve it. Bean sprout chicken, nga choy kai, poached chicken with fat, crunchy bean sprouts grown in Ipoh's water, is the local dish.
Try Ipoh hor fun, flat rice noodles in a chicken and prawn broth, dim sum for breakfast, and tau fu fah, silky soybean pudding.
A meal is €2 to €5.
Nightlife
Going out in Ipoh
Ipoh is quiet at night, with a few bars and cafés in the old town and new town. Evenings are for food: the hawker centres and night markets are busiest after dark.
A beer is €4 to €7.
Getting around
Getting around Ipoh
ETS trains reach Kuala Lumpur in about two and a half hours and Butterworth, for Penang, in about two. Buses reach the Cameron Highlands in about two hours.
The old town is walkable; use Grab for the cave temples and Kellie's Castle.
Costs
What Ipoh costs
Ipoh is cheap. Dorms start around €7 and a careful day is €18 to €28.
Most sights are free; Kellie's Castle and Gua Tempurung charge a few euros. A white coffee is under €1.
Foreign visitors pay a tourism tax of RM10 per room per night, added to accommodation bills.
The currency is the Malaysian ringgit (MYR or RM); prices here are euro equivalents, at roughly 5 ringgit to the euro. Cards and e-wallets work widely in cities; carry cash for hawker stalls and smaller towns.
Safety
Staying safe in Ipoh
Ipoh is safe and relaxed.
The cave temples have steep, uneven steps; wear proper shoes.
Complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card online within three days before arriving.
Emergency number is 999.
Day trips from Ipoh
Tea plantations, an unfinished castle and a giant cave.
Cameron Highlands
Tea plantations and cool air.
Kellie's Castle
An unfinished mansion from the 1910s.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Chinese New Year fills the old town with lanterns.
January or February
Chinese New Year
Old town
Lanterns.
January or February
Thaipusam
Ipoh
Processions.
Hostels
Where to stay in Ipoh
The top-rated places to stay in Ipoh right now, live from Hostelworld.
When to go
Warm all year.
Jan
Chinese New Year
Feb
Dry
Mar
Good
Apr
Rainy
May
Good
Jun
Good
Jul
Dry
Aug
Merdeka
Sep
Good
Oct
Rainy
Nov
Wettest
Dec
Holidays
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Prices are in ringgit locally; these are euro equivalents.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Ipoh travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
What is Ipoh white coffee?
Coffee roasted with palm-oil margarine, served with condensed milk. It was invented in Ipoh.
What should I eat?
Bean sprout chicken, Ipoh hor fun, dim sum and tau fu fah.
How do I get there?
By ETS train from Kuala Lumpur, about two and a half hours.
Are the cave temples free?
Mostly, or ask for a small donation.
How many days do you need?
One or two.
When is the best time to visit?
Year-round.
Is Ipoh a good stop on the way to Penang?
Yes, it is on the train line between Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth.
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