Ipoh Travel Guide – Visit Ipoh – Budget Travel In Malaysia

Visit Ipoh, Malaysia to experience a city that has been rediscovered by a new generation of travellers enticed by its food, street art, historic buildings and coffee shops.

Following its status as the world’s biggest producer of tin, Ipoh fell into decline in the 1980s. It is now enjoying a renaissance as travellers come to enjoy its colonial architecture, traditional food and fantastic street art. It is surrounded by breathtaking white cliffs, some of which are home to ancient cave temples.

Having already spent a couple of nights in Taiping, we moved into Ipoh before continuing on to Cameron Highlands.

WHERE TO STAY IN IPOH | FOOD AND DRINK IN IPOH | THINGS TO DO IN IPOH

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How To Get To Ipoh From Taiping

Getting from Taiping to Ipoh couldn’t have been easier. From our hotel in Ipoh, we took a Grab taxi to the Kamunting bus station and simply bought a ticket for the next bus; there was no need to book online in advance. Buses run quite regularly throughout the day. If you want to be absolutely sure, you can always book online at 12GO.

The bus station in Ipoh is quite far from the city centre. You can take another bus or, more conveniently, take a Grab taxi for around 15 MYR.

Where To Stay In Ipoh

CLICK HERE FOR ALL ACCOMMODATION IN IPOH!

These are some of the best budget hostels in Ipoh, according to user reviews. These are affiliate links to the Agoda web site. I found Agoda to be much better than booking.com in Southeast Asia. I receive a small amount for any bookings made through these links at no extra cost to you.

• Homey Hostel
• Abby By The River
• 1981 Guest House
• Vloft Backpackers Hostel
• Edm Space
• The Stadiums Hostel Ipoh
• Beds In Garden Hostel Ipoh

Grayhaus Solo

Our budget and needs had narrowed our choice down to two places. We eventually chose ‘Grayhaus Soho’ (map) simply because it was the cheaper option.

It was a late check-in at the hotel (3 pm) but we were able to leave our bags in the lounge area and have a wander around the local area. ‘Grayhaus Soho’ is a self-check-in place, meaning that you are sent an email on the morning of your arrival with a code to get in the building and further instructions on how to get into your room. It all went smoothly. The accommodation is also available to rent on Air BnB.

The room was small but we had natural light and the bed was comfortable. The bathroom was fine and the WiFi was excellent. On the first floor, there is a lounge area which also has a small kitchen area. They provide free tea/coffee and hot/cold water and their is a microwave, kettle and toaster. They also provide free bread and eggs, as well as peanut butter and jam. Drinks and snacks are available and you pay by putting your money in a jar.

We enjoyed our time in this accommodation. The location is good and it has everything you need for a short stay in Ipoh.

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We paid £37 for 3 nights.

Click here to stay at ‘Grayhouse Soho’.

Food And Drink In Ipoh

There are literally hundreds of restaurants in Ipoh serving traditional Malaysian food and some local dishes. Bars are not as common but they are there to be found. Buying ‘sets’ of beer seemed to be the most economical way of enjoying a night out.

Bricks & Barrels

Situated amongst a small cluster of bars (pretty much the only place to drink in Ipoh) is Bricks & Barrels. I would have liked to try out some of the other bars but the cheapest way to drink in Malaysia seems to be by buying a ‘set’ of beer, thus paying less for each beer. Here, that meant 5 beers (mixed choice) cost 60 MYR. There is also a 6% service charge. It is a decent bar that also offers food. Live music started around 9.30. I’m guessing it stays open late as the band were to perform 3 sets. Map.

Briyani King

The spelling of ‘biryani’ should have been a warning sign. It got off to a great start. We ordered a garlic naan bread to have with our biriyani but as it came before with a mint dip and a vegetable daal, we had it as a starter. It was very tasty. After waiting a considerable time, our biryani arrived. I had mutton and Joanna had fish. My mutton was very fatty and Joanna said her fish was too coated in batter, there was hardly any fish. Disappointing. Map.

Funny Mountain

We came here for one reason only: to try the ‘tau fu fah’. ‘Tau fu fah’ is made up of tofu so soft, it just melts in your mouth and slides down your throat. It was a bit strange at first but I started to enjoy it. It is served in a sugary liquid but it was a shame that there were no other choice of toppings. I can imagine coconut working well, for example. Maybe the whole point is the smoothness and the ability to gulp it straight down. Map.

Happy 8 Cafe

We came in here after a day of cycling for a cool drink. The lemon juice was cold and fresh, and the waitress was extremely pleasant. It’s a very nice place and can be accessed from both Market Lane and Jalan Market. Map.

Ipoh Old Town White Coffee

We did the tourist thing and went for an Ipoh white coffee, even though we knew it would be too sweet for us. There is a choice of three flavours of white coffee as well as other drinks and food. The coffee is sweet but tasty. Map.

Kuma’s Cheese Toast

We had first seen this oddity in Bangkok and then in other places on our travels. It is basically a cheese toasty but the cheese is rainbow coloured and stretches for what seems like forever. Unfortunately, mine was a bit of an anti-climax and pretty tasteless too. Good for novelty value only. Map.

Park Beer Garden

Situated above a 7-eleven, we came to this bar for some beers and ended up eating too. 80 MYR bought 6 glasses of beer. The food was decent. There was a big crowd of Malaysian bankers getting progressively more drunk and loud when we visited. It was quite amusing. Map.

Restoran Nasi Kandar Sharol Latiff

Typical Malaysian ‘help-yourself’ restaurant. The woman who welcomed us was very helpful and told us what each dish was, even understanding Joanna’s vegetarian requirements. The food was delicious, probably the best restaurant in Ipoh that we visited. The chap who took our money was very happy that we enjoyed the food. Map.

Things To Do In Ipoh

Ipoh is a big enough place that you could easily spend a few days here just wandering the city streets. However, there are also cave temples and incomplete castles to visit, should you fancy it.

22 Hale Street Heritage Gallery

A heritage museum above a cafe in the old town. Some of the displays are interactive so you can get in character and take some silly pictures. As we did. Map.

22 Hale Street Heritage Gallery Opening Times: 10 am – 12:30 pm, 1:30 – 6 pm, Tues – Sun.
22 Hale Street Heritage Gallery Entrance Fee: 5 MYR.

Gerbang Malam Night Market

Our first 2 attempts at visiting the night market resulted in failure because of the rain. However, on our last night in Ipoh, the rain held out and I managed to visit. No food here but some impressive stalls; not only selling counterfeit goods but some great vintage-style, second-hand t-shirts for only 5 MYR. Everything is priced so no need to haggle. Some real bargains to be found. Map.

Gerbang Malam Night Market Opening Times: 6 pm – 12 am, every day.

Kek Lok Tong Caves

We decided to cycle to Kek Tok Long caves temple. We hired our bikes from ‘Abby by the River’ (map). Rental cost 10 MYR for 3 hours, or 20 MYR for up to 8 hours. Joanna’s bike was ok but the rest were in a bit of a state. They could all do with a bit of TLC!

We tried as much as possible to stay off the main highway on our way to the caves. It was a decent ride: very flat. It took us just over an hour to get to the cave.

Inside the cave is very beautiful. It is well lit and not a difficult cave to explore (it has stairs and marble flooring).

The gardens are also very beautiful.

We decided to cycle back on the main roads as it was much quicker. It was actually OK as Malaysian drivers seem to be quite considerate of cyclists.

Kek Lok Tong Cave Opening Times: 7 am – 4.30 pm, every day.
Kek Lok Tong Cave Entrance Fee: Free admission.

Old Town Ipoh

Situated on the west side of the Kinta River, Ipoh’s old town has drawn comparisons with George Town thanks to its old, crumbling Chinese shophouses, street art and hip coffee shops. Concubine Lane (map) and Kong Heng Square (map) are not to be missed. It is smaller and less busy than George Town but it does have the same charm and appeal. Ipoh’s bars, however, are on the east side of the river, meaning the old town is a very quiet place at night.

Street Art Ipoh

Like George Town, keep your eyes peeled for the street art in Ipoh. Some pieces are impossible to miss; others may take a little more discovery work.

Some of the art is interactive so you might have to wait your turn.

The Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic, known for his work in George Town, also has a number of street art pieces here. You can pick up a map of their locations at the Ipoh Tourist Information Centre (map).

The majority of the street art is in the old town. However, Mural Arts Lane (map) in the new town is also worth checking out.

Is Ipoh Worth Visiting?

Ipoh is a great city to visit if you are travelling between Penang and Kuala Lumpur as it is pretty much halfway between these two popular destinations. Likewise, if you are heading to the Cameron Highlands, I would definitely recommend a stop-off in Ipoh and, if time allows, the nearby Taiping which offers a less touristy alternative.