Ipoh, Perak

Ipoh Railway Station (19 October, 2018)


B. Melayu

Ipoh (Chinese: 怡保, Pinyin: Yíbǎo; GPS: 4.60085, 101.07769) is a medium-size city in Malaysia. It is located between Penang and Kuala Lumpur, it serves as the state capital of Perak. Since being accorded city status, the Ipoh City Council or Dewan Bandaraya Ipoh, includes smaller towns such as Chemor, Jelapang, Falim, Menglembu and Tanjung Rambutan. Historically however, Ipoh referred to the Old Town and New Town, two areas divided by the Kinta River at its heart, from which the city grew.

History of Ipoh

The name Ipoh is said to have come from a tree, the Antiaris toxicaria, which is more commonly known as pokok ipoh (also written ipuh, epu). This plant produces a poisonous sap that is used by the Orang Asli for their blowdarts. The name first appeared in a British map as Epau in 1876.¹ Ipoh is also known as San Seng in Chinese, which means "hill city" in the Cantonese. This probably refers to the many limestone outcrops around the city. An old nickname for Ipoh is City of Millionaires, referring to the vast fortunes made during the days of the tin and rubber industry.

The city grew out of a settlement known as Kampung Paloh around 1700, populated by Malays and Orang Asli. The name Paloh still exists today, such as in the name of Masjid Paloh. However the expansion of the town only gathered pace when Dato Panglima Kinta Yusuff encouraged inward migration.²

Being in the rich tin-bearing Kinta Valley, Ipoh was a boom town in the 1920s and 30s. When the price of tin collapsed in the 1950s, it resulted in the closure of many Ipoh tin mines, stagnating the growth of the town, and propelled its population to seek employment in other parts of Malaysia. Ipoh has a reputation of being one of the cleanest cities. It is also well known for its clear water supply, which allows it to be a choice producer of vegetables, especially bean sprouts.

Ipoh, like many major towns in Malaysia, has its share of heritage buildings. Unfortunately, a good number of them are today in a run-down state. Some, like the Pasar Bulat, is no longer standing, although it continues to appear on guidebooks. It is my desire to regularly update the information provided to you, so that it remains current and useful.

Map of Ipoh, Perak

List of sights in Ipoh

Chinese/Buddhist Temples and Monasteries in Ipoh

Government Buildings in Ipoh

Historic buildings in Ipoh

Hospitals in Ipoh

Hotels in Ipoh

Mosques in Ipoh

Shopping Malls in Ipoh

Map of places to eat in Ipoh

Places to eat in Ipoh

Map of things to buy in Ipoh

What to buy in Ipoh

Neighbourhoods and Townships of Ipoh

Hindu Temples in Ipoh

Churches in Ipoh

Gurdwaras in Ipoh

Monuments in Ipoh

Bridges in Ipoh

Schools in Ipoh

Public Amenities in Ipoh

Flats in Ipoh

Roundabouts in Ipoh

Geographical features in Ipoh

Categories of sights in Ipoh

Places near Ipoh

List of [an error occurred while processing this directive] Streets in Ipoh

Street Art in Ipoh

Petrol Stations in Ipoh

How to reach Ipoh

Going to Ipoh by road
Most visitors reach Ipoh by road. Exit the North-South Expressway Northern Route (E1) at the Jelapang Interchange (Exit 141), if you're coming from Penang. If you're coming from Kuala Lumpur, exit the expressway at the Ipoh Selatan Interchange (Exit 139).

Going to Ipoh by train
You can also take the train to Ipoh. The Electric Train Service (ETS) makes regular stops at the Ipoh Railway Station. Refer to the KTMB website for the ETS Train Schedule.

Going to Ipoh by flight
Ipoh's Sultan Azlan Shah Airport (IPH) receives flights by AirAsia (from Johor Bahru and Singapore), Malindo Air (from Johor Bahru) and Scoot (from Singapore).

Where to stay in Ipoh

Let me recommend to you the places where I have stayed in Ipoh. If you are looking for a place that is near to downtown, a good place to stay would be at Impiana Hotel Ipoh. Located on Jalan Sultan Dr Nazrin Shah, it is very near to downtown. So far, I have stayed there twice, and I like it very much. You can check the room rates on Agoda here.

Impiana Hotel Ipoh (19 October, 2018)


For an entirely difference experience, I recommend The Haven Resort Ipoh. This is a resort hotel surrounded by soaring karst outcrops. It has a gorgeous swimming pool, with heated Jacuzzi, located right next to a natural lake. Check room rates on Agoda here.

The Haven Resort Ipoh (9 August, 2019)


If you are traveling on a budget, you might want to consider Seemsoon Hotel. It is a no-frills hotel also quite near the Ipoh downtown. Room rates on Agoda here.

Seemsoon Hotel Ipoh (17 September, 2016)

What to visit in Ipoh

There are so many places to visit when you're in Ipoh. In this introduction, I offer you just a few selections, with a longer list in the map section below.

First stop, there's Taman Rekreasi Gunung Lang (GPS: 4.62745, 101.09056), a recreational park where you can engage in a wide variety of activities from boating to simply strolling.

Boat ride at Taman Rekreasi Gunung Lang (9 November,m 2015)


Located just north of Ipoh, it the suburb of Tambun, is a major waterpark called the Lost World of Tambun (GPS: 4.625816, 101.154768). It includes a hot spring and a spa.

Excursions from Ipoh

If you plan to make a short trip to Ipoh, do read day trips from Ipoh.

Ipoh Cuisine

Ipoh is famous among the people of Malaysia for its food. Ipoh people claim that their water supply, which is relatively hard (high alkali content) owing to Ipoh's location on top of a large karstic formation, makes the food especially tasty.

Ipoh is particularly famous for its "Sar Hor Fun", a flat white rice noodle. Folks from other towns often stop over in Ipoh to enjoy the dim sum if they arrive in the morning, and the nga choi kai, a dish of chicken and beansprouts, if they come in the evening. Ipoh's Hakka Mee and yong tau fee are also popular.

Dewan Bandaran Ipoh (18 September, 2005)


The interior of Nan Thien Tong, one of the cave temples in Ipoh (19 August 2006)


Ipoh Railway Station (18 September, 2005)

References

Back to Perak mainpage; list of Towns in Perak and State Capitals of Malaysia

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

 Discover with Timothy Ipoh Videos

Where to go, what to see when in Ipoh? Here are some suggestions with my videos!

 Ipoh Sight Index

 Streets of Ipoh

Map of Ipoh, Perak