As one of the most populated cities in Malaysia, Ipoh has much to offer. And there are many ways to fill an Ipoh itinerary!
It’s a shame that many choose to skip a trip to Ipoh in favor of Penang or Malacca. Or just use Ipoh as a rest point before going up to Cameron Highlands!
Have a look at our ready-made itineraries below so you don’t miss out on anything!
Table of contents:
- Ipoh Itinerary Highlights
- How Long Should You Stay In Ipoh?
- Ipoh Itinerary
- Getting Around In Ipoh
- How To Get To Ipoh
- Accommodation In Ipoh
- Day Trips From Ipoh
Any good Ipoh itinerary usually has the following, and for good reason:
1. Ipoh Itinerary Highlights
These are the best of Ipoh attractions and most accessible too. You don’t necessarily need a car either although a car would be much more convenient (and comfortable).
And you best believe that there are actually tourists that come to Ipoh just for the food!
In fact, locals from neighboring states often make a weekend excursion to Ipoh for this reason.
1.1. Ipoh Food Trip
Steep competition guarantees an impressively high standard when it comes to the taste of Ipoh food.
Many hawker stalls are run by the owners themselves who have had years (sometimes, passed on from parents to children) to perfect their sole dish.
There is everything from:
- Laksa,
- Curry mee,
- Hakka mee,
- Kai se hor fun,
- Chee cheong fun,
- Wantan mee
And others!
Don’t know where to start? See a list of must-try food in Ipoh.
Keep your eyes peeled:
1.2. Ipoh Street Art/ Mural Lane
You’ll definitely bump into a couple of these colorful wall murals in a stray alley or at the back of a building when you’re exploring Ipoh Old Town and Ipoh New Town.
There are particularly many instances of street art in Mural Art’s Lane: Jalan Masjid, Taman Jubilee, 30300 Ipoh,Perak
And if you want to see the ones painted by Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic:
- Old Town Relieves Nostalgia With Trishaw (Pictured below)
- Hanging Kopi O Ikat Tepi
- A Yellow Hummingbird
- Kids Riding a Paper Plane
- An Old Uncle Drinking Coffee
- Evolution (Tin mining Dredge)
Grab a map from the Ipoh Tourist Information Center.
Address: 1, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, 30300 Ipoh, Perak
Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday: 8am – 1pm, 2pm – 5pm
Friday: 8am – 12:15pm, 2:45pm – 5pm
Saturday and Sunday: 9am – 1pm, 2pm – 5pm
While you’re at the Ipoh Tourist Information Center:
1.3. Ipoh Heritage Walk/ Historical Buildings
Don’t forget to grab a map of the Ipoh heritage walk! Or download an Ipoh heritage map from the Ipoh World website.
This walk will take you around all the buildings of historical significance in Ipoh.
Including a British-colonial building, Ipoh Railway Station, and other landmarks like the Birch Memorial Clock Tower.
Allow at least 1-2 hours.
Tips:
- Start early in the morning (8am) or in the evening (6:30pm) to avoid the suffocating heat
- Bring drinking water and wear comfortable shoes and a hat
A unique feature of Ipoh:
1.4. Ipoh Cave Temples
Ipoh is home to at least 20 of these wonderful temples that take advantage of the geographical features around them!
Some of these temples were built in the 1950s!
The most notable ones are:
2. How Long Should You Stay In Ipoh?
Should you stay in Ipoh for a few hours? Or 2 days or 3 days?
1 day seems like you are just scratching the surface unless you’ll be in Malaysia for a while. Then, you can always make a trip to Ipoh when you have a day to spare.
However, if your passion is food, staying for 2 days will really allow you to savor the best of Ipoh food. And give your tummy time to digest!
But if you want to see something most first-time tourists don’t see, stay an extra day and go beyond Ipoh Old Town!
3. Ipoh Itinerary
Ipoh is a laidback city and your Ipoh itinerary should reflect this pace!
- Start the day with breakfast in a local kopitiam – Try Ipoh white coffee!
- Go on the Ipoh heritage walk
- Visit a historical museum or antique gallery
- Stay cool in one of Ipoh’s many cave temples
- Try silky-smooth tau fu fah!
- See how Tambun pomelos are grown
- End the day with a roadside “snow beer”
If you can only afford a day to see Ipoh:
3.1. Ipoh Day Trip Itinerary
A 1 day trip in Ipoh is common as many see Ipoh as a passing stop rather than the end destination.
The one we have planned here assumes you plan to walk for most of the day.
With the highlight being Ipoh Old Town.
Ipoh One Day Trip Schedule
The earlier you arrive, the better to avoid the afternoon heat!
Morning:
- Arrive for breakfast or brunch at Nam Heong White Coffee (or Kedai Kopi Sin Yoon Loong) – try egg tarts and Ipoh White Coffee.
- Explore Concubine Lane and Kong Heng Square.
- Miniature Wonders Art Gallery is worth a peep. So is the Yasmin Ahmad museum (in Book Xcess Kong Heng).
- Spot some Ipoh street art by Ernest Zacharevic at Old Town too.
Afternoon:
- Have lunch at Thean Chun but prepare for a long wait for the kai se hor fun.
- Visit Han Chin Pet Soo museum (requires booking) for an eye-opener into Ipoh’s tin mining history. And while you’re here, check out Ho Yan Hor Museum next door.
- Attempt the Ipoh Heritage Walk (e.g. Birch memorial clock tower, Ipoh railway station, Ipoh high court, St. Michael Old Building)
- Go for some local desserts – tau fu fah at Big Mom Beancurd or cendol at Deen CT Corner Cendol
- Or cool down at an Ipoh café (Pâtisserie BoutiQue or Aud’s by JJ Café)
- Or cross over to Ipoh New Town and have lunch (Lou Wong’s chicken rice)
- See some murals at Mural Art’s Lane
Evening:
- Pick up salted chicken at Ayam Garam Aun Kheng Lim (Main Branch) first
- Shop for souvenirs (Sin Weng Fai Peanut Candy Shop, Guan Heong Biscuit Shop, Ching Han Guan 鍾漢元, Kedai Biskut Sin Eng Heong)
- Have one last meal in Ipoh – Lou Wong’s chicken rice or Restoran Tuck Kee
- From 7 pm onwards, you can see the Gerbang Malam (night market)
Want to see something less touristy with a local Ipoh-born guide to show you the way?
You can book a Ipoh private tour with RayTheTour through WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger!
3.2. Ipoh 2 Days 1 Night Itinerary
2 days is the sweet spot for exploring Ipoh!
The itinerary here is a continuation of the 1-day itinerary above.
On the first day:
Night:
- Get supper or dessert (or both) at Tong Sui Kai
- Go shopping at Ipoh Parade Shopping mall
- Check out Ipoh nightlife (Bricks & Barrels or Fei Bo Snow beer)
There’s a whole medley of places to check out at night in Ipoh actually.
On the second day:
Wake up as early as you can.
Morning:
- Try some Ipoh dim sum (Restoran Chooi Yue Dim Sum or Ming Court Hong Kong Dim Sum)!
- Alternatively, have a typical Malaysian breakfast at Moon De Moon (curry mee and kai se hor fun)
- Go see Perak Cave Temple (or Perak Tong) or Qing Xin Ling Leisure And Cultural Village (recreational park)
- Have a bowl of smooth Ipoh tau fu far at Funny Mountain Soya Beancurd
Afternoon:
- For lunch, try Restoran Nasi Ayam Pak Kong, fish head noodles at 辉记石斑鱼头米粉 or Dai Shu Geok Big Tree Foot Yong Tau Foo – 锦记大小脚茶室
- If you still want to look for souvenirs, then you can have lunch at Sun Yeong Wai Roasted Duck (Sri Ampang) 新揚威烤鴨（安邦總店）instead as it is a couple of shops away from Yee Hup.
- Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring cave temples (Kek Lok Tong, Ling Sen Tong, Nam Thean Tong, and Sam Poh Tong)
Tip: If you’re heading back to Kuala Lumpur, leaving right after lunch will mean less traffic.
Evening:
- Fancy Nyonya food? Have an early dinner at Yum Yum Restaurant Ipoh
- Or have dinner at this Chinese seafood restaurant, Pusing Public Seafood Restaurant
As a further extension of the previous itinerary:
3.3. Ipoh 3 Days 2 Night Itinerary
Staying longer in Ipoh means more opportunities to try Ipoh food! And this is where you can get out of Ipoh to explore other interesting places.
On the second day:
Night:
- Soak at the hot springs at Sunway’s Lost World of Tambun
- Or go for a massage at Thai Oasis (ICC Club)
On the third day:
You can easily spend the whole of this day at Sunway Lost World of Tambun! They have quite a substantial zoo that the kids will particularly enjoy!
Or you can do the following:
Morning:
- Breakfast at Chang Jiang White Coffee
- Journey to Kellie’s Castle
- After visiting Kellie’s, go for a tour at Tin Dredge No. 5 at Batu Gajah (call first)
Other morning activities:
- Hiking up Bukit Kledang
- Caving at Gua Tempurung
- White water rafting at Gopeng
Afternoon:
- Have a seafood lunch at Tanjung Tualang village (Thong Lok Seafood Restaurant, Yew Kei Seafood Restaurant or Luen Fong Restaurant)
- Stop by the Kinta Tin Mining (Gravel Pump) Museum at Kampar
- HOGA Gaharu Tea Valley in Gopeng
Evening:
- Dinner At Yum Yum Restaurant Ipoh or Durbar
For those who didn’t drive their way to Ipoh:
4. Getting Around In Ipoh
There are 3 main entry points then:
- AmanJaya Bus Terminal
- Ipoh Railway Station
- Ipoh Airport (Sultan Azlan Shah Airport)
It is possible to walk to Ipoh Old Town from Ipoh Railway Station if you don’t have much luggage weighing you down. And if you don’t mind the heat of the day.
As for the other two arrival points, you will need to rely on public or private transport.
Public/ Private Transport In Ipoh
There are pros and cons of each:
| Transport | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Bus | -Cheap | -Unreliable (i.e. not punctual) -The main station (Ipoh AmanJaya) is 20 minutes’ from town |
| Taxi | -Convenient in the city | -Harder to find one further from Ipoh town -Sometimes, you get a taxi that does not have a meter and the driver can charge more -More expensive in certain situations (i.e. public holiday, off-peak hours, airport transfer, etc) |
| E-hail taxi | -Convenient in the city -Affordable |
-Still not as many as in Kuala Lumpur -Certain areas out of the city centre have longer waiting times before you get a willing driver |
| Car rental | -You can go where you want | -It’s difficult to navigate and find parking in Ipoh Old Town during the weekends -Expensive for solo travellers |
| Private tour service | -You don’t have to drive (or park) -Comfortable -Personal guide who is Ipoh-born -Pick up / drop off within Ipoh -You can also go to Camerons/ Taiping with the same tour |
-Expensive for solo travellers |
The private tour service we’re recommending is RayTheTour.
You can book them on WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.
5. How To Get To Ipoh
Ipoh is on the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia flanked by Penang, Pahang, and Selangor.
The 3 neighboring states are linked by main highways making Ipoh highly accessible.
Especially if you have your own car!
What about Singapore?
5.1. Singapore To Ipoh
Most options take at least 5 hours:
- Train (multiple transits) from Singapore > Johor > Gemas – takes around 5 hours
- Bus (direct) – close to 8 hours!
- Self-drive – ~7 hours
Unless you choose to fly to Ipoh directly.
5.1.1. Singapore To Ipoh By Flight
This is by far, the quickest option!
- First, get yourself to Changi Airport in Singapore:
- Then, take the 1 hour and 15 minutes flight to Ipoh.
There are up to 6 flights a day from Singapore to Sultan Azlan Shah Airport, Ipoh.
Update (April, 2022) – Now there is typically just one flight a day (by Scoot Airlines) around noon.
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Price range: S$40 – 420 or RM 120 – 1,260
5.2. Kuala Lumpur To Ipoh
From Kuala Lumpur, there are many options to choose from if you want to go to Ipoh.
- ETS train to Ipoh Railway Station – 3 hours, tickets from RM36
- Bus from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan to Ipoh AmanJaya Bus Terminal – ~3 hours, from RM20
- Taxi – 2 hours with no traffic, RM200 to RM300
- Self-drive via Lebuhraya Utara – Selatan/E1 (North-South Highway) – 2 hours, ~RM60 for petrol and toll
Note:
- Prices listed are subject to increase during public holidays and upcoming festivals (e.g. Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, etc)
- There is currently no direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh!
5.3. Penang To Ipoh
If you have your own car, it’s only too easy to make a trip down to Ipoh from Penang!
5.3.1. Penang To Ipoh by Self-driving
Using Lebuhraya Utara – Selatan/AH2/E1:
Duration: 2 hours (~161km)
Price range: RM30 to refuel and toll fees around RM16.8.
5.3.2. Penang To Ipoh by Bus
There are a few departure points for taking a bus to Ipoh from Penang – either from the island or on the mainland.
And several trips throughout the day too, including the early hours of the morning.
3 Departure points from Penang Island to Ipoh:
- Penang Komtar
- George Town
- Sungai Nibong
2 Departure points from Penang Mainland (Butterworth or Perai):
- Penang Sentral (Butterworth)
- Chai Leng Park – Caltex
You can book your bus ticket online via easybook.com.
Most bus operators will drop you off at Ipoh AmanJaya Bus Terminal.
Price range: RM15-35
Read more: How To Go To Ipoh From Penang
6. Accommodation In Ipoh
As with the food industry, the hotel sector in Ipoh is equally competitive which is good news for visitors!
6.1. Ipoh Hotel
You’ll immediately see that there are a lot of hotels in Ipoh.
Both of these have something unique about them:
6.1.1. Weil Hotel Ipoh
A modern hotel with contemporary rooms:
- Infinity pool overlooking Ipoh skyline
- Rooftop bar and restaurant (and other dining options)
- Connected to a shopping mall (Ipoh Parade)
- Close to Tong Sui Kai (Dessert Street)
- Covered and secure parking
Address: 292, Jalan Sultan Idris Shah, 30000 Ipoh, Perak
Contact: +605-208 2228
Check Best Price On:
Designed after a Bali-esque resort:
6.1.2. Ipoh Bali Hotel
Ipoh Bali Hotel is a little pricier than your average Ipoh boutique hotel:
But they have an almost-perfect record for their reviews!
- In-house spa
- Delicious breakfast menu (local cuisine)
- Beautiful décor
- Quiet neighborhood
- Close to Secret Garden restaurant
6.2. Ipoh Homestay
Homestays are great if you have a bigger group with you:
6.2.1. Grayhaus Soho
Grayhaus Soho is budget-friendly and very comfortable if you don’t mind small spaces too much!
It’s also walking distance to Ipoh Old Town.
Location: Ipoh New Town
Max Occupancy: 1 to 2 people
Price Range: Around RM65/night for 2 guests
Check Best Price On:
6.2.2. H2H – At Mind 9 Vacation LANDED House Ipoh Center
This renovated house-turned-homestay is extremely family-friendly!
And conveniently close to the airport too! A family of up to 8 will be cozy here.
Location: Close to Taman Chateau & Taman Kampar
Max Occupancy: Up to 8 people
Price Range: RM240/night for the entire house
More choices: 11 Exceptional Homestay In Ipoh
7. Day Trips From Ipoh
Make an Ipoh road trip since you are already in Ipoh!
Cameron Highlands is usually the next destination for many Ipoh visitors:
7.1. Ipoh To Cameron Highlands
The journey from Ipoh to Cameron Highlands is doable at 2 hours if you don’t mind windy roads!
Duration: 2 hours’ drive or more under heavy traffic
Distance from Ipoh: 89.8km
What’re the top attractions:
- Lavender Farm
- Strawberry Farms
- Cactus Farms
- Steamboat
- Golf
- Hiking
- BOH Tea Plantation
- Mossy Forest (Gunung Brinchang)
Read also: Cameron Highlands Itinerary: Cameron Highlands One Day Trip, 2D1N & 3D2N Itinerary
Taiping is a short drive from Ipoh with a very different character:
7.2. Ipoh To Taiping
It’s even quieter here than in Ipoh and many of the attractions will delight nature lovers!
Duration: 1 hour drive
Distance from Ipoh: 68.6km
What are the top attractions:
- Taiping Lake Gardens
- Taiping Zoo
- Perak Museum
- Bukit Larut (Maxwell Hill)
Read also: Orangutan Island: A Hidden Orangutan Sanctuary In West Malaysia
Just under 30 minutes from Taiping:
7.3. Ipoh To Kuala Sepetang
Kuala Sepetang is a rural fishing district at the Sangga river (Sungai Sangga).
There’s a special kind of mangrove tree here that attracts fireflies!
Duration: 1 hour drive from Ipoh
Distance from Ipoh: 73.9km
What are the top attractions:
- Fireflies (evening onwards)
- Eagles
- Matang Mangrove Reserve (Mangrove boardwalk)
- Charcoal Factory
- Kuala Sangga Fishing Village
- mee udang (Saleh Stall Mee Udang Port Weld)
Conclusion
If you’re Malaysian, you should definitely come over to Ipoh at least once! For foreigners, you can consider Ipoh a less commercial version of Penang:
But without the beaches. Instead, there are limestone hills, tin mining history, and cave temples!
Follow or alter these Ipoh itinerary plans for an Ipoh trip of your own! Or get more ideas with this travel itinerary planner tool!
You may also like these posts:
- 9 Best Chicken Rice In Ipoh (Besides Lou Wong)
- 15 Best Breakfast In Ipoh: Authentic & Local Breakfast Spots
- Penang Itinerary – How To Get The Most Out Of Your Penang Trip
- Kuala Selangor Attractions – One Day Trip Guide
- I-city Shah Alam – Digital City Wonder
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