Ipoh Tourist Information and Tourism

(Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia)

The capital of Peninsular Malaysia's Perak state, Ipoh lies inland from the country's west coast and was famous during the colonial era for its Kinta Valley tin-mining industry. When the mines finally closed in the 1970s, the city's economy slumped and many residents left for Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Nowadays, the city is a centre for retirees and the tourist gateway to Perak's many attractions.

Tourism is finally becoming important to the development of Ipoh, encouraged by the superb colonial architecture in the heart of the city, its charming Old Town set alongside the Kinta River.

Ipoh is famous for its restaurants, which serve delicious local foods influenced by the high proportion (roughly 70 percent) of ethnic Chinese in its population of over 700,000 people. This means that you should expect a noticeable old Asian character to much of the city, with lots of quaint Chinese shophouses. Now nicknamed as the 'Bougainvillea City', Ipoh contains a number of options when it comes to tourist information, with the main tourist outlet residing on the Jalan Tun Sambathan, next to the Padang playing field. The Padang is edged with some huge specimens of casuarina trees and during colonial times was used by the British for cricket.

Ipoh Tourist Information and Tourism: Top Sights

Much of the sightseeing on offer in Ipoh is centred around the city's Old Town and its attractions are of a colonial nature. The most impressive of these buildings include the Royal Ipoh Club, the Railway Station, St. Michael's School and the Town Hall (Dewan Bandaran), amongst the various old mansions and buildings. Across the Kinta River is the New Town area of the city, where the highest concentration of hotels and restaurants is to be found. Families may like to spend time relaxing at the centrally located D R Seenivasagam Park or alternatively take a short trip to the suburb of Tambun, where the Lost World of Tambun Water Park awaits, with its water slides, pools, waterfalls, hot springs and Tiger Valley. More information about Ipoh Tourist Attractions.

Tourists searching for the most iconic landmarks to photograph will find a few choices to capture. Standing in the Old Town is the Birch Memorial Clock Tower, which is decorated with some very ornate stone carvings of figures from history. Of course, the famous Buddhist cave temples also warrant a mention in this category, such as the trio of temples named the Kek Lok Tong, the Perak Tong and the Sam Poh. Built just over a century ago, the Indian Muslim Mosque features green and white Moghul-style architecture, lots of arches and a pair of minarets, meaning that it is hard to miss if you are in the area. For a drink and a bite to eat in historic surroundings, the Federated Malay States (FMS) Bar and Restaurant is the place to visit, or you may simply like to explore the reputedly haunted Kellie's Castle in the suburb town of Batu Gajar. More information about Ipoh Landmarks and Monuments.

The city's rich tin-mining past and former rubber industries are remembered at the museums of Ipoh, with others displaying exhibits and information relating to subject matters such as geology, archaeology and general local history. One to look out for in the city is the Darul Ridzuan Museum, which is near to the railway station and housed within an old villa. In nearby Taiping, the Perak State Museum is the oldest attraction of its kind in Malaysia and displays an extensive collection of archeological and ethnological treasures. Just an hour to the north, in Kampung Gajah, the Pasir Salak Historical Complex is worth the trip and remembers some of the country's greatest freedom fighters who helped Malaysia gain its independence from the United Kingdom in 1957. More information about Ipoh Museums.

Peninsular Malaysia comes with many sights that deserve to be seen by tourists on holiday here, and from Ipoh, various day trips and longer excursions are quite possible. It is strongly advised to pencil in a trip to the Cameron Highlands hill stations, where tea plantations, fruit farms and cool weather are just some of the reasons why so many people choose to visit each year. The limestone cave of Gua Tempurung is particularly close to Ipoh, as is the royal town of Kuala Kangsar and its riverside palace - the Istana Iskandariah. A little further away is Maxwell Hill and Kuala Sepetang, and further still are the islands of Pangkor and Penang, the latter of which is connected by the almost endless 13.5-km / 8-mile Penang Bridge (Jambatan Pulau Pinang). More information about Ipoh Attractions Nearby.

More Ipoh Information / Fast Facts and Orientation

• Country: Malaysia
• Location: Perak state / central Peninsular Malaysia
• Status: city
• Area: approximately 247 square miles / 640 square kilometres
• Population: approximately 725,000
• Language: Malay
• Currency: Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
• Time zone: MST (UTC + 8)
• Country dialling code: +60
• Telephone area code: 05
• Average daily Ipoh January temperature: 32°C / 90°F
• Average daily Ipoh July temperature: 32°C / 90°F