Ipoh
See & Do
Ipoh attractions are a must! A trip to Malaysia is not complete unless you visit this incredible city. As well as being widely acclaimed as the country’s food capital, Ipoh attractions are some of the best and unique Malaysia has to offer.
Ipoh Attractions
Categories
Art Galleries and Museums
Mural Arts Trail
The Mural Arts Trail in Ipoh’s old town is based around the vicinity of Panglima Lane. Ernest Zacharevic’s mural work in Georgetown on Penang Island (around 150km north east of Ipoh) inspired the project. In 2014 Ipoh City Council and the famous Ipoh based company, Old Town White Coffee, commissioned the same Lithuanian artist to paint seven murals.
Mural Arts Lane: Over 7 years old and still evolving, renewing, and inspiring
Eric Lai started Mural Arts Lane in Ipoh back in early 2013. It is on Jalan Masjid, just a short walk (around 750 metres over the Kinta river and less than 10 minutes on foot) from Concubine Lane. It lies besides Panglima Kinta Mosque, which also welcomes visitors. All the murals are painted on back walls of old heritage houses in the so-called ‘New Town’ of Ipoh.
Caves
Kwan Yin Tong Temple: Ipoh’s 2nd Oldest Cave Temple
Perak Kwan (or Guan) Yin Tong Cave Temple Ipoh’s second oldest cave temples and it is certainly worth paying a visit. It lies at the foot of Gunung Rapat on Jalan Gopeng, Ipoh. The temple is also known as Tokong Kwan Yin Tong or Guan Yin Tong Temple.
Guan Yin Dan Ba Xian Tong Cave Temple
This is a small cave temple that does not really feature on anyone’s Ipoh tourist itinerary. It is interesting that they have called this temple ‘Guan Yin Dan’ rather than ‘Guan Yin Tan’, which suggests that it is a Hokkien Chinese temple in origin. Like the Kwan Yin Tong Temple, this one too is dedicated to Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy.
Chinese and Buddhist Temples
Discovering the Wonders of Sam Poh Tong Temple in Ipoh
Nestled amidst the lush green hills of Ipoh, Malaysia, the Sam Poh Tong Temple is a sight to behold. This magnificent temple is one of the oldest and most famous…
Kek Lok Tong Temple: A Hidden Gem in the Heart of Ipoh
Nestled in the heart of Ipoh, Malaysia, lies a hidden gem that is sure to take your breath away. Kek Lok Tong Temple, also known as the Cave of Ultimate…
Ethnic and Cultural
Indian Muslim Mosque: Founded in 1908 by a Wealthy Trader
Ipoh’s Indian Muslim Mosque (or Masjid India Muslim Ipoh) is directly facing Ipoh’s Town Padang (Field) on Jalan S.P. Seenivasagam (formerly Clayton Road). It is next door to the St. Michaelʼs Institution. Some locals refer to this mosque as ‘Town Padang Mosque’ by virtue of the fact that it is opposite to the Town Padang.
Sultan Idris Shah II Mosque: Discover Perak’s Official State Mosque
The construction of the mosque began in May 1966 and taken two and half years to complete. In late 1968 it opened as Perak’s ‘State Mosque’, but it was not ‘officially’ opened until a decade later by the eponymous Sultan Idris Shah II of Perak as part of his 54th birthday celebration.
Food and Shopping
Kopitiams: Are you a Traditionalist, or is Modernisation More Your Cup of Tea?
A kopitiam is an ‘old-fashioned’ coffee shop (more on the modernisation later) that can be found throughout Malaysia. The word kopi is a Malay term for coffee while tiam is the Hokkien/Hakka term for shop. A typical kopitiam serves a wide selection of beverages, as well as some simple food such as bread, toast with kaya and butter as well as half-boiled eggs.
Exploring Ipoh’s Hawker Centres and Food Courts
Hawker Centres are ubiquitous throughout Ipoh. Whilst there are variations, essentially, they are open-air developments that house a collection of hawker stalls selling low-cost food.
Heritage and History
Indian Muslim Mosque: Founded in 1908 by a Wealthy Trader
Ipoh’s Indian Muslim Mosque (or Masjid India Muslim Ipoh) is directly facing Ipoh’s Town Padang (Field) on Jalan S.P. Seenivasagam (formerly Clayton Road). It is next door to the St. Michaelʼs Institution. Some locals refer to this mosque as ‘Town Padang Mosque’ by virtue of the fact that it is opposite to the Town Padang.
Sultan Idris Shah II Mosque: Discover Perak’s Official State Mosque
The construction of the mosque began in May 1966 and taken two and half years to complete. In late 1968 it opened as Perak’s ‘State Mosque’, but it was not ‘officially’ opened until a decade later by the eponymous Sultan Idris Shah II of Perak as part of his 54th birthday celebration.
Indian Temples
Kallumalai Arulmigu Sri Subramaniyar Temple: A Tragic History
Unlike the Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur, this impressive Indian temple is not built inside one of the magnificent limestone caves. Originally, in 1889, it was. However, after a tragic accident where a priest was killed from a falling rock, a new structure was erected in 1930 away from the cave alongside the Kinta riverbank.
Monuments and Landmarks
Birch Memorial Clock Tower: 4 Faces and a Murder
Built to commemorate and honour James W. W. Birch, the first British resident of the state of Perak, the Birch Memorial Clock Tower was unveiled in 1909. At the time it cost $25,000 to construct. It is located in Ipoh’s Kinta District across the road from the Ipoh State Mosque, Sultan Idris Shah II Mosque, and just a few hundred metres from Ipoh Railway Station.
Mosques
Indian Muslim Mosque: Founded in 1908 by a Wealthy Trader
Ipoh’s Indian Muslim Mosque (or Masjid India Muslim Ipoh) is directly facing Ipoh’s Town Padang (Field) on Jalan S.P. Seenivasagam (formerly Clayton Road). It is next door to the St. Michaelʼs Institution. Some locals refer to this mosque as ‘Town Padang Mosque’ by virtue of the fact that it is opposite to the Town Padang.
Sultan Idris Shah II Mosque: Discover Perak’s Official State Mosque
The construction of the mosque began in May 1966 and taken two and half years to complete. In late 1968 it opened as Perak’s ‘State Mosque’, but it was not ‘officially’ opened until a decade later by the eponymous Sultan Idris Shah II of Perak as part of his 54th birthday celebration.
Religious Sites
Indian Muslim Mosque: Founded in 1908 by a Wealthy Trader
Ipoh’s Indian Muslim Mosque (or Masjid India Muslim Ipoh) is directly facing Ipoh’s Town Padang (Field) on Jalan S.P. Seenivasagam (formerly Clayton Road). It is next door to the St. Michaelʼs Institution. Some locals refer to this mosque as ‘Town Padang Mosque’ by virtue of the fact that it is opposite to the Town Padang.
Sultan Idris Shah II Mosque: Discover Perak’s Official State Mosque
The construction of the mosque began in May 1966 and taken two and half years to complete. In late 1968 it opened as Perak’s ‘State Mosque’, but it was not ‘officially’ opened until a decade later by the eponymous Sultan Idris Shah II of Perak as part of his 54th birthday celebration.