Ipoh City Guide

Geography, demographics, and international relations

Ipoh is Malaysia’s third largest city. As of 2019, Ipoh had a population of 673,318. It is the capital city of one of Malaysia’s thirteen states, Perak. It is 180km north of Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur and is located by the Kinta River. Ipoh is twinned with two sister cities: Nanning in China and Fukuoka in Japan. The city has its own flag and official seal as well as a motto, ‘Ipoh Clean, Green and Progressive’ (Ipoh Bersih, Hijau dan Maju).

History of Ipoh

The origin of the name ‘Ipoh’ comes from a local tree, Pohon Epu. This tree, more typically known at Pokok Ipoh nowadays, has a poisonous sap that was used by the Orang Asli (indigenous Malaysians) to coat the tips of their blowpipe darts for hunting.  There are very few of these trees remaining, but one is conserved outside Ipoh’s historic railway station. Sadly however, as recently as 2020 the large one has vanished (maybe chopped down?) and replaced with a young version.

Although Ipoh was initially a small village, the discovery of large accumulations of tin in the area around the 1880s propelled its growth exponentially. Despite a huge fire that destroyed half of the town in 1892, Ipoh continued to grow. Indeed, the fire presented the opportunity to reorganise and rebuild the town which better served the second tin mining boom of the 1920s and 1930s.

Ipoh Gastronomy

Ipoh is often cited as Malaysia’s food capital. Its gastronomical scene is as diffuse as it is vast. Over the past decade or so, Ipoh has witnessed a significant growth in gourmet tourism and consequently an expansion of the city’s food and beverage economy. At IpohGo we have very carefully and diligently compiled a list of Ipoh’s top dishes accompanied by informative articles that explain each culinary offering as well as its origin, ingredients, and cooking methods.

Tourism and Transport

Ipoh’s is strategically located between Kuala Lumpur and George Town (Penang Island) and consequently is a key transportation hub. Besides the North–South Expressway (Northern Route E1) that passes through Ipoh, the city is also well served by trains on the West Coast Line. Ipoh can also be reached by plane, boasting its own Sultan Azlan Shah Airport.

Having good transport links has been integral to Ipoh’s popularity as a tourist destination over recent years. Being Malaysia’s unofficial ‘food capital’ and featuring British colonial-era architecture, Ipoh is a hot holidaymaker destination nowadays. Alongside natural attractions (such as the limestone hills and caves that house Buddhist temples) it also hosts museums, theme parks and places of significant historical interest. IpohGo navigates you through the city’s fine attractions

Ipoh Weather & Best Time to Visit

The average temperatures are given in the table below. In terms of rainy days, it’s a tropical climate so there are many but the wettest months tend to be April, October, November and December with over 250mm of rainfall each month.