Top places to visit in Ipoh

• Kellie's Castle

  castle ruin · 4.4 rating · about 1.3 h · check the fee at the gate

  An unfinished Scottish-Moorish mansion in the rubber plantations of Batu Gajah, 15 km south of Ipoh. William Kellie Smith began construction in 1915 but died in Lisbon in 1926 before it was completed. The multi-storey ruin features…

• Lost World of Tambun

  theme park · 4.5 rating · about 5 h · entry RM 160 (≈ ₹3,730)

  A sprawling hot-spring and theme-park resort set against towering limestone cliffs in Tambun, east of Ipoh. Combines a water park, amusement rides, a petting zoo, a tin mine museum, and natural hot-spring pools at 40°C. The Tiger Valley…

• Sam Poh Tong Cave Temple

  cave temple · 4.2 rating · about 1 h · free entry

  Nestled inside a dramatic limestone karst south of Ipoh, Sam Poh Tong is one of Malaysia's largest cave temples, a living place of worship since 1912. The main cave houses golden Buddha statues, incense burners, and meditation chambers…

• Concubine Lane

  heritage street · 4.0 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  A narrow pedestrianised alley in Ipoh Old Town named for a wealthy Hakka tin magnate who allegedly housed his concubines in these shophouses in the early 20th century. Today the lane is lined with artisan coffee shops serving Ipoh's famous…

• Ipoh Railway Station

  landmark · 4.0 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Grand 1917 Moorish-colonial station nicknamed the "Taj Mahal of Ipoh".

• St Michael's Institution

  landmark · 4.2 rating · about 0.3 h · free entry

  Striking 1912 French-Gothic school building, an Ipoh landmark.

• Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery

  history · 4.1 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate

  Royal gallery showcasing the late Sultan's life and Perak regalia.

• Gunung Lang Recreational Park

  park · 4.1 rating · about 1.5 h · free entry

  Lakeside park beneath limestone cliffs, reached by a short boat ride.

• Kek Look Tong Cave Temple

  cave-temple · 4.5 rating · about 1.3 h · free entry

  Vast bright cave temple with landscaped gardens and limestone ponds.

• D.R. Seenivasagam Park

  park · 4.3 rating · about 1 h · free entry

  Central city park with gardens, a lake and a Japanese garden.

• Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village

  village · 4.2 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  Lakeside cultural village with caves and old-Malaya film-set scenes.

• Gua Tempurung

  cave · 4.5 rating · about 2.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  One of Malaysia's largest show caves with river-and-scramble adventure tours.

Things to do

• Lost World of Tambun Theme & Hot Spring Park Entertainment · 7 h · from MYR 160 per person
• Ipoh Old Town Heritage & Street Art Walk Cultural · 2.5 h
• Sam Poh Tong Cave Temple & Turtle Pond Cultural · 1.5 h
• Lost World of Tambun & Hot Springs Day Sightseeing · 8 h · from MYR 100 per person
• Ipoh Cave Temples Tour Cultural · 4 h · from MYR 70 per person
• Ipoh Old Town Heritage & Mural Walk Cultural · 2.5 h · from MYR 61 per person
• Ipoh White Coffee & Food Trail Food · 3 h · from MYR 75 per person
• Gua Tempurung Caving Adventure Adventure · 4 h · from MYR 94 per person

Day trips and tours

• Ipoh Full Day: Old Town + Lost World of Tambun 10 h · from MYR 160
• Ipoh Heritage, Cave Temples & White Coffee Trail 7 h · from MYR 101

Where to stay in Ipoh

• Old Town about MYR 2,000 per night

  Historic town with colonial charm

Hotels

• The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat 5-star · MYR 1,500 to MYR 4,000 per night
• M Boutique Hotel Ipoh 4-star · MYR 220 to MYR 450 per night
• Weil Hotel 4-star · MYR 250 to MYR 560 per night
• M Boutique Hotel 4-star · MYR 180 to MYR 400 per night
• The Haven Resort Hotel Ipoh 5-star · MYR 350 to MYR 800 per night
• Sekeping Kong Heng 3-star · MYR 200 to MYR 450 per night

Where to eat

• Foh San Dim Sum Restaurant Chinese, Cantonese, Dim Sum · about MYR 38 per person
• Lou Wong Bean Sprout Chicken Rice Chinese, Malaysian · about MYR 28 per person
• Nam Heong Milk Tea & White Coffee Café, Chinese, Malaysian · about MYR 12 per person
• Restoran Lou Wong Annex Malaysian, Chinese · about MYR 20 per person
• Onn Kee Tauge Ayam Malaysian, Chinese · about MYR 20 per person
• Cowan Street Ayam Tauge & Koctel Malaysian, Chinese · about MYR 20 per person
• Thean Chun (Hor Hee) Malaysian, Chinese · about MYR 15 per person
• Kong Heng Restaurant Malaysian, Chinese · about MYR 15 per person

Getting to Ipoh

Airport: Ipoh (IPH)

How visitors arrive in Ipoh

• ETS / KTM train from Kuala Lumpur By train from Kuala Lumpur · common

  Ipoh station is on the west-coast line with several trains from KL; services also connect with Butterworth. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Long-distance bus to Terminal Amanjaya By road from Kuala Lumpur / Penang / Singapore · common

  Terminal Amanjaya is the main long-distance bus terminal, with frequent routes to KL, Singapore and Penang. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

• Fly to KL or Penang, continue overland By air from Kuala Lumpur / Penang · possible

  The guide says flying into Kuala Lumpur or Penang and going on overland is the most practical option; Ipoh's own airport has few flights. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the railway station to the centre

• Train to Ipoh Railway Station

  Ipoh station is on the line between Padang Besar and Johor Bahru via Kuala Lumpur; ETS also runs to Butterworth. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

From the bus terminal to the centre

• Local buses T30a and T30b from Terminal Amanjaya

  Long-distance buses use Terminal Amanjaya north of the centre; local routes T30a and T30b connect it to the centre. Source: en.wikivoyage.org

Getting around

• Bus
• Car Rental Self useful for some trips

  Car rental is available in Ipoh, and a vehicle of your own is the better option for areas farther from the centre.

• Ride Hail useful for some trips

  Grab, including GrabCar, operates in Ipoh and shows the price before you book, so little haggling is needed.

  Get Grab

• Taxi
• Walking

Safety and scams to avoid

• Overpriced Cave Temple Tour Touts

  Ipoh Railway Station exit, Old Town shopfronts, cave temple car parks

  Unofficial guides near the railway station and cave temple car parks offer full-day cave temple packages at MYR 150-300 per person — up to 10x the actual direct entry fees of MYR 3-10. Some operate fake tour desks near the station exit that appear official.

  How to avoid it: All major Ipoh cave temples (Sam Poh Tong, Ling Sen Tong, Kek Lok Tong) are self-visit sites — book nothing from people who approach you at the station. Take a Grab directly to the temple sites. Licensed Perak Tourism Board guides charge MYR 30-50 for a half-day; anything higher needs verification.

• Fake White Coffee Factory Tour Upsell

  Jalan Sultan Yusof kopitiam strip, Old Town heritage area near Ipoh Station

  Shop touts offer a 'factory tour' of the coffee roasting process for a fee, then pressure visitors into the attached gift shop to buy 'factory-fresh' white coffee at 3-4x supermarket price. The tour consists of watching a roasting drum for ten minutes.

  How to avoid it: Authentic Ipoh white coffee is available at every Old Town kopitiam at normal prices. Sin Yoon Loong (15 Jalan Bandar Timah) is the original. Skip the factory tour fee — supermarkets stock the same brands (White Cafe, Oldtown) at MYR 15-25 per pack.

Best time to visit Ipoh

• Jan 27°C
• Feb 27°C
• Mar 28°C
• Apr 28°C
• May 28°C
• Jun 27°C
• Jul 27°C
• Aug 27°C
• Sep 27°C
• Oct 27°C
• Nov 27°C
• Dec 27°C

More in Malaysia

• Kuala Lumpur
• George Town
• Malacca
• Johor Bahru
• Kota Kinabalu
• Kuching

Frequently asked questions about Ipoh

How many days do you need in Ipoh?

A typical trip to Ipoh is 2-3 days.

What are the top-rated places to visit in Ipoh?

The highest-rated places in our Ipoh guide are Lost World of Tambun, Kek Look Tong Cave Temple, Gua Tempurung, Kellie's Castle, D.R. Seenivasagam Park.

Where should I stay in Ipoh?

Our guide covers these areas to stay in Ipoh: Old Town.

How do I get around Ipoh?

Ways to get around Ipoh covered in our guide: City bus, Self-drive car, Ride-hailing app, Taxi.

What scams should I watch out for in Ipoh?

Scams reported to us for Ipoh include Overpriced Cave Temple Tour Touts; Fake White Coffee Factory Tour Upsell. Each is explained in the guide, with how to avoid it.

What is the weather like in Ipoh?

Average daytime highs in Ipoh run from 27°C in Dec to 28°C in Mar.

Which airport is nearest to Ipoh?

The nearest airport to Ipoh has the code IPH.