Ipoh

 Ipoh developed into one of Malaysia's main cities due to the booming tin mining industry around the turn of the 19th century. During the British colonial era, Ipoh was Malaysia's second city for administration purposes. There are several notable buildings from the British Colonial era such as the railway station and the town hall. In contrast to cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, Ipoh retains a large proportion of its colonial era buildings and character.
These days Ipoh is perhaps best known for its excellent restaurants, hawkers, and famous local dishes.
Ipoh's roads were renamed by the Malay government in the 1980's. This can still be confusing as many locals still refer to the former colonial road names.

 The Ipoh Railway Station. One of three grand railway stations on the KTM network (the other two being Kuala Lumpur and Singapore), it is nicknamed the "Taj Mahal of Ipoh". It is the only one of the three still in use as an intercity railway station.
Padang Ipoh or Ipoh Field is located on Jalan S.P. Seenivasagam. The field is a well kept and surrounded by many historic buildings that feature classic colonial architecture, including the mock-tudor style Ipoh Club, FMS Bar, HSBC Building and the magnificant St Michael's Institution secondary school.


Jalan Yang Kalsom on a rainy morning
Ipoh Town Hall located across the road from the Railway Station also features some interesting gothic architecture.
Muzium Darul Ridzuan is an interesting historical museum of Perak, located in a pretty former tin-mining tycoon's mansion on Jalan Kuala Kangsar Mariamman Kovil is an old Tamil temple. Not only is it religious in nature but also a place for discourses and on sundays children are given an introduction to verses in Tamil. Located in Jalan Sungai Pari Buntong, just before the bridge on the river.
Ipoh Heritage Trail A two to three hour guided tour of the heritage trail starts at the Raiulway Station at 8am every Saturday (as of June 2011 Rm 20 person). For a self-guided tour trail maps can be downloaded from
Perak Tong (Perak Cave) is located at Gunung Tasek and houses over 40 Buddha statues and many murals. There is a steep, tall staircase in the interior of the cave rising up to the top of its hill, where one is greeted by a beautiful and panoramic view of Ipoh and its surroundings. The statue of Buddha in Perak Tong is the tallest and largest of its kind in Malaysia. Perak Tong was built in 1926 by a Buddhist priest from China.
Sam Poh Tong (Cavern of Triple Gems) is a Chinese temple located at Gunung Rapat near the Simpang Pulai Toll exit (less than 10 minutes drive from the toll). The temple is built within a limestone cave. It has a popular attraction: a tortoise pond which houses hundreds of tortoises and terrapins (a symbol of longevity) of various sizes. There are several other cave temples immediately next to Sam Poh Tong: for example, Nan Tian Tong. They have been renovated recently and now there are colourful Buddha statues and Chinese zodiac animals for children and adults to sit on and take pictures. Right outside Sam Poh Tong are famous pomelo stalls next to the main road.
Kek Lok Tong (or Kek Look Tong, Cavern of Ultimate Bliss) [8], a cave temple that lies on the other side of the same limestone hill as Sam Poh Tong, is accessible only through Gunung Rapat housing area. Kek Lok Tong has a cleaner, quieter and more cooling environment and has the best scenic view from the cave.


 White Water Rafting Get up close and personal with nature, experience an exotic and mystifying rainforest where the fastest butterflies swarm by the riverbank while you enjoy swimming in the river or jump from trees or just glide down the river on a raft.
Kellie's Castle, the deserted mansion of an eccentric Scottish planter, is in Batu Gajah, half an hour's drive from Ipoh city center. Its main appeal lies in the belief that it is haunted and that secret passages leading to hidden chambers exist. A taxi will cost you around RM 50 - 60 and they will usually wait for an hour (which is long enough to look around). There is an entrance fee to the castle.
Caving. Gua Tempurung is the largest limestone cave in Peninsular Malaysia. Located close to the North South Highway's Gopeng Exit, it provides the opportunity to explore in detail the insides of a limestone cave. You can choose to experience a short tour of the cave or adventure into the far end of the cave by walking off the walkways and in the cave river.


Gua Tempurong exterior view
Explore Tambun, once a small town north of the city, with city growth it is now a close suburb to the city centre. Tambun has been traditionally known for its juicy pomelo fruit and the Tambun Hot Springs,(now known as the Lost World Hot Springs and Spa). Soaking in these hot springs is said to bring health benefits to the body because of the high sulfur content in the water. Also in Tambun, is Ipoh's only water theme park, The Lost World of Tambun. It provides great rides and entertainment for families and also organizes tours into the nearby limestone caves for those interested in eco-tourism. It recently opened a Petting Zoo that allows children the opportunity to feed and pet a variety of animals.

Jungle Trekking - Trek up one of the many trails up the Menglembu-Kledang Hills (these are the hills you can see to the west of Ipoh with with the radio-tv masts on the top) to enjoy the awe-inspiring view of the limestone outcrops that surround Ipoh. If unsure of how to get to these trails, just ask the many locals who trek up daily in the early mornings and late evenings. If you have a GPS hikes can either start from 101° 1.813'E/4° 34.577'N or at 101° 1.638'E/ 4° 34.312'N where the paved road to the summit begins. Many of the trails are open and hot (take a hat and water) but much of Trail 4.9 is through shady forest. There are interesting plants and some wildlife (long-tailed macaques, pig-tailed macaques, leaf monkeys, and siamang) to be seen if you are lucky.

Ulu Geroh and Rafflesia flower, Be an ecotourist and experience the rainforest here (GPS 101° 15.200'E/ 4° 26.420'N). This is an Orang Asli kampung about one hour's drive into the hills east of Gopeng. The last half of the ride is along a rough road (4x4 preferred) through rubber, durian and oil palm plantations to the village on the edge of the rainforest. Guides from the Orang Asli community take visitors to see the parasitic Rafflesia flower (the largest flower in the world) and the Raja Brooke's Birdwing butterfly as well as other forest bugs, plants, etc. There's also a small but beautiful waterfall. Apart from Rafflesia watching, jungle hiking, caving and white water rafting can be organized. You will need your IC or passport number for the visitor log book. Basic accommodation is available at Ulu Geroh itself or in a rural setting at three nearby eco-resorts:
My Gopeng Resort
Rumah Rehat Adeline
Gopeng Rainforest Resort
Golf at the many golf courses around the city. The Perak Royal Golf Club is the oldest of the golf courses located close to the city centre but there are also great golf courses at Clearwater Sanctuary in Batu Gajah and Meru Valley in Jelapang. Both Clearwater Sanctuary and Meru Valley provide accommodation that make a golfing holiday all the more convenient.