We traveled from Kuala Perlis to Ipho (state capital of Perak) by bus (29RM) and arrived at the terminal Amanjaya at 22pm so there wasn’t any transports (despite the taxi) to take us to Ipoh’s old town. So we stayed for the night at a nearby ‘hotel’. In the next morning we got a bus (2.5RM) and we were instantly surprised with this lovely town, that has definitely some similarities to George Town (in Penang), one of my favourite cities in Malaysia.
We stayed for 2 days what was enough to visit and feel the city but not enough to visit the surrounding areas.
Ipoh has a special vibe, great historic buildings, lots of street art and really great food. So, should be a mandatory stop for any itinerary in Malaysia.
Ipoh old town doesn’t look to have many tourists or even many locals walking around, despite being laid back, it’s also creative, trendy and full of things to see and try, like the famous White Coffee.
Ipoh centre is split in two, the old town on the west and the new town on the east side of the Kinta River .
In the old town you can do the Heritage Trail (4 miles) and the Street Art walk, for both you can grab a free map, and just lose yourself… The street art makes it even more interesting to explore the historical city, and it’s fairly easy to find it. Most of the murals belong to the famous street artist Ernest Zacharevic and some other locals.
You can’t miss the Kong Heng square market, an old building full of vine covered ruins occupied now by modern stalls.
Ipoh’s Little India with it’s colourful shops, spices, music and eateries, and the new town on the East side of the river.
The New Town has the best eateries and some more street art, so make sure you don’t miss the Mural Art Lane, that is completely covered in murals showing the Malaysian culture.
Ipoh it’s definitely a must.. have fun 😀
photography – all rights reserved – Ana Rocha