MY · Perak · 4.60°N 101.08°E
ipoh
White coffee, bean sprout chicken and cave temples tucked into limestone hills.
- Best time
- Any time of year. Mornings are best for walking the old town before the heat and the afternoon showers.
- How long
- 2 days, 1 night The day-by-day plan: 2 days, 1 night →
- Getting there
- About 2.5 hours' drive from KL on the North–South Expressway, or the ETS train from KL Sentral in about the same time.
ipoh
Dear group chat,White coffee, bean sprout chicken and cave temples tucked into limestone hills.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingIpohMY, Perak
Photo: HundenvonPenang · CC BY-SA 4.0 Photo: Marufish from Alor Setar, Malaysia · CC BY-SA 2.0 Photo: Bvs at English Wikipedia · Public domain Photo: Fairuskhafiz · CC BY-SA 4.0 Photo: Insankerdilmahubersuara1993 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.
Perak's capital sits in a valley ringed by limestone hills, and most people come for one reason: the food. The old town is easy to walk, there are murals around most corners, and the cave temples are a short drive out.
Makan
- Ipoh white coffeeThe drink the town is famous for. Try it at the old kopitiams on Jalan Bandar Timah.Map ↗
- Bean sprout chickenSilky poached chicken with short, crunchy Ipoh bean sprouts. Lou Wong and Onn Kee face each other on the same street.Map ↗
- Salted chickenWrapped in paper and baked in salt. Aun Kheng Lim is the name everyone knows.Map ↗
- Kai si hor funShredded chicken and flat rice noodles in a clear prawn broth.Map ↗
- Dim sum breakfastGo early to the big dim sum halls on Jalan Leong Sin Nam.Map ↗
Things to do
- Concubine LaneA narrow lane of old shophouses turned snack stalls and cafés.Map ↗
- Kek Lok TongA cave temple that opens out onto a lake and gardens behind the hill.Map ↗
- Sam Poh Tong and Perak TongTwo more cave temples cut into the limestone just outside town.Map ↗
- The old town muralsErnest Zacharevic's murals are spread around the old town. A walking map helps.Map ↗
- Lost World of TambunHot springs and a water park in the hills, good with kids.Map ↗
Where to stay
The old town, so you can walk to breakfast and the lanes. New Town across the Kinta River has more hotels and is a short walk away.
Good to know
- Go early. The famous breakfast places get long queues by mid-morning.
- Many stalls close one day a week, so check before you drive over.
- Bring cash for the older kopitiams.
Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.