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Ipoh travel guide

Ipoh, the capital of Perak, grew rich on tin from the Kinta Valley and is now known mostly for its food. The Kinta River divides it: the colonial Old Town and railway station lie on the west bank, the grid of the New Town on the east. Limestone hills ring the city, and Tambun's hot springs sit to the north.

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Getting there and choosing your base

  • Ipoh railway station: ETS trains link Ipoh with Kuala Lumpur, Butterworth (for the Penang ferry) and Padang Besar on the Thai border. The 1935 station sits on the edge of the Old Town, so heritage hotels nearby are walkable, though the platforms and surrounding roads get crowded at weekends.
  • Terminal Amanjaya: The main long-distance bus terminal is about 16 km north of the centre, with a city bus or a taxi needed to finish the trip. A few coach companies to Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Singapore also stop on Jalan Bendahara in the New Town, which is far handier if you are staying there.
  • Sultan Azlan Shah Airport (IPH): A small airport with only a handful of routes, including Singapore. Most visitors fly into Kuala Lumpur or Penang and come on by train or coach, so arrival times depend more on the rail timetable than on flights.

Areas to consider

Old Town

Suits walkers who want colonial buildings, street murals, kopitiam breakfasts and boutique stays in restored shophouses or bungalows. Narrow lanes and one-way streets make parking awkward, so drivers should confirm the hotel has its own spaces.

New Town

Suits budget travellers, with a cluster of cheap hotels around Jalan Ali Pitchay and easy access to the central market and the coach stops on Jalan Bendahara. Many hotels here are older buildings beside busy roads; read recent reviews for comments on soundproofing and traffic noise.

Greentown

Suits business travellers and anyone wanting larger modern hotels close to restaurants and the newer evening bar scene. It is not a comfortable walk to the Old Town in the heat, so check whether Grab cars are easy to find from the hotel at night.

Tambun

Suits families heading to the Lost World of Tambun theme park and hot springs, about 10 km north of the centre among limestone hills. Resort packages here may bundle park or spa entry; check which days the park is open before you lock in dates.

When to go

Ipoh is warm and humid all year, with October and November the wettest months and January and February the driest. Weekends bring day-trippers from Kuala Lumpur and Penang for the food, which jams the Old Town's streets and fills popular breakfast shops early; Friday and Saturday nights are the ones to book ahead.

Before choosing a room

  • Much of Ipoh's hotel stock is decades old, so check whether the room type you are booking has actually been refurbished rather than relying on lobby photos.
  • Converted shophouse and hostel rooms sometimes have partition walls that stop short of the ceiling; ask about this if you sleep lightly.
  • If you arrive by long-distance coach, confirm whether it ends at Amanjaya or Jalan Bendahara before choosing between a New Town and an Old Town hotel.

Sources and planning resources

Facts checked on . Transport services, taxes and hotel offers can change. Confirm the details for your trip before booking.

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