Colourportal, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Ipoh

Colonial Charm and Caves of Wonder

Ipoh in Malaysia stands out as a city where British colonial history meets Chinese heritage and modern growth. Known for its cool climate, it draws visitors seeking relief from tropical heat. The streets hold old shophouses with intricate facades and bustling markets selling fresh produce and local snacks. Heritage buildings line the roads alongside new cafes and art galleries. Street food here is a highlight, featuring dishes like chicken rice and pepper pork. Walking through Ipoh feels like moving between eras while enjoying simple pleasures and friendly people.

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City in Malaysia

$$$

$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

See price details

Safety: 6.8

General Safety:	7
Health & medical:	7
Accessibility:	5
Tap water:	7

Read details

4/5

English is widely spoken, especially in tourist areas, hotels, and restaurants. Many locals are bilingual or trilingual, speaking Malay, English, and sometimes Chinese dialects.

Highlights Attractions Getting there Hotels Tips Travel costs Safety Articles

Last update: 12 Oct 2026

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Ipoh Summary

These place ratings give you a quick overview of how well a destination matches different types of trips.

‘Best for’ scores:
The specific interest scores show where this place really shines – whether it's ideal for hiking, food & drink experiences, museums or other activities. These highlights help you understand what makes the destination special at a glance.

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Read how our scores work

Strong in food culture and historic streets. Try famous local dishes, explore colonial architecture, visit cave temples and enjoy relaxed cafés.

Place score

7.0

Best at:

Local cuisine

Street food

Markets

Large cities

Cosy towns

Personal score

Suited for

👶 7

Families

🧓 6

Seniors

💻 8

Digital Nomads

🥗 8

Vegetarian

Malaysia – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	240 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type G Type G: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) £1 ≈ MYR 5.44
Cashless info:	Rating 5/5 Cashless payments are widely accepted in Malaysia, especially in urban areas. Major credit cards are used in most hotels, restaurants, and shops. Mobile payment services like GrabPay and Touch 'n Go are also widely used. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is not compulsory in Malaysia, but it is appreciated in restaurants, with a 5-10% tip recommended if no service charge is included. Taxi drivers and hotel staff may also expect small tips.
Public drinking:	Drinking in public is generally acceptable in Malaysia, though alcohol is restricted in some regions, particularly in the east coast states of Kelantan and Terengganu and other Muslim-majority areas. Drinking is common in cities like Kuala Lumpur.
Public smoking:	Smoking is banned in restaurants and cafés (including open-air eateries), shopping centres, government buildings and many other public places. Smoking is only allowed in designated areas.

Hari Merdeka (31 August)	National day with celebrations and parades
Chinese New Year (variable)	Celebrated with family gatherings, festivals, and fireworks

Emergency contact:	Emergency Numbers: 999 (Police, Fire, Ambulance), 112 (from mobile phones)
Taxi apps:	Grab, MyCar
Other:	Malaysia is known for its diverse culture, cuisine, and natural beauty. It's a popular tourist destination, offering a range of experiences from city exploration to beach holidays.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Ipoh, Malaysia

🌦️

Jan

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Feb

⛈️

Mar

⛈️

Apr

⛈️

May

🔥

Jun

🌦️

Jul

🌦️

Aug

🌦️

Sep

⛈️

Oct

⛈️

Nov

⛈️

Dec

High season:	Jan. - Feb.
Shoulder season:	March - April, June - July, Dec.
Crowdedness:	6 (Many tourists)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Chinese New Year (late January to mid February): many local eateries close, hotels book out and Ipoh fills with visiting families

Ramadan: daytime food options limited, many Malay restaurants closed until sunset

Transboundary haze possible August to October, depending on fires in Sumatra

Don't miss

⛩️ Explore the stunning Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple
🚶‍♂️ Stroll through Concubine Lane’s vibrant heritage streets
🏛️ Visit the historical Han Chin Pet Soo museum
♨️ Relax in the hot springs at Lost World of Tambun
☕ Sample famous Ipoh white coffee at local cafes
🏰 Discover the mysterious Scottish Kellie’s Castle nearby

You've been here?

Why travel to Ipoh?

Ipoh offers a unique mix of heritage buildings, fascinating cave temples and lush green landscapes. The city is known for its vibrant street art, bustling markets and delicious local dishes like Ipoh white coffee and chicken rice. It's less crowded and more affordable than other Malaysian cities, making it a relaxed and wallet-friendly destination. However, be prepared for hot and humid weather and note that public transportation options can be limited.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Ipoh Railway Station
2 Han Chin Pet Soo
3 Ipoh Old Town
4 Concubine Lane
5 Birch Memorial Clock Tower
6 Lost World of Tambun
7 Sam Poh Tong Temple

🎡Places for activities

1 Concubine Lane

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Ipoh Padang
2 Tempurung Cave
3 Gunung Lang Recreational Park
4 Tanjung Tualang Tin Dredge No. 5 (TT5)

🛍️Shopping

1 The Store
2 Station 18
3 Ipoh Parade
4 Aeon Kinta City

🎈Events

Ipoh Food Festival (April)
Perak Arts Festival (July)
Ipoh International Run (August)
Mooncake Festival (September)
Nine Emperor Gods Festival (October)
Chinese New Year Celebrations (January/February)
Thaipusam (January/February)
Deepavali (October/November)
Hari Raya Celebrations (April/May)
Christmas at Ipoh Parade (December)

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Explore cave temples; Perak Cave and Sam Poh Tong are must-sees.
Try Ipoh white coffee and chicken rice at street stalls in old town.
Walk Concubine Lane for street art, heritage shops and vibrant murals.
Visit early morning markets like Gerbang Malam for authentic local food and produce.

How to travel to Ipoh

Ipoh has its own small airport, Sultan Azlan Shah Airport (IPH), with flights mainly from Singapore and domestic destinations. Alternatively, travelers can fly into Kuala Lumpur and take a 2-hour train or bus ride to Ipoh.

Access summary

From Sultan Azlan Shah Airport (IPH): Short taxi ride to center, about 10–20 minutes.
From Kuala Lumpur: ETS high-speed trains typically around 2–3 hours.
From Penang/Butterworth: ETS trains or buses generally 2.5–4 hours.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Ipoh

Ipoh offers a variety of accommodations, from budget guesthouses and boutique hotels in the Old Town to mid-range and luxury hotels. Homestays and heritage-themed stays are also popular for a local experience.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

TUI BLUE The Haven Ipoh

8.7

Kinta Riverfront Hotel & Suites

8.3

Sunway Lost World Hotel

8.5

Hotel Casuarina @ Meru

8.7

M Roof Hotel and Residences

8.5

Hotel Excelsior

8.2

Symphony Suites Hotel

8.4

Impiana Hotel Ipoh

7.9

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Ipoh

Getting around Ipoh is easiest by car or taxi, as public transportation is limited. GRAB (a ride-hailing app) is widely used. Walking is a good option in the compact Old Town area and there are buses to some tourist spots.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-58 %

Daily expenses in Ipoh are around 58% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

+4 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to MYR) is 4% worse than in recent years. That means travelling now costs around the same compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£27	£60	£180
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£11	£30	£75
🍝 Food per day	£13	£26	£90
🚕 Transportation per day	£3	£4	£15

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£7
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£2.30
🍟 Fast food combo	£3.10
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£4.70
☕ Cappuccino	£2.10
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£3.40

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£0.70
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£9
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£0.39

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£2.60
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£13
🤧 Cold medication	£2.10
💇 Basic haircut	£4.20

Safety information overview

General safety

Ipoh is generally safe for tourists, with low crime rates. Petty theft can occur in crowded places, so keep valuables secure. Follow basic safety guidelines, especially at night.

Health & Medical

Ipoh has good medical facilities, including public and private hospitals and clinics. Healthcare is affordable and pharmacies are widely available. Drink bottled water if unsure about tap water quality.

Accessibility

Ipoh is moderately accessible for travelers with mobility challenges. Major attractions and hotels are generally accessible, but older buildings and certain natural sites may pose difficulties.

Tap water

Tap water in Ipoh is generally safe but may taste chlorinated. Most locals drink filtered or bottled water and it’s recommended for tourists to do the same, especially in rural areas.