EmPlanning 1 day in Ipoh? This underrated Malaysian city is the perfect stopover between Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and the Cameron Highlands. While it may not top your Malaysia bucket list, Ipoh offers a fascinating mix of limestone cave temples, heritage streets, and vibrant street art—all easily explored in a day. Whether you’re visiting their vibrant street art, wandering down historic Concubine Lane, or marveling at breathtaking rock temples, this Ipoh itinerary will help you make the most of your visit.
Is Ipoh worth visiting?
Ipoh is a growing city for tourists in Malaysia. With a number of stunning rock temples, and a thriving market in Concubine Lane, it’s worth considering a stop in this underrated city. I visited in August 2024 and loved my short stay in this hidden gem in Malaysia.
Ipoh was once the tin mining capital of Malaysia in the 19th and 20th centuries. By 1883, Malaysia was the largest producer of tin in the world, and Ipoh was at the heart of that boom. This shaped the city’s design, with British colonial influences still seen throughout. The most famous example is possibly Ipoh’s train station – often known as the Taj Mahal of Ipoh – an easy attraction to check off your list if you arrive by train!
While it’’s not (and shouldn’t be) top of the list for your Malaysia trip, it is a popular stop off point between various destinations and the Cameron Highlands. These are most often George Town/Penang, or Kuala Lumpur. It splits up the journey into the Highlands, which can be particularly useful for anyone who is worried they might feel travel sick on those winding mountain roads!
Can you do a day trip to Ipoh from Kuala Lumpur
Yes! Ipoh makes a great day trip from Kuala Lumpur, as it’s only about 3 hours by train or bus. While this would make a long day, it’s perfectly possible. As the key tourist highlights in Ipoh can be seen in a day, this is a good way to experience the town without spending a night.
How long should I spend in Ipoh?
If you are visiting Ipoh as part of wider travels around Malaysia, e.g. on the way to/from Penang or the Cameron Highlands, my recommendation is spending two nights in Ipoh. I would arrive later in the day, then spend the next full day sightseeing, and leave the following morning. There isn’t enough to do in Ipoh to require more time.
However, I did meet people who only stayed 1 night – they spent the afternoon they arrived sightseeing. They left at lunch the following day, having spent the morning sightseeing as well. This is a bit rushed for me, but if time is tight for your trip it’s certainly possible.
As above, you could also visit on a day trip from Kuala Lumpur.
Your amazing 1 day in Ipoh itinerary
1. Visit Ipoh’s famous rock temples
Ipoh is rightly famous for the many beautiful temples cut into the caves around the city. These reflect the city’s Chinese heritage, as many Chinese labourers came to work in Ipoh’s famous tin mines. While the temples are now famous tourist attractions, they remain active sites of worship and it’s likely you’ll be joined on your visit by locals visiting to pay their respects.
Start your day with a visit to a few of these, as they are all different. The best way to do this is to use Grab, as they are all a little bit outside the city. Consider hiring a driver for a set period if you want to visit a few, to avoid having to wait for a Grab once you’ve done each one.
Which temple you visit will depend on your interests, and whether you want to make the climb at the Perak Cave temple.
I would suggest visiting Kek Lok Tong first, and following it up with a visit to Sam Poh Tong, which closes at lunchtime. Then head to item two on your itineary, Mirror Lake.
Best temples to visit in your Ipoh itinerary:
- Kek Lok Tong
Set into limestone caves, the Kek Lok Tong cave temple is stunning. It’s absolutely huge inside, and there is a gorgeous breeze once you’re inside! There are a number of shrines within the cave itself, and then you head outside. Behind the cave is a beautiful, tranquil lake and a green park. There are also a few tourist options if that’s your thing – duck shaped pedaloes down a small river, and tandem bikes for hire.
- Sam Poh Tong Temple
This temple is instagram famous, and offers beautiful shots of the temple perched over the water. Be aware that this temple which closes at 2pm! Don’t get caught out like I did – make this the first or second stop on your day trip itinerary. Combine this visit with a trip to Mirror Lake (see below).
- Perak Cave Temple
This is possibly the most famous of the caves, although I didn’t make it to see it. The cave has a giant golden Buddha statue, which is 12 metres tall and one of the biggest in Malaysia. The cave is famous for the walk to the viewpoint at the top (probably why I didn’t go, as this sounds like hard work), but also for beautiful murals inside. These handpainted murals depict Buddhist stories and scenes from Chinese folklore.
2. Visit Mirror Lake
Mirror Lake is another famous Ipoh attraction. Relatively unknown until recently, it has become an instagram must-visit in the city. Found in flooded quarries amongst the limestone cliffs, it is beautifully reflective and peaceful. There are also boats available to take a short trip on the lake.
It’s near Sam Poh Tong Temple, so worth combining your visit.
3. Visit Concubine Lane, part of the heritage of Ipoh
After you’ve explored the areas around the city, it’s time to head into the city itself.
Concubine Lane is the most famous street in Ipoh. This teeny tiny alleyway is easily missed if you’re not paying attention (I had to double back!). The alley takes its name from the fact that during Ipoh’s tin mining period, many concubines lived on the lane. There are a couple of other unverified legends, including that a prominent local businessman housed his mistress on this lane, or that British colonisers also kept their mistresses in houses along the alley.
Whatever the true history, Concubine Lane is thriving today. The narrow space is crammed with shops and stalls, and offers an insight into the city’s beating heart. Head down the lane to check out souvenir shops and coffee shops.
4. Visit the Harry Potter coffee shop
Once you’ve got to the end of Concubine Lane, head to the Platform 9½ coffee shop. If you’’re anything like me, you’ll feel the need for caffeine, cool and quiet after battling your way down the Lane, and Platform 9½ offers this and more. This is also one of the best cafes in Ipoh.
This lovely cafe has a Harry Potter theme, with a number of sets/photo ops throughout and even the opportunity to hire robes from your chosen Hogwarts House. You’ll have to buy something to enter, but once you do you can wander around enjoying the ambiance and take photos at the different set peices.
5. Check out the street art in Ipoh
End your day in Ipoh by wandering around the city centre, taking in the beautiful street art. This is also a great way to explore your dinner options, if you’re staying overnight!
Ipoh also has a thriving street art scene. While not as famous as George Town, the city has a lot of art to enjoy. The street art scene started with the same artist as George Town: Ernest Zacharevic, a Lithuanian street artist. In 2014, he partnered with the lcoal coffee chain Old Town Coffee to paint eight murals, many of which have a coffee theme.
If you’re a street art enthusiast, you can pick up a map and guide from Ipoh’s tourist office. If you’re a more relaxed enjoyer of street art, keep your eyes peeled as you walk around. You can also head to Mural Lane, also known as Graffitti Lane, to enjoy an entire street of art in different styles! This is about a 10 minute walk from Concubine Lane, just across the Kinta River.
Bonus: Memory Lane – Sunday vintage market
If you happen to be in Ipoh on a Sunday, head to the city’s famous vintage market, just around the corner from the Brownstone Hostel on Memory Lane. This is a big event in the city, with live music at various points as you’re walking down. Different from most Asian markets, vendors sell vintage Malaysian items, including selections of machetes! While there were tourists at this market, it felt like a local’s event – the majority of shoppers were Malaysian and it’s a great way to see a different kind of market.
How to get to Ipoh
Malaysia has a modern, well conneted public transport system. It connects Ipoh well and it’s easy to get from KL to Ipoh, or arrive from other parts of Malaysia.
Train
Ipoh railway station is one of the highlights of Ipoh in it’s own right. It’s a gorgeous colonial building built by the British, and services as a reminder of the British colonial presence in Malaysia. It’s also central and really easy to use to get to and from Ipoh
Many people stop in Ipoh on the way to or from the Cameron Highlands as it’s the nearest train stop.
You can buy train tickets in Malaysia from the official website. Trains in Malaysia are efficient, clean and air conditioned, and have good toilet facilities. They pretty much run to time (a shock to this British person) and are reasonably priced (also a shock to this British person). This often makes them a better choice than a bus when available.
Bus
Ipoh is well connected on Malaysia’s extensive bus network. The best way to find tickets is via RedBus or 12Go. The bus station is not in central Ipoh, but it’s easy and quick to get a Grab into the city.
How to get from KL to Ipoh
You can take a train from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh (c.2h-3h), which costs around $11. The train departs from KL Sentral and then travels through the old ‘Kuala Lumpur’ station. If you want to travel from KL Sentral, which is more central, make sure to select this rather than the generic ‘Kuala Lumpur’ or the barriers won’t let you through. I found this out the hard way – but luckily the staff at KL Sentral are used to this error and just took me to pay the extra, rather than fining me!
You can also get a bus from KL to Ipoh, for about $8. Most buses depart from the TBS bus station in Kuala Lumpur. TBS is a huge bus station serving multiple destinations across the country with good facilities, including toilets and shops.
TBS isn’t particularly central in KL. While TBS is accessible by public transport, it could involve multiple changes depending on where you’re staying. I found it quick and easy to get a Grab to TBS.
How to get from Penang to Ipoh
I took the bus from George Town, as I was able to find a service directly from Penang island rather than getting the ferry across to Butterworth. This went from the Komtor building near the centre of George Town and cost $6, but departures are relatively limited. There are also buses from Butterworth, which cost between $5 – $8 depending on the luxury of the bus.
You can also take the train from Butterworth to Ipoh (1-2 hours), which costs around $11. To get to Butterworth, you would need to get the Straits Ferry from central George Town to Butterworth. The station is right next to the ferry terminal.
Where should you stay in Ipoh?
For me, there’s only one answer to this question: the gorgeous Brownstone Hostel. This is one of the best hostels, or indeed hotels, I’ve stayed in on my travels so far. It has good dorm rooms, but if that’s not your vibe, the private rooms are also excellent. While there were common areas, this was definitely not a party hostel. The Brownstone is well laid out, offering free breakfast in a kitchen area, with another relaxing area upstairs. And the plants! The hostel is beautifully green. The Brownstone is often booked up, so book ahead.
If you want something more like a traditional hotel, try the highly-rated Sojourn Spa Hotel. You could also try the Do Something Guest House, one of the few options in the touristy areas of the city – but note the comments in the reviews about noise from the night market outside.
Spending 1 day in Ipoh is just enough to experience its unique charm—from stunning cave temples to lively heritage streets and hidden café gems. Whether you’re stopping over on your way to the Cameron Highlands or visiting on a day trip from Kuala Lumpur, this Ipoh itinerary ensures you won’t miss the city’s highlights. If you’ve explored Ipoh, I’d love to hear about your favorite spots—drop a comment below and share your experience!
I’ve only been in KL and some of the surrounds but Ipoh looks fascinating. I love the street art.