The charming city of Ipoh, Malaysia is full of street art, street food and incredible nature. In this 2 day Ipoh itinerary, we’re going to show you the best things to do in Ipoh, including where to stay, how to get around and our recommended restaurants. Let’s plan your 2 days in Ipoh!
Ipoh is the capital city of the Perak state in Malaysia and is encircled by beautiful cave temples and limestone cliffs. It’s also an easy getaway to the popular Cameron Highlands which is known for its tea!
We like to describe Ipoh as a smaller version of Penang with old colonial buildings, amazing street murals and some of the best food in Malaysia. Ipoh is not as famous as Penang, so there are fewer crowds and the city feels slightly more authentic!
Many people skip Ipoh on a Malaysia trip, but we’re here to show you why it’s worth visiting! It’s on the way from Kuala Lumpur to Penang so it’s definitely worth spending 2 days in Ipoh on your way.
Alongside the impressive cave temples outside of the city, you can expect to see the colonial old town filled with heritage houses, cosy themed cafes and creative street murals.
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Quick Tips for a 2 Day Ipoh Itinerary
- Currency – Malaysian Ringgit (compare your own currency here)
- Language – Malay (also Mandarin and Tamil)
- Cuisine – Malay, Chinese & Indian (noodles, rice, dosas, soups, curries, roti & more)
- Apps – GoogleTranslate, GoogleMaps, Grab, Booking.com &, Hostelworld
- Power Voltage – Plug G, 240V (Same as the UK)
- Sim Card – Digi, Hotlink or grab one on Klook or get an E-sim in advance on Airalo!
Visiting more of Malaysia? We have itineraries for Cameron Highlands, Penang, Kuala Lumpur & Melaka! Plus our 2 week Malaysia travel guide!
Where to stay in Ipoh? The Tudor – Find on Booking.com here!
The Best Ipoh Itinerary: 2 Days in Ipoh (2024)
This 2 day Ipoh itinerary will take you to the lovable old town, the modern new town and some incredible nature spots just outside of the city centre.
These days can be switched around depending on the weather or what time you arrive in Ipoh. If you have more than 2 days in Ipoh, we’ve also added some suggestions for more things to do in the city.
Day 1 – Exploring the Old & New Town of Ipoh
Once you arrive in Ipoh, head to your accommodation and drop your bags off! We highly recommend staying close to the Old Town or New Town, but there are many great places to stay outside of the city centre too. Find places to stay on Booking.com!
There are two sides to Ipoh with the Old Town sitting on the left of the Kinta River and the New Town on the right.
The Old Town will be a highlight on this 2 day Ipoh itinerary with hidden murals, shophouses, and great food everywhere. All amongst British colonial buildings and heritage buildings.
New Town is more developed and is equally worth a visit for more murals, street food and a look into the full city of Ipoh. There’s less character to the New Town but only due to the preserved age of the Old Town!
Explore Concubine Lane
The best way to dive into the culture of Ipoh is to head straight into the Old Town and you’ll very quickly come across the popular Concubine Lane (also known as Panglima Lane).
This is the most famous part of Ipoh with boutique shops selling souvenirs, flowers, jewellery and of course, food!
There’s a Time Tunnel Museum and a Funtasy Trick Art House that both looked interesting but we didn’t get time to visit.
Chill in one of Ipoh’s unique cafes
Since Ipoh is the birthplace of Malaysia’s popular white coffee, it’s perfect for visiting a cafe during your Ipoh itinerary.
White coffee was introduced to Ipoh when condensed milk started getting added to the black English coffee. It’s been popular ever since!
The city is filled with traditional, cosy and themed cafes and you’ll come across many when exploring Ipoh in 2 days. We even came across a Platform 9 1/2 (Harry Potter) Cafe!
As we are not coffee drinkers we didn’t get a chance to try the famous white coffee! If you want to find the best cafes in Ipoh head over to this guide by Ipoh locals!
Browse around Ipoh’s Little India
There’s a Little India in most large cities throughout Malaysia and Ipoh is no different! Little India in Ipoh is quite small and not built for tourism, but there’s an authentic feel and it’s a great area to find delicious Indian food!
We recommend grabbing some lunch at Sri Ananda Bahwan Restaurant (here’s the location) and choosing anything from the menu! We visited twice for thalis and curries!
Admire the Street Murals in Old Town Ipoh
Although some of the murals have only been around a few years, they are already starting to fade but here’s a few that we found when exploring Ipoh in 2 days.
- Cheers! 3D (location here)
- Parking Troubles Mural
- Kids Riding a Paper Plane (location here)
- Old Uncle Drinking Coffee (location here)
- Market Lane Murals 3D (location here)
- Evolution (location here)
- Old Town Relieves Nostalgia With Trishaw 3D (location here)
The street art in Market Lane includes our favourite street murals in Ipoh! Most of them are interactive and they’re still pretty hidden. We stumbled across them and had a little photoshoot as that’s what they’re made for! Be careful of cars coming down the street.
The Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic has made his mark around Ipoh and George Town and is often referred to as Malaysia’s Banksy! Some of these murals are his!
Padang Ipoh
Whilst you’re exploring the wonderful street murals in Ipoh, take a visit to the park in the north of the Old Town. The park itself isn’t so exciting, especially on a hot day, but it’s where you can find the Ipoh sign!
We are suckers for finding a city sign wherever we go, so it was cool to come across one in Ipoh!
Fancy a Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat? Spend the day in luxury in one of Ipoh’s spas! – Find out more here!
Also check out our 4 Day Penang Itinerary!
Ho Yan Hor Museum
If you have time on the first day of your Ipoh itinerary, pay a visit to Ho Yan Hor Museum to learn about the herbal tea producer – Mr Hoi Kai Cheong! It’s free to enter the museum but you’ll need to add your name to a waiting list for the next slot.
See the Heritage Buildings in Ipoh
As well as street murals there are many beautiful heritage buildings in Ipoh and there’s even a dedicated Ipoh Old Heritage Trail to follow. We didn’t manage to find all of them during our Ipoh itinerary, but you can get a map from a Tourist Information Office!
- Ipoh Town Hall – built in 1928
- Birch Memorial Tower – built in 1909
- Ipoh Railway Station – visit the beautifully large train station built in 1917
- HSBC Building – built in 1939
- Han Chin Pet Soo – one of Ipoh’s museums!
Mural Art’s Lane
Now it’s time to head over to the New Town to find more street art and spend the evening hunting for delicious food!
Mural Art’s Lane is the place to be to enjoy refreshing vibrant art painted on the streets. This lane is one long strip of street murals all with different colours, themes and styles! A lot of them embrace Malaysian culture!
As Ipoh isn’t as touristy as George Town, Penang, you don’t usually have to queue to take photos with the murals. We definitely recommend checking this spot out during your 2 day Ipoh itinerary!
There’s also a beautiful row of colourful houses near Mural Art’s Lane, so make sure to find them before leaving the area!
Panglima Kinta Mosque
Another well-preserved heritage building in Ipoh is the Panglima Kinta Mosque which deserves its own spot on this 2 day Ipoh itinerary.
The architecture of the building is incredible and it’s amazing how it was built in 1898! There’s often volunteer guides offering information about the mosque. We always find locals to be so welcoming!
Did you know? Ipoh used to be a village and grew in the 1880s due to the selling of tin which was discovered in the area!
New Town Food & Hawker Centres in Ipoh
New Town is a great area to end your first night in Ipoh and find some great food. There are so many options around all of Ipoh but the hawker centres and night markets are mostly on this side of the river!
Guan Heong Biscuit Shop – New Town has a range of popular pastries and snacks, and biscuits are one of them! We saw a huge line outside of Guan Heong Biscuit Shop – find the location here!
Gerbang Malam Night Market – A vibrant street to explore if you’re looking for snacks in Ipoh. The market was previously a lot bigger before 2020, but now it’s taking a while to pick up again – location here!
Tong Sui Kai Hawker Centre – Find a spot to eat and explore the many types of food on offer during your Ipoh itinerary! We usually opt for some vegetable noodles or a laksa but there are so many traditional Malay dishes here too (location here).
➤ Spend 2 Weeks in Malaysia exploring more incredible places!
Day 2 – Discovering Cave Temples & Mirror Lake
On day 2, it’s time to step out of the charming city of Ipoh and head to the caves, temples and nature only a short bus ride away!
Visit Ling Sen Tong Temple
The first temple on your Ipoh itinerary is Ling Sen Tong Temple, which is a Taoist Temple. The temple complex is so colourful with flowers planted around the sanctuary.
The next temples we’ll mention are all in a line next to each other with caves, so they’re all really easy to visit once you arrive. They’re all open 9 am – 2 pm (sometimes 4 pm)!
Walk around Nam Thean Tong Temple
A quick walk around the corner and you’ll discover Nam Thean Tong Temple! It’s another Taoist Cave Temple with colour bursting all around and some beautiful architecture.
It’s possible to explore the caves at Nam Thean Tong Temple and it’s such a nice feeling if it’s hot outside. The temple features a fish pond in the front with a bridge to walk over.
There are also monkeys in the area, but monkeys can be very cheeky, so be careful of your food!
Admire Sam Poh Tong Temple
Sam Poh Tong Temple is the most popular of the three and is also our favourite! The complex is a lot larger and there’s a slightly secret temple hidden through the cave.
There’s a beautiful garden filled with greenery, stunning architecture on the buildings and small statues on the rocks. Sam Poh Tong Temple is the oldest cave temple in Ipoh and it’s definitely worth visiting during your 2 day Ipoh itinerary!
Visiting the Cameron Highlands on your Malaysia trip? Check out our Cameron Highlands Itinerary!
➤ Travelling on a budget? Here’s our budget guide in Southeast Asia (including Malaysia)!
Find the Mystery Temple
Head through the cave at Sam Poh Tong Temple and you’ll discover someone selling food for animals. At first, we were pretty confused but then realised there were so many tortoises on the other side. There are so many!
This is where you’ll be greeted by one of the most beautiful temples in Malaysia – a true cave temple surrounded by limestone cliffs!
We admired the temple whilst snapping some photos using our Joby GorillaPod. It’s one of our favourite travel essentials as it’s lightweight and fits in our day bag! There’s also a Joby Phone Tripod which is even smaller and great for videos!
After the temples, head to Man Xiang Cun Vege Restaurant for the most amazing curry noodles and Chinese food! The prices are so affordable and there’s so much choice!
Explore nature in Tasik Cermin
After delicious lunch, make your way to Tasik Cermin for some nature! If we’re being honest, we had pretty rainy weather throughout most of our Malaysia trip and in Ipoh we experienced heavy rain and thunderstorms!
We were some of the only people at Tasik Cermin due to the stormy weather and the heavens opened as soon as we reached Mirror Lake.
Luckily the staff gave us an umbrella to use for our time in the park, which was the sweetest thing! You’ll see the umbrella in our upcoming photos! A few things to see at Tasik Cermin are:
- Snake Mouth Cave
- A beautiful boat ride through tunnels & limestone rocks
- Walk through the tunnel leading to Mirror Lake
- The park is also expanding and building more!
The park has two Mirror Lakes and one can only be accessed by boat! As it was raining, the boats weren’t running on the day we visited, however, the photos look incredible. You can still visit Mirror Lake No.1 by walking.
Embrace nature at Mirror Lake
Mirror Lake is a popular spot to visit on an Ipoh itinerary but not too many people are visiting there yet. Tasik Cermin translates to Mirror Lake in English, so it’s the best thing to see in the park.
When you walk through the tunnel it gets so dark in the middle and then you’ll be greeted by the dark green lake surrounded by limestone cliffs! We’re so glad we visited on our Ipoh 2 day itinerary, even though it’s pricey.
How to get to Mirror Lake in Ipoh?
There are a few options to get to Mirror Lake in Ipoh. Head to the bus station near Little India and wait for a bus to take you, they do run infrequently but the locals are very helpful.
The best way to get to Mirror Lake is by Grab! Download the app, type in your location and wait for your ride. We used Grab to get there and back from the temples and lake due to the heavy rain when we were leaving!
As you know there’s a lot of great food in Ipoh, so revisit one of your favourite spots so far or just walk around the city until you catch your eye on something! We do recommend Indian food at Sri Ananda Bahwan Restaurant if you haven’t tried it already!
More things to do in Ipoh
If you have more than 2 days in Ipoh, there’s many more things to do in and around the city!
Have fun at a theme & water park in Ipoh! Sunway Lost World Of Tambun is located in the beautiful jungle of Ipoh. It’s one of the best things to do in Ipoh if you have an extra day – Book your tickets in advance here!
- Buntong Falls – a waterfall to the east of Ipoh City!
- Han Chin Pet Soo Museum – learn about tin mining history in Ipoh!
- Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village – a beautiful nature spot around Ipoh!
- Perak Cave Temple / Kek Lok Tong – more cave temples to explore!
- Bukit Kledang – go hiking in Ipoh!
Explore Tempurung Cave and follow a guide through the caves in Ipoh – Find tickets on Klook here!
Spend a day in luxury at the Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat! From massages to swimming pools and natural hot springs, it’s such a treat.
If you’re visiting Ipoh on a Sunday – make sure to visit the Sunday Morning Flea Market just north of Old Town across the river.
Klook.comWhere to stay in Ipoh
Even though Ipoh is a small city, the accommodation can spread out quite far. We highly recommend staying near the Old Town or New Town during your 2 day Ipoh itinerary for easy access around the city!
Ipoh Hotels, Hostels & Guesthouses
The Brownstone Hostel $ – The best social hostel in Ipoh with dorms & private rooms – Find on Booking.com here!
The Tudor $$ – A beautifully unique hotel with balconies & views – Find on Booking.com here!
We stayed in City Hostel for 2 days in Ipoh, but they’re no longer taking bookings in 2024.
Best Restaurants in Ipoh
- Ninety-Six Vegetarian Food $ – delicious Chinese food in New Town Ipoh (location)
- Thin Hei Vegetarian Restaurant $ – A la carte Chinese food in New Town (location)
- Man Xiang Cun Vege Restaurant $ – amazing Chinese food near the temples (location)
- Restoran Krishna Bhawan $ – taste Indian food in Little India (location)
- Sri Ananda Bahwan Restaurant – more Indian food in Little India (location)
- Vegan Delights Cafe $$ – a big menu with loads of vegan alternatives for meat (location)
- Tong Sui Kai Hawker Centre $ – many small restaurants with lots of options (location)
Try switching to more sustainable travel products before visiting Ipoh, Malaysia! Here’s a guide to help – Eco Friendly Travel Products You Need to Swap in 2024!
Best Time to Visit Ipoh
The best time to visit Ipoh, Malaysia is from December to March, although you can visit all year round! Ipoh has a tropical climate and is surrounded by jungles and greenery, so the rain is welcomed!
We visited Ipoh in June and got caught in a tropical storm! When it rains it doesn’t rain all day so you’ll still have enough time to continue with your Ipoh itinerary.
How to get to Ipoh
Bus – One of the best ways to get around Malaysia is by bus! Buses run frequently from popular destinations such as the Cameron Highlands, Kuala Lumpur or Penang to take you straight to Ipoh. Book your bus tickets in advance with RedBus or EasyBook. We used these companies throughout our Malaysia trip. You can also check out 12Go for more options.
If you buy your ticket online – make sure to print your bus ticket off at the station. It will cost an extra RM1.
When catching the bus, it drops you off quite far outside of the city centre. From this main bus station catch the T30a bus that runs every hour to the city centre of Ipoh. It will drop you off at Ipoh bus station which is near Little India and Old Town. Prices are around 2-3RM.
The buses can run infrequently so you can use Grab as a backup option if a bus doesn’t turn up within 1 hour (which is already quite a long time to wait).
Train – Another way to get to Ipoh is by train from Kuala Lumpur! Book your tickets here!
Flying – Ipoh has a small international airport for those going short distances. Sultan Azlan Shah Airport is conveniently close to the city and it’s best to use Grab to get there and back.
Tours – Take a day trip from Kuala Lumpur with a private day tour to Ipoh – Book your trip here!
How to get around Ipoh
- Bus – The public buses in Ipoh are inexpensive and a good way to get around if you don’t mind waiting a while. We caught the bus from the bus station (outside of the city) to the main bus station in Ipoh!
- Car – If you’re on a Malaysia road trip, then staying two days in Ipoh is still possible! Browse on Discover Cars for rental cars in Malaysia.
- Taxi & Grab – Grab is one of the best ways to get around Ipoh as they’re fast and reliable. Download the app!
We caught a Grab to Mirror Lake for 8 RM and it made our 1-hour bus journey a 20-minute car ride. Sometimes it’s worth spending a little extra to save time especially if you only have 2 days in Ipoh!
How many days to spend in Ipoh
We recommend spending at least 2 days in Ipoh to explore the unique old town and experience the temples outside of the city.
With more than 2 days you can visit even more sights outside the main city centre. We wish we stayed one extra day to visit Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village, the museums in Old Town or hiking in Bukit Kledang.
What to do in Ipoh in one day?
If you only have time to spend one day in Ipoh, it’s best to stay in the Old Town and New Town. We’ve included all the best things to do in Ipoh on day 1 of our Ipoh itinerary. Pick and choose what activities and sights you’d like to do.
It’s totally possible to do a day trip from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh with a private day tour company – Book your trip here!
What to do in Ipoh at night?
- Gerbang Malam Night Market – location here!
- Spend the evening at one of Ipoh’s Hawker Centres eating the best food!
- Get fancy at Tiga Bar – a cocktail bar in Ipoh!
- Another cocktail bar in Ipoh is Atas Speakeasy!
Travel Essentials for an Ipoh Itinerary
➤ Here’s our Southeast Asia Packing list with everything to pack for Malaysia!
- Stainless Steel Water Bottle – Refill your reusable water bottle throughout Malaysia.
- Amazon Basics Packing Cubes – The best way to pack a backpack or suitcase!
- The Little Bodhi Microfibre Towel – A lightweight towel to use in hostels or beaches around Malaysia.
- Rain Mac in a Bag and a Backpack Cover are two more rainy day essentials!
- Anker Power Bank – Keep your phone charged in Ipoh!
- Joby GorillaPod 3K Pro Kit – We love our Joby GorillaPod and use it for our Sony A600. There’s also a Joby Phone Tripod.
Don’t forget about Travel Insurance! – SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
SafetyWing is a very flexible monthly-rolling travel insurance to help you stay safe on your trip anywhere in the world, including Ipoh! Find out more here!
Is Ipoh Malaysia worth visiting?
Ipoh is definitely worth visiting if you’re already travelling to Malaysia! It’s the perfect stop-off on your way from Kuala Lumpur to Penang or the Cameron Highlands. We were surprised that Ipoh isn’t a main travel destination for Malaysia as it’s such a charming city!
The street art in Ipoh is just as amazing as in George Town, Penang. Also, the cave temples are a must-do when spending 2 days in Ipoh!
Check out our other Malaysia Travel Guides:
- Cameron Highlands Itinerary: Best Things To Do
- 4 Day Penang Itinerary: Best Things To Do
- 3 Day Kuala Lumpur Itinerary: Best Things To Do
- The Best 2 Day Melaka Itinerary: Things To Do (Malacca)
- 2 Week Malaysia Itinerary: Best Things To Do
- Also, browse our Thailand and Philippines guides!
That’s the end of our The Best Ipoh Itinerary: 2 Days in Ipoh)! Enjoy your trip to Ipoh and if you need any more help planning – send us a message on Instagram (@thesunrisedreamers) or leave a comment below!
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