Ipoh Day Trip 怡保一日游

Lei Hou!  It means how are you in Cantonese. Why am I speaking Cantonese here? Today, I'm going to talk about my beloved hometown, Ipoh. You might wonder why I'm discussing my hometown after all these years of blogging. Well, even though I moved to KL 6 years ago, I still have a deep fondness for the charming town of Ipoh. It holds many memories for me, my friends, and my family. Whenever my friends from other states visit Ipoh, they always ask me where to eat, what to do, and where to go in Ipoh. So, I decided to explore Ipoh for half a day and share the itinerary here, so you'll have some ideas for your next visit to Ipoh. Let's embark on a journey from KL to Ipoh! Enjoy reading!

Please note that I won't appear in the photos because I want you all to focus on the places and activities rather than me. Lol. So when I mentioned Ipoh, what was the first thing that came to your mind? When I first came to KL, most of my KL friends, especially the guys, told me that Ipoh has many leng lui (pretty girls) and delicious food. Hahaha. Well, I'm not going to claim that I'm a pretty girl, but I'm still proud to say I'm an Ipohian, and indeed, we have many delicious foods here!

First up, if you're wondering what mode of transportation you should take, bus or train? Well, I would suggest taking the ETS (Electric Train Service) instead of the bus. Why, you ask? Simply because the ETS takes only a little over 2 hours to reach Ipoh, and it can bypass the heavy traffic jams, especially on public holidays. All you need to do is go to KL Sentral Station for departure. Yes, usually I drive back to Ipoh, but this time I intentionally didn't drive because I wanted you all to experience it with me. Lol.

Just in case you're not sure how to get to KL Sentral, here's the attached map for you to have a look at.

This is the ticket counter where you can purchase your train ticket.

Since I purchased my train ticket online through www.busonlineticket.com, there's no need to buy it at the station. It's important to note that after buying the ticket online, simply print it out, and it serves as your official ticket. There's no need to exchange it at the ticket counter.

If you're lost, no worries. You can always refer to this directory.

There are two gates on the second floor : Gate A and B. If Ipoh is your final destination, you should head to Gate A.

Gate A is located right next to KFC. So, if you're unsure of its location, just look for KFC. You can also grab a meal there while waiting for the train to arrive.

Ta-da! Here's the ETS, which stands for "Electric Train Service".

The train's interior.

Each coach is equipped with a small LCD screen, and their restrooms are reminiscent of those found on aeroplanes.

After approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, we arrived at our destination - Ipoh! Here's the entrance to Ipoh Railway Station.

Be sure to check the "exit" signboard in case you're unsure where the exit is.

This is the ticket counter at Ipoh Railway Station. You can purchase train tickets to other destinations here as well.

This is one of the entrances for boarding the ETS. There are two entrances, so make sure not to enter the wrong one.

This is the exterior ambience of Ipoh Railway Station.

From the main entrance, simply walk for about 1 minute to your right, and you'll find a cluster of taxis. We took a taxi to Nam Heong, and the fare was RM15 for the ride.

For your information, Nam Heong is renowned as a local icon, particularly among traditional and old-style coffee shops. It has become a signature of Ipoh, known for its famous old-town white coffee. Some people say that if you haven't tried their coffee, you haven't truly experienced Ipoh.

I used to buy this Chinese pancake (大块面) as a takeaway snack after school in the old days. I don't know what it's called in English, but in Malay, it's known as Apam Balik. The inside of the pancake is usually filled with sweet corn and peanuts.

I ordered a cham ice (coffee mixed with tea), which is also one of their signature drinks in the shop.

And this is the hot and popular white coffee that my friend ordered.

I ordered a hakka mee along with some fish balls, tofu, and more for lunch. The total cost was about RM4.90.

My friend had the fish ball kuey teow soup.

Details

Kedai Makanan Nam Heong

Address : 2, Jalan Bandar Timah, 30000 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.

Business Hours : Daily (7:30am - 10:30pm)

Tel : +6012 - 588 8766

After lunch, we strolled around the area to discover and capture some of the local street art. While there was plenty to explore, we only managed to photograph a few of these art pieces.

This particular shop featured forest-themed decor, among its many different themes.

When I saw the "Selalu Lock" area, I couldn't help but laugh. I never knew that Ipoh had a lock section like the one in Paris.

They also have a bazaar here. I'm not sure if it's a daily occurrence or only on weekdays because we visited on a Thursday.

Finally, we reached the famous Concubine Lane (二奶巷). This lane used to be messy and dirty due to a fire that occurred a long time ago. However, guess what? Concubine Lane is a 120-year-old lane in Old Town Ipoh! I knew they had already renovated it, but this was my first time stepping in after many years. I was surprised by all the changes. It has now become a favourite tourist destination. Continue reading to find out more.

This shop is quite unique and offers tourists a chance to purchase cute products as souvenirs or gifts for friends and family.

Ipoh keychains are a perfect and typical souvenir choice.

They also sell flower-style cotton candy. I didn't try it, but it must be delicious. (Look at the little girl's expression)

Details

Eesha Handmade

Address : No. 12, Lorong panglima, 30000 Ipoh, Perak.

Business Hours : +6012 - 519 9152

Tel : Tue - Sun (11:00am - 5:00pm)

Right next to Eesha Handmade was the Meiko Gallery.

Notice the signboard? It looks very retro and old. That's because this shop displays all the objects we used to see and use when we were kids.

It was definitely an interesting retro shop and gallery at Concubine Lane.

Since the building was ancient, they needed to maintain it well. They requested a fee of RM1 for taking photos. My friend and I were thinking of taking photos upstairs, so we paid RM1 each.

My grandma used to use a sewing machine like this when I was a kid. I also like the sound of this old typewriter when it's typing, like tik tak, tik tak.

Details

Meiko Gallery

Address : No. 14, Lorong Panglima, 30000 Ipoh, Perak.

Business Hours : Daily (9:00am - 5:00pm)

Tel : 016 - 414 4399

You can stop by here to try their red bean ice.

It's worth paying a visit here, especially for tourists. Well, even though I'm an Ipohian, I feel like I'm experiencing something new here. Lol

Details

Concubine Lane
Address : Panglima Lane, 30000 Ipoh, Perak.

We then headed to Big John's Music Shack to relax. It's located opposite Snow Beer (元华雪花啤).

Big Johns offered Western cuisine during our visit. In the evenings, they host live bands and serve alcoholic beverages. They stay open until midnight.

I was excited to try the Rose Cone ice cream as I had seen it in many YouTube videos. I didn't know I could find it in Ipoh! It was priced at RM2.50 for 1 layer, RM3 for 2 layers, and RM5 for 3 layers.

Ta-da! Here it is! Unfortunately, the hot weather caused the ice cream to melt quickly.

Rose bud tea is priced at only RM5. Quite affordable considering we can't find this price in KL.

Details

Big Johns Music Shack

Address : 24 Lorong Panglima (Concubine Lane), 30000 Ipoh, Perak.
Business Hours : Tue - Sun (5:00pm - 1.00am)
Tel : +605 - 241 1617

Oh, by the way, besides beautiful girls and delicious food, Ipoh is also famous for its dim sum. I know many of you would usually go to Foh San Dim Sum, but there's always a long queue there. So, my colleague and I decided to try Ming Court Dim Sum instead.

The dim sum at Ming Court was decent. However, they have a limited selection compared to some other dim sum places. The restaurant was quite crowded as it's quite small.

Details

Ming Court Hong Kong Dim Sum
Address : 32. 34. 36, Jalan Leong Sin Nam, Kampung Jawa, 30300 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
Business Hours : Daily (5:00am - 12.00pm)
Tel : 05 - 255 7134

Although there are many more places and cuisines to explore in Ipoh, I can only list a few here. I don't often return to Ipoh, and when I do, it's usually for just a day or two. I'll share more about the places, foods, and activities you should try, and please share your suggestions as well if you have any.

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If you find it interesting, feel free to visit other day trip posts as follows:

• Malacca Day Trip
  
• Johor Bahru Day Trip
  
• What to Eat in Pontian
  
• What to Eat in Malacca/Melaka
  
• Malacca Travel Guide
• Sekinchan Day Trip
• Langkawi Travel Guide
  
• Penang Day Trip