Perak, Malaysia
Ipoh, on one cultural map.
Ipoh, the capital of Perak, grew on Kinta Valley tin from the 1880s, and that history still shapes the city: Old Town shophouses and kopitiams, a domed railway station, a Hakka miners' clubhouse, cave temples in the limestone hills and the food the mining communities brought with them. This guide gathers its landmarks and living heritage, each with the story behind it.
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Photo: HundenvonPenang, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ipoh’s areas at a glance
Old Town. The brick shophouses here were rebuilt after a fire in 1892. Ipoh Railway Station, the “Taj Mahal of Ipoh”, faces the Town Hall across a square. Old Town is also home to Han Chin Pet Soo, the Hakka miners’ clubhouse, Concubine Lane and the Old Town coffee shops, where Ipoh’s white coffee story begins.
New Town. New Town grew on the far bank of the Kinta River between 1905 and 1914, much of it developed by the tin magnate Yau Tet Shin, whose name is on Jalan Yau Tet Shin. Funny Mountain, known for its tau fu fa, is here.
The limestone hills. Ipoh sits among hills that are part of the Kinta Valley National Geopark, and many hold places of worship: Sam Poh Tong and Kek Lok Tong at Gunung Rapat, Perak Tong to the north, and the Kallumalai temple at Gunung Cheroh, the focus of Thaipusam.
Buntong and Batu Gajah. In Buntong, families make kacang putih. South of the city, in Batu Gajah, stands the unfinished Kellie’s Castle.
These places are still used by their communities. At places of worship, dress modestly and follow the guidance of the people who look after them.
Landmarks & history
Stations, clubhouses, mansions and temples that tell the story of the tin era and the faiths of the valley.
Also on the map: Perak Tong, Kek Lok Tong, Panglima Kinta Mosque, Kallumalai Arulmigu Subramaniar Temple
Living heritage
Kopitiams, food makers, crafts and lanes that are still part of daily life.
Also on the map: Nam Heong, Kampung Kacang Putih, Buntong, Ipoh Mural Art Lane
Stories from Ipoh
What Makes Ipoh's Cultural Scene Worth Knowing
How Tin Made Ipoh: The Kinta Valley Story
Why Is Ipoh So Famous for Food? The Story Behind It
Top 5 Cave Temples of Ipoh and Their Origin Stories
What Is a Kopitiam? Malaysia's Coffee Shop Culture
Ipoh Street Art, Explained: Who Painted the Old Town Murals?
Places in Ipoh
Landmarks and living heritage on the Aevum map of Ipoh.
- Gastronomy Kong Heng
- Heritage & Roots Han Chin Pet Soo
- Gastronomy Sin Yoon Loong
- Heritage & Roots Ipoh Railway Station
- Heritage & Roots Concubine Lane (Lorong Panglima)
- Religious & Sacred Sam Poh Tong
- Gastronomy Funny Mountain (奇峰) Funny Mountain (奇峰) is a tau fu fa stall near Jalan Yau Tet Shin, Ipoh, said to have begun as a 1950s pushcart and now run by a third generation.
- Heritage & Roots Kellie's Castle
- Gastronomy Nam Heong
- Religious & Sacred Perak Tong
- Gastronomy Kampung Kacang Putih, Buntong
- Religious & Sacred Kek Lok Tong
- Arts & Creative Ipoh Mural Art Lane
- Religious & Sacred Panglima Kinta Mosque
- Religious & Sacred Kallumalai Arulmigu Subramaniar Temple
- Heritage & Roots Ipoh Town Hall
- Religious & Sacred Nam Thean Tong
- Religious & Sacred Kwong Fook Ngam
- Gastronomy Heong peng bakers, Gunung Rapat
Download the Aevum app to see all places
The full map of Ipoh, with the story behind every place, is in the app. The app is coming soon.
Download the Aevum app (coming soon)Questions
What is Ipoh known for?
Ipoh, the capital of Perak, is known for its tin-mining history, Old Town shophouses, white coffee, street murals, and cave temples in the limestone hills around the city. Its civic centre is around the railway station and the Town Hall.
Where are Ipoh's best-known heritage places?
Most are in Old Town. Ipoh Railway Station, Han Chin Pet Soo, Concubine Lane and the Old Town coffee shops are all there, close to one another. The cave temples are in the limestone hills around the city.
What can I find on Aevum in Ipoh?
Places across heritage, gastronomy, arts and sacred sites, from Old Town kopitiams to cave temples, each with the story behind it. This page shows a selection. The full map is in the Aevum app, which is coming soon.
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