Travel in Ipoh - Malaysia - Asia - Culture

Ipoh - Culture

The city of Ipoh today is a metropolis of over half a million people. There are many modern shopping facilities here such as supermarkets or the Pasar Malam and night markets. These are street bazaars that stock everything from local handicrafts to folk medicine, from farm-fresh produce to casual wear. One really enjoys dining in the city; there are plenty of places for delicious food.

The Ipoh Railway Stations bears close resemblance to its Kuala Lumpur counterpart and is affectionately known to locals at the Taj Mahal of Ipoh. An impressive landmark which combines Moorish and architecture with modern embellishments, it is surrounded by a beautiful floral garden which serves as a charming welcome for tourists.

The Ipoh Anglo-Chinese Secondary School is the oldest and one of the most prestigious schools in the state of Perak.

The civic district in the city is situated around the padang vicinity. The padang itself is very popular and games like cricket and lawn tennis are played here. At the background is the Ipoh Club and Ipoh Free Library - or now known as the Tun Razak Library.

DBI Sprots complex is the most complete and modern of its kind in the country. It comprises a comprehensive swimming complex, the Sultan Azlan Shah Astroturf Hockey Stadium, the Perak Stadium, the Indera Mulia Indoor Stadium, the Velodrome Rakyat, a rugby field, a tennis complex and indoor courts for badminton, squash, table-tennis, sepaktakraw, volleyball, basketball and more.

The Japanese Garden is located near the Perak Turf Club. A small Japanese house, a goldfish pond and a wooden bridge across a stream are some of the elements that conjure up the serenity and meditative atmosphere of the traditional Japanese garden. The grounds are lush with a variety of beautiful tropical flowers, plants and trees.

One of the most outstanding landmarks in Ipoh is the State Mosque, which is the pride of the people and symbol of the State’s Islamic foundation. The main feature of this architectural masterpiece is its minaret that rises 125’ above its mosaic-titled domes.

Darul Ridzuan Museum at Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang Wahab was officially open to the public in 1992. Among the interesting artifacts on show are the history and development of Ipoh and the mining and forestry industry of Perak. The Museum has its own remarkable history. Built more than a hundred years ago and it has been home to the Malay Chieftains of Kinta and the British rulers. When the British Administration took over the building, the British built several air raid shelters around the building.

The 'CATHAY THEATRE' was built around late 1956/early 1957 and opened in August 1957 with the musical 'The King and I'. From then on, it had always been the premium hall of choice for distributors, patrons and corporations wishing to display their pre-movie commercials.

Established in 1957, the Geological Museum at Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah houses a collection of over 600 samples of minerals, classified according to their chemical content and structure.

Perak Tong, a limestone cave temple, is located at Jalan Kuala Kangsar, 6km to the north of Ipoh. This temple houses over 40 Buddha statues. Climb the 385 steps, to have a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside.

Sam Poh Tong is another limestone cave that has lots of impressive works of art, with statues of Buddha in various forms among natural stalactites and rock formations. There's also a large turtle pond to be found here.

Visit the Tambun Hot springs. Just a 15-minute drive from the city, towards Tanjung Rambutan brings you to the foot of a limestone hill where a rejuvenating experience awaits you - an invigorating hot bath from the natural spring.

If you have not walked up the pleasant Kledang hill, you must! The hill is also within 15 minutes from Ipoh. At the mid section, there are a lot of community efforts in planting, landscaping and more.

About 30 minutes drive from Ipoh, near Batu Gajah, stands the ruins of Kellie's Castle. It belonged to William Kellie Smith, an English rubber tycoon during the late 19th century. The castle was never completed as Smith left for England in the midst of its construction and never returned. Shrouded in dark mystery, it is believed that Kellie's Castle has hidden rooms and a secret tunnel.

Believed to have existed since 8000 B.C., Gua Tempurong is probably the largest natural limestone cave in Malaysia. Situated about 24 kilometres from the city, the cave stretches for 1.3 kilometres and is made up of five huge domes whose ceilings resemble coconut shells. Each dome has different formations of stalagmites and stalactites as well as differing temperatures, water levels, content of limestone and marble.

Cultural Hindu festivals such as Deepavali and Thaipusam are widely celebrated in Ipoh. Kallumalai Arul Migu Subramaniar, set amongst the limestone hills, is not to be missed.