Gaya Traveller’s Ipoh

Text & Images by IRNEE NORRIS & IRINA NORRIS

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At the time of writing, Malaysia had just shifted to the endemic phase of COVID-19; in fact, the world is entering its third year dealing with the pandemic. Honestly, we even thought that the Movement Control Order (MCO) – which restricted Malaysians’ movement and closed the Malaysian border to control the spread of COVID-19 – was never going to end! With reassurances by the Malaysian government that there will be no retracting of this decision, Malaysians have been actively making travel plans. While some are braving international travel at the get go, we feel that it is best to go local first.

Most of the Malaysian hospitality industry players have been badly affected by the MCO, and some even went out of business. We are glad to see that businesses are fast picking up when the interstate travel ban was lifted. After ten years of active international travelling, we felt this is a good time to explore domestic travelling, and help our local industry players.

So, the first question that comes to mind is: WHERE SHALL WE GO? We shortlisted cities that are within two hours’ drive away from Klang Valley. Should it be Melaka, for some good ol’ Nyonya Peranakan food? Or Port Dickson for a quick beach getaway and a good dose of fiery masak lemak cili api kampung fare? Or maybe a laidback getaway to Ipoh for some ice-cold desserts since the weather has been too hot lately?

Alas, we settled on Ipoh, the capital of Perak state.

Undeniably, Ipoh is a convenient getaway destination for Klang Valley residents. Like Melaka, Ipoh is just a short drive away from the capital with heaps of good food and attractions to offer. Some may opt for a day trip, but we opted for a two-night getaway because we are just not wired for daytrips!

Ipoh Fun Facts

Image By: https://mroof.mboutiquehotels.com

» The name Ipoh is derived from a local tree, Pohon Epu. Its poisonous sap was used by indigenous people to coat the tips of their blowpipe darts for hunting.

» Ipoh replaced Taiping as the capital of Perak in 1937.

» Ipoh is in the middle of the Kinta Valley, on the bank of the Kinta River and the confluence of Pinji River and Pari River. The city is surrounded by iconic limestone hills.

» “Ipoh mali” (loosely translated; from Ipoh) is the nation’s favourite comeback phrase whenever “Ipoh” is mentioned in a conversation.

» Ipoh people are called Ipohites.

Where to Stay

Since everything is within a short distance away from each other, choosing a place to stay in Ipoh is not an issue for us, as long as the accommodation is comfortable and comes with adequate facilities.

Ipoh has plenty of lodging options. From hip boutique hotels in the Old Town to high rise hotels and apartments, Ipoh has many accommodation options at competitive prices.

Gaya Travel Nusantara’s Team accomodation of choice whenever we are in Ipoh: M Roof Hotel & Residences.

What Brought Us to Ipoh? Anuar Zain!

Anuar Zain..

Guest of honor His Royal Highness Raja Jaafar Ibni Almarhum Raja Muda Musa, The Raja Muda Perak Darul Ridzuan with his Consort Her Royal Highness Raja Puan Besar Perak, Raja Nazhatul Shima Binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah, His Royal Highness Raja Iskandar Dzulkarnain Ibni Almarhum Sultan Idris A’fifullah Shah, The Raja Di-Hilir Perak Darul Ridzuan and his Consort Raja Puan Muda Perak, Her Royal Highness Tunku Soraya Binti Sultan Al-Haj Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah.

Besides ice cold desserts as the pull factor, we received news that our favourite crooner the legendary Anuar Zain will be performing in Ipoh. Since we are his fans and would catch his shows whenever possible, Ipoh seems like the natural choice for our first official interstate travel destination.

As interstate travelling, the government has also eased restrictions against public events like concerts. Many rejoiced upon hearing the good news, since it meant that life could somewhat get close to pre-Covid times. After almost two years of being cooped up, Malaysians are ready to party.

Anuar Zain charity dinner show “Karena Aku Cinta” took place on 5 March 2022 at Ipoh International Convention Centre (IICC). The organisers, which were Bond Holdings Sdn Bhd, Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh (MBI) and Sycal Ventures Berhad, pledged that the proceeds from the show will go towards the families of fallen frontliners, including artistes who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is hoped that the dinner show help to kickstart Perak’s arts and tourism scene, as well as promote the 32,000 feet squared convention centre as the state’s latest landmark. 900 fans attended the dinner show, with ample spacing in between to adhere to COVID-19 standard operating procedures. With only six seats to a table, it is clear that the organisers were serious in keeping everyone safe while enjoying the one-hour dinner show.

The show opened with a surprise opening act, the multi-talented Adibah Noor, who sang two songs to warm up the crowd. Then, Anuar came out mesmerising the audience with his still powerful vocals and good interaction with the audience, which are his hallmarks. He kept the audience entertained by belting out 10 songs non-stop. The show closed with another surprise: a performance by His Royal Highness Raja Iskandar Dzulkarnain Ibni Almarhum Sultan Idris A’fifullah Shah, The Raja Di-Hilir Perak Darul Ridzuan, who sang and played the guitar skilfully.

The charity dinner show raised a total of MYR130,000 and the audience went home with big smiles on their faces and wonderful memories.

We are truly shocked by the sudden demise of Adibah Noor on 18 June 2022 due to Ovarian Cancer. We would like to convey our heartfelt condolences to the late entertainer’s family. May she be placed among the righteous. Thank you Adibah Noor, for sharing your talent and love to the world.

“Karena Aku Cinta” Charity Dinner Setlist

1. Kau Bunga Cintaku 2. Keabadian Cinta 3. Karena Aku Cinta 4. Jera (Agnes Monica) 5. Jangan Bersedih Lagi 6. Hanya Milikmu 7. Bila Resah 8. Lelaki ini 9. Ketulusan hati 10. Sedetik Lebih

Hello, Ipoh!

We then spent the rest of our stay in Ipoh by exploring this charming city. We especially love the old buildings and the nostalgic vibe that reminds us greatly of Muar, where we spent our early childhood years. Ipoh during weekends, however, is bustling and full of out-of-towners!

A nice observation to make is that Ipoh is split into two by the Kinta River. On the west side of the city is the Old Town where most of Ipoh’s shophouses, heritage buildings and museums are situated. On the east side of the city is the New Town, where parks, gardens and most of the city’s popular restaurants and hawker centres can be found.

Ipoh Old Town can be easily explored on foot. If you were to drive, make sure you use Park@Perak mobile app, which is convenient to use and puts your mind at ease while discovering the city.

MUST-EATS

As recommended by Ipoh people!

We prefer to ask our friends, especially natives, for their favourite food haunts at their hometowns. We thank our friends Sara Naquia and Aidil Rusli for their inputs in our food quest. A special thank you to our Ed Junaidi who drove and guided us everywhere.

Ipoh’s food culture is driven by its majority Chinese population. Hence a visit to Ipoh is deemed not complete without a kopitiam (traditional Chinese coffee shop) meal. Did you know Ipoh is the birthplace of the famous white coffee? At the same time, the kopitiam perfectly captures Malaysia’s multiculturism at its best because locals of different races or backgrounds go to kopitiam regularly for their meals.

Ipoh is indeed a perfect getaway consisting of good food with good company.

KOPITIAMS AND FOOD COURTS

» Restoran New Hollywood Perhaps this is the most popular kopitiam whenever Ipoh is mentioned. Expect a long queue during weekend mornings, so be smart with your timing.

Restoran New Hollywood.

GAYA Traveller Recommends: Hong Kong style Chee Cheong Fun, Curry Noodles, Char Kuay Teow, and Cream Caramel Pudding. 38 Lorong Cecil Rae, Taman Canning 31400 Ipoh Opens: 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. daily

» Restoran Vegas This kopitiam is located behind New Hollywood and serves equally good food selection. GAYA Traveller Recommends: Char Kuay Teow and iced white coffee.

1, Lorong Cecil Rae, Taman Canning 31400 Ipoh Opens: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

» Medan Selera Stadium Sara Recommends: Char Kuay Teow stall facing the Aquatic Centre.

Jalan Ghazali Jawi Ipoh Garden Kompleks Sukan Ipoh 31400 Ipoh Opens: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

» Pasar Tani Kampung Simee On the way to our kopitiam breakfast, we chanced upon a Pasar Tani (farmer’s market) just outside Stadium Perak and decided to make a quick detour. We found Perak’s traditional snacks (Putu Perak, Putu Piring and Kuih Dangai) here; they are so good because they are all freshly made on site.

Putu Perak

Opens: Every Saturday 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

DIM SUM

Dim Sum for breakfast is another must when one is in Ipoh. There are not many dim sum restaurants that are suitable for Muslims, but we managed to track some Halal ones (certified by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, also known as JAKIM).

» Canning Dim Sum GAYA Traveller Recommends: EVERYTHING!

Canning Dim Sum

We totally love this restaurant and every little morsel we tasted is as good as they look. It was such a nice treat for us.

1, Lebuh Cecil Rae, Taman Canning 31400 Ipoh Opens: Daily except Wednesdays, 7:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

We only had time for one dim sum breakfast, but here are two other options just in case you still have some space in your stomach and have time to check them out.

» Dimsum Café Greentown 10, Persiaran Greentown 4 Pusat Perdagangan Greentown 30450 Ipoh Opens: Weekdays 9:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

» Jom Dim Sum Greentown 19, Persiaran Greentown 4 30450 Ipoh Opens: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. daily

NASI GANJA/ KANDAR

Of course, Ipoh’s cuisines are not only limited to Chinese fares. Travellers will be thrilled to know that the city is well known for its Nasi Ganja or Nasi Kandar, being close to Penang. Restaurants serving Nasi Ganja or Nasi Kandar are aplenty in Ipoh, and the three eateries listed below come highly recommended.

» Kedai Kopi Yong Suan 2 Jalan Yang Kalsom 30250 Ipoh Opens: Sunday – Friday 9:30am – 6:00 p.m., Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

» Nasi Kandar Ramli Pekan Lama Rumah Pangsa Jalan Bijih Timah MBI 125, 30000 Ipoh Opens: Daily 10:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

» Majeedia Nasi Kandar 66,58 Jalan Leong Boon Swee 31650 Ipoh Opens: Daily 6:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

CHICKEN RICE

Chicken with beansprouts on the side is another popular Ipoh dish not to be missed. Although Hainanese Chicken Rice can easily be found in Klang Valley, we wanted to find out if what we read many years ago about Ipoh having the best tasting tofu and beansprouts in the country is true; we truly weren’t disappointed.

» Ipoh Hainan Chicken Rice 107 Jalan Raja Musa Aziz, Kampung Jawa 30300 Ipoh Opens: Monday - Friday 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., Saturday - Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

» Nasi Ayam Fuziah As recommended by Aidil, Nasi Ayam Fuziah has been around since 1980. When a business has been in existence that long, the food must surely be good!

78, Jalan Mustapa Al-Bakri, Taman Jubilee 30300 Ipoh Opens: Sunday - Friday 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

DESSERTS & SNACKS

Ipoh’s sweltering hot weather calls for cold desserts, and we never missed the chance to enjoy some!

» Funny Mountain Soya Bean 50 Jalan Mustapa Al-Bakri, Taman Jubilee 30300 Ipoh Opens: Daily except Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

» Rojak N Cendol This place was recommended by Anuar Zain himself when we asked him which cendol shop he patronised when he was in Ipoh. Our verdict? He’s right – the cendol here tastes more delicious than what we would normally get in Klang Valley!

17, Jalan Tun Sambanthan 30000 Ipoh Opens: 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. daily

» Deen CT Corner Cendol 21B Jalan Mustapa Al-Bakri, Taman Jubilee 30300 Ipoh Opens: Daily except Fridays, 11:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

» Bits & Bobs (Ais Kepal) 99 Jalan Sultan Yussuf (Kong Heng Square) 30000 Ipoh Opens: Monday 11:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.; Wednesday – Friday 11:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.; Saturday - Sunday 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays.

WORTH TRYING

» Mee Daud Mat Jasak This eatery’s Yong Tau Foo in Curry Noodles make a wonderful light evening meal for us, while the Mee Kicap is a tad salty for our liking. Mind you, all of the Mee Kicap we had in Ipoh were salty, so maybe it is due to our low tolerance for salt.

1 Jalan Datuk Onn Jaafar Taman Jubilee 30300 Ipoh Opens: Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m. – 9:30pm; Friday – Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m. – 9:45 p.m., Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

» Miker Pizza Miker has several branches all over Ipoh, and their pizzas come highly recommended by friends. We love the thin crust pizzas!

1, Jalan Tun Sambanthan 30020 Ipoh Opens: Daily 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Where to go?

We are impressed with Perak State Government’s effort in turning Perak into a tourism destination. Ipoh is a clean city, and all of the attractions we went to are well kept and well planned. Thanks to social media, we noticed that more visitors are making Perak as their holiday destination.

» Kong Heng Square and Concubine Lane

These two attractions are right next to each other, and visitors flock to this part of Ipoh especially during weekends. Have fun hunting for street art murals scattered all over Ipoh’s Old Town. This area is like a free entry to an amusement parks. Every corner is a good photo opportunity. For something unique and quirky, stop by at the BookXcess’s basement in Kong Heng Square and step into Yasmin Ahmad Museum. BookXcess is housed in a former bank, complete with bank vaults and safety deposit boxes.

» Kinta Riverwalk

Take a nice night stroll along the Riverwalk, its ambiance reminded us of Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon. Apart from the three beautifully lit up iconic bridges, Kinta River is lined with colourful decorative trees that add to the cheerful atmosphere. There are shops and stalls selling arts and crafts, including food and drinks. There is an entertainment space for children too, with bicycles and electric toy cars available for rent. Address: Jalan Lim Bo Seng 30000 Ipoh » Ipoh Night Market This is a huge area with many stalls selling food and other items under one roof. Parking is aplenty and free of charge. This is a nice place to chill at night. There are buskers performing on stage while visitors enjoy their dinner. Aidil mentioned that the Ayam Taugeh (chicken with beansprouts) here is delicious. Lot 158408 Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah Utara 30350 Ipoh Opens: Daily 4:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

» Ipoh Night Market

This is a huge area with many stalls selling food and other items under one roof. Parking is aplenty and free of charge. This is a nice place to chill at night. There are buskers performing on stage while visitors enjoy their dinner. Aidil mentioned that the Ayam Taugeh (chicken with beansprouts) here is delicious. Lot 158408 Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah Utara 30350 Ipoh Opens: Daily 4:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

See you again, Perak!

All in all, we enjoyed our time in Ipoh. Our tummies were never hungry, and the weather was agreeable too. Ipoh makes a nice getaway for everyone, but we would probably come back during weekdays just to escape the weekend crowd! Other parts of Perak are just waiting to be discovered as well, so we look forward to venturing to other towns in Perak when time permits.