Ipoh - capital of Perak

Ipoh is the capital of Perak and one of the largest cities in Malaysia with around 600.000 inhabitants. The city is located in the Kinta valley, 165 km south east of Penang and about 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur.

The city has a long and turbulent history going back a long time. More about Ipoh's history, you can read here.

Although Ipoh is no longer as important as it used to be in the days of the booming tin mining industry around the turn of the 19th century. During the British colonial era, Ipoh was Malaysia's second city for administration purposes. Remains of the golden days of Ipoh are still to be seen: the railway station and the town hall.

Accommodation

As the capital of the state Perak requires, there are plenty of hotels in Ipoh. On our Hotels in Ipoh page we explore the best options.

Ipoh Hotels

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Ipoh
The Padang in Ipoh

The Padang

Padang is the Malay word for 'field', and this is exactly what it is. In the colonial days the British used this field for cricket. Nowadays it is in use for many things including playing some football or having a picnic with the family. Ipoh has left the Padang unscathed, together with the beautiful casuarinas trees that has been encircling the field for almost a century now.

FMS Bar and Restaurant

FMS in Ipoh
The famous FMS in the old town center

F.M.S. stands for "Federated Malay States". The FMS building was built at the turn of the 20th century. It became a bar and restaurant in 1906. Both bar and restaurant (together with its antique décor) have managed to survive the ravages of time. Some claim it is Malaysia's oldest functioning Bar!

Planters and merchants used to frequent the Bar. It is located just opposite the Padang.

The FMS Bar and Restaurant is still quite popular. Time has changed the culinary preferences here. Try the Sichuan prawns.

Birch Memorial, The Clock Tower

The clock tower is quite hidden and for good reasons. J.W.W. Birch was an unpopular character. He was the first British Resident. He showed little sensitivity towards local customs and religion. The feeling was mutual and eventually he was assassinated. His actual grave is to be found at the Pasir Salak historical complex where the Malaysian government build a memorial monument. It's about 30 km from Lumut and Pangkor

Ipoh, Birch Memorial Clock tower
Murals on the Birch Memorial Clock tower in Ipoh

For whatever Birch was to the Malays, the British made him a hero. On all four sides of the Clock Tower there are colorful murals depicting various 18th Century professions. There, they also erected a bronze bust of their Mr. Birch although this has been removed. The Clock Tower is quite a fine monument despite the history of the man to whom it was dedicated.

The Perak Museum

The Perak Museum was build in 1926 by a rich and successful tin miner called Foo Choong Kit. Back then, he built it for his own private domain. The rumor goes that it once there were forty people living in this house. The house did not stay long with the family. In 1950 it was sold to the Perak Government. which utilized these premises to house the administrative centre of its Department of Works. In 1992 this building became the Perak Museum.

The museum contains artifacts from the early history of Perak and follows up to the present with plenty of photos and memorabilia of the British administrators and rulers who played key roles in Perak. HSBC in Ipoh

The museum contains various pictures of colonial building in Perak. You may recognize them later when you walk through the city.

The museum is located at Jalan Kuala Kangsar and opens all week from 9.30am-5pm.

St Michael's School

It is maybe the grandest and biggest of all the old colonial buildings in Ipoh. The St Michael's school was opened by a group of La Salle Brothers in 1912. St. Michael's was one of the more prestigious Christian missionary schools in Perak.

Appearance tells a lot about an institution. St Michael's architecture and façade are reminiscence of a true Christian masterpiece. The architecture is absolutely brilliant. Right in front of it stretches the school green. If you're lucky, you may spot the school band marching up and down the field playing some musical score in their full regalia.

Even the Japanese army could not stay away from St Michael's. During the Japanese occupation, this army converted the school for its centre of administration for the state of Perak.

Royal Ipoh Club

The Royal Ipoh Club was once the domain of planters, tin miners and administrators. It is build in white Tudor style.

Town Hal

One of Ipoh's architectural wonders is definitely the Town Hall. It boasts the neo-classical architecture, which was popular in the early 1900s. The Town Hall exhibits a mix between renaissance and roman architectural features. Construction began in 1913, and was finally completed in 1917.

This building has also served as a Post Office, and was once the District Police headquarters in 1948.

Ipoh Railway Station

Some people call it Taj Mahal of Ipoh! That's too much honor but it is certainly a magnificent building which was built in the height of the tin mining industry.

Above the train station, on the second and third floors you will find the Station Hotel. It is also known as The Majestic or The Heritage Hotel. You can take the ancient lift up to the main lobby, and it will take you back in time. In the early 1900s, the hotel was a 'first class accommodation' and had an 'excellent cuisine'. A 200m long verandah runs the length of the building. There is cozy bar.

Ipoh Railway Station