Off the Beaten Path: Ipoh, Malaysia

Since coming to Singapore, I have not been able to go back often to my hometown, Ipoh. Whenever I mention that I come from Ipoh, the first thing people say....Ipoh horfun!!

That's definitely no surprise as Ipoh's horfun is really the best I've ever eaten in my life. It is much smoother than the ones available elsewhere, even in other Malaysian states.

However, the purpose of this post is to bring forward other experiences which you should look out for if you ever visit Ipoh.

1. The food

Yes, yes, yes...I know. Horfun is food. but there are other things too like bean sprout chicken, salted chicken, fried yong tau foo, curry noodles , dim sum, pomelo and so on...

This site by Motormouth from Ipoh is a really good start if you want to embark on a food tour. Even though I've stayed in Ipoh since ages, I still enjoy discovering more good food through this blog!

2. The limestone caves

Ipoh is blessed with a lot of limestone caves. Along the road leading towards or away from the highway, you can see temples which are situated in these caves. Further away from the city centre, there is the famous Gua Tempurung.

3. Adventure

Although Ipoh is considered boring by most people, there are also adrenaline-pumping activities such as white-water rafting and jungle trekking. Most of these are in Gopeng, a smaller town close to Ipoh.

For people who love theme parks, the Lost World of Tambun would be perfect. It has water slides, tiger exhibit and more.....

Ipoh is smack in between the larger cities of Kuala Lumpur (KL) and Penang, therefore if you plan to visit either or both, do stop over at Ipoh. it will be a great place for breakfast/lunch/tea/dinner/supper.

And if my earlier recommendations seem good, do stay on longer. From Ipoh, it is also very convenient to head to Cameron Highlands using the new road. In less than an hour, you can be up in the mountains enjoying the cooler air, and sipping tea while enjoying your very English scones. It is one of my favourite day trips and I go there quite often. A favourite meal there is steamboat particularly during the cold nights. However, on public holidays or long weekends, be prepared for long traffic jams and difficulty finding parking spaces.

Closer to Ipoh and Taiping is the small town of Kuala Sepetang. It is worth a visit for its delicious seafood and to experience the life in a small town....