Malaysia has plenty of world-famous places to visit and if you’re travelling to Malaysia with kids, you probably already have the likes of Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Borneo on your radar. However, if the small city of Ipoh hasn’t made it onto your itinerary, you’re missing out on one of Malaysia’s hidden gems.
Most tourists only pass through the city, either as a base for exploring the nearby Cameron Highlands, or as an anonymous stop on the train between Penang and Kuala Lumpur. But for us, as we’re living in Penang, Ipoh is an easy weekend trip and one we simply had to do. From Penang Island, it’s only a twenty minute ferry from George Town to Butterworth on the mainland, and then the train down to Ipoh takes one and a half hours.
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Day 1: Explore the Old Town
Your first day in Ipoh is all about exploring the Old Town. If you have visited George Town in Penang, Ipoh Old Town offers similar vibes with street art and cafes amongst heritage buildings, but feels quieter, smaller, and more manageable with little ones in tow.
If you have arrived to Ipoh in the morning, an afternoon is long enough to explore the Old Town. There’s a handy pdf that’s been created by Kinta Heritage Group (unfortunately their website no longer works) where you can follow a heritage trail around Ipoh.
Our suggestion is to approximately follow this route and stop whenever you fancy a drink or bite to eat. The colonial buildings are very well maintained, especially the railway station and court house, whereas Concubine Lane and Market Street (not on the map above) are colourful and quirky.
Eat, drink, stroll, repeat. It’s the perfect routine to slip into for your first day in Ipoh with kids.
Day 2: Temple caves and Mirror Lake
Tucked away between towering limestone karsts, Tasik Cermin (Mirror Lake) is a beautifully serene spot, 15 minutes drive from Ipoh, which can only be accessed via a tour boat and should be your first stop for day two.
Please don’t make the same mistake as us. I had wrongly assumed from reading other blogs that this was a quiet, hidden gem and planned our day to arrive after visiting the cave temples as I tend to plan the more fun activities later in the day when interest may be waning.
However, on arrival it became very obvious how commercialised the entrance to this lake has become. The car park was heaving with tour buses attempting to turn around and a long queue of cars, and various activities (go-karting, ATV, small petting-farm) dotted around. After joining the thirty minute queue for tickets and then being told it was a one hour wait for the boat ride, the reason for the extra activities became apparent.
We visited on a Sunday lunch time. Instead, we recommend visiting Tasik Cermin first thing and beating the crowds. Once you are on the lake, it is beautifully serene, although the boat ride is only 20 minutes long.
There are actually two lakes here: the main one is Tasik Cermin I and Tasik Cermin II is slightly smaller. However, with our eventual two hour wait to enter Tasik Cermin I, we decided against visiting Tasik Cermin II.
After your boat trip, it’s time to visit some of the cave temples for which Ipoh is famous. These temples are inside the limestone hills, some over a century old, blend Buddhist and Taoist influences, and are filled with carvings, statues, and murals.
There are around six major cave temples in the region, although with kids in tow we recommend you choose one or two to visit. Entry at the temples is free, donations are welcome.
Sam Poh Tong Temple is one of Malaysia’s oldest cave temples and is very close Tasik Cermin, so it makes sense to visit this one. However, if you only feel like the kids are up to visiting one temple, we recommend Perak Cave Temple, which is arguably the most impressive cave temple in the region. You can follow the steps inside the cave that lead out the other side of the hill and up to the top for fantastic views over Ipoh.
Day 3: White water rafting OR Lost World of Tambun
READ: White water rafting near Ipoh with River Bug Asia
Travel with kids is always about balance. After a couple of days filled with cultural activities, it’s time for something that’s perhaps more tailored to their interests. We recommend either white water rafting or visiting Lost World of Tambun, an amusement park . Your choice will depend largely on your child’s age; white water rafting has a minimum age requirement of seven, while the Lost World of Tambun is better suited for younger children (though kids of all ages will love the waterpark).
Since our boys are 9 and 11, we opted for white water rafting adventure in Gopeng with River Bug Asia, which we booked online through Klook. It was an absolutely brilliant!
You will be met by your guide at Outbound Gopeng Toll Plaza, which is a 30 minute Grab ride from Ipoh, who will then take you to the start point, give you a safety briefing, and navigate you safely down the rapids for about 1 hour. Expect moments of pure adrenaline, mixed with opportunities to relax on a river beach while the kids happily jump on and off the raft.
Alternatively, if you opt for Lost World of Tambun (make sure you pre-book your discounted tickets on Klook) you will have a fantastic day filled with fairground rides, discovering animals at the zoo (including tigers), and whizzing down the slides at the waterpark (or floating along Asia’s longest man-made Adventure River is you prefer a more sedate activity). There are eight themed areas, so make sure you allocate enough time to explore. Stay until nightfall and end your day with a rejuvenating dip in the hot springs.
If you have an extra day, we recommend splitting your time: one day of white water rafting and another at the Lost World of Tambun. Even older kids will have a blast at the waterpark.
Getting around Ipoh
Ipoh Old Town is very walkable with its minimal traffic and wide streets. However, to reach the activities mentioned above such as cave temples, Mirror Lake, white water rafting etc, Grab (the e-hailing app) works brilliantly, especially for families. We use Grab everywhere in Malaysia.
Getting to and from Ipoh
Ipoh is exceptionally well-connected to the rest of Malaysia, with both the main north-south expressway and railway line passing through town. If you’re coming from Kuala Lumpur, Penang or the Thai border at Padang Besar, the best option is to take the train and we’d recommend booking your tickets on the excellent Baolau website. The train itself is comfortable and relaxing, with air-conditioned carriages, pre-booked seats, buffet car and clean toilets. You can read this review of the Kuala Lumpur to Penang train to get an idea of what to expect onboard.
If you’re coming to or from the Cameron Highlands, there are several buses a day running between Ipoh and Tanah Rata, with the journey taking around two and a half hours. Tickets can be booked on Baolau or 12Go.
For longer distance journeys, Ipoh has its own small airport a few kilometres from the city centre, with flights to Singapore and Johor Bahru.
Where to stay in Ipoh with kids
We found the accommodation options to be rather lacking in Ipoh. Nothing caught our eye on the budget end of the scale, where the best option for families is really apartments. As we live in an apartment in Penang, we wanted something a little different for this long weekend trip to Ipoh.
So we decided to splurge a little. Ipoh Bali Hotel is often recommended and they do have very nice family rooms, but this was fully booked for our dates. Instead, we booked for three nights at M Boutique Hotel in a family suite, which consisted of a double room with interconnecting twin room for the boys. It was a bit pricey, but we were swayed by the funky décor.
In all honesty, we’re not sure it was worth the money. The rooms were dark (opening the curtains displays the brick exterior, which blocks any view and needs a good clean – this is the case for all the rooms here), breakfast isn’t included, and the wifi was patchy and barely useable. However the rooms were interesting, clean and the beds extremely comfy. Also, you have to WhatsApp the hotel to book the family room as for some reason this can’t be booked online.
Recommended restaurants in Ipoh with kids
We’re the kind of travellers who like to wander and stumble across eateries. However, we learnt that in the case of Ipoh you need to do your research as the restaurants can be hit and miss. And once you have decided on a restaurant, check that they’re actually open. We turned up to a couple of places to find that they weren’t open that day or had been shut for a very long time.
As breakfast wasn’t included with our accommodation, we ate out for both breakfast and dinner every day.
Our favourite spot for breakfast was Aud’s and for dinner it was one of the local Chinese restaurants at the end of Concubine Lane. We had a couple of other breakfasts elsewhere that were disappointing (including the restaurant adjoined to M Boutique hotel where we stayed) and a couple of disappointing dinners (one at an Indian restaurant and the other at Miner’s Arms).
Although we don’t recommend eating at the Miner’s Arms, we do recommend popping in for a drink and it really is a wonderful setting.
Final thoughts on visiting Ipoh with kids
Ipoh is one of those places that takes you by surprise and might end up being one of your favourite places in Malaysia, especially if you’re looking for a long weekend destination. With its wide streets and pretty heritage buildings, the Old Town is a manageable and compact area to explore with kids, allowing you all to take in some culture without reaching overload levels. Outside of the city, there are a few excellent day trips that are easily reachable by Grab taxis, allowing you explore the countryside without spending too much time on the road.
Unlike places such as Penang or Malacca, the food and accommodation scene is slightly hidden and inaccessible, so it’s not necessarily the type of place you can wander around and find a hotel or restaurant at random. Instead, use our guide or do your own research and find the right place for you and your kids.
The good news is that although Ipoh has its fair share of tourists, it’s nowhere near the levels you’ll find in places like Penang, Malacca and KL, so you may well have the beautiful city streets to yourselves and really get to know this beautiful Malaysian city.
You may also like to read:
Things to do in Kuala Lumpur with kids
Things to do in Penang with kids
Malaysia with kids travel guide