Ipoh Old Town

The colonial-era old quarter on the west bank of the Kinta River, with pre-war Nanyang shophouses, a historic white coffee shop, murals on the walls, and colonial buildings clustered together. Everything can be explored on foot.

Ipoh Old Town is the earliest part of Ipoh to develop, on the west bank of the Kinta River. It preserves many early 20th-century Nanyang-style shophouses with five-foot ways, along with British colonial buildings including the railway station, the City Hall, the High Court, and the Birch Memorial Clock Tower (1909), which commemorates Birch, Perak's first British Resident. In recent years the Old Town has been revived through murals, creative businesses, and cafés. Murals by Lithuanian-born artist Ernest Zacharevic, including “Old Man Drinking White Coffee” and “Paper Planes,” are scattered through the alleys around Jalan Bijeh Timah and Jalan Tun Sambanthan, and hunting them down is a favorite pastime for visitors. Ipoh is the birthplace of white coffee: the beans are roasted with margarine and brewed with condensed milk, giving a rich, smooth taste. The old-established shops Sin Yoon Loong and Nam Heong face each other across the street. Start around 8–9 a.m., have breakfast first, then explore on foot. Allow 2–3 hours. Getting there: about a 10-minute walk from Ipoh railway station. Note that midday is hot, so bring an umbrella for shade. Mural locations sometimes change, so pick up a map at the visitor center.

Ipoh Old Town

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