Cosa vedere a Ipoh

Actually a cluster of three Chinese temples in Gunung Rapat. The first temple, Ling Sen Tong is shrouded in the smokey haze of hundreds of joss sticks. Its neighbour, Nam Thean Tong, has hundreds of stairs that climb right through the mountain to high up on the other side, providing great views.…

Dedicated to the first British Resident Minister of Perak who was murdered by a local Malay chief. The chief's profitable trade in Orang Asli, indigenous tribal folk, was curtailed by the British abolition of slavery. By all accounts he wasn't well-liked personally and the road passing the tower's north side is now named in the killer's honour.…

A century-old half-deserted mining town built on a rich deposit of tin that was due to be dug up before the price of the metallic ore halved in the 1980s. In the war years, resistance fighters based themselves here as the last outpost before the inhospitable jungle terrain, even setting up an invaluable free clinic and dispensary.…

A painstakingly restored Hakka Miners' Club that documents the activities of tin miners far away from home with cash to spend. Opium smoking, gambling and prostitution were some favourite vices and are shown in all their glory through the use of carefully curated antique items.…

Houses over 40 Buddha statues and many murals. There is a steep, tall staircase in the interior of the cave rising up to the top of its hill, where one is greeted by a beautiful and panoramic view of Ipoh and its surroundings. The statue of Buddha in Perak Tong is the tallest and largest of its kind in Malaysia.…

The last tin dredge that has not been dismantled from its old workspace is an example of how easy it was to extract alluvial deposits from the river by merely scooping up tin-bearing soil on an industrial scale and filtering out the ore.…

The deserted mansion of an eccentric Scottish planter, located in Batu Gajah, is half an hour's drive from Ipoh city centre. Its main appeal lies in the belief that it is haunted and that secret passages leading to hidden chambers exist.…

Calm Chinese cave temple with good views on the other side of the same limestone hill as Sam Poh Tong. Being newer and a little richer than the other cave temples, the place feels much airier and cleaner. Monkeys can be found here. Accessible through Gunung Rapat housing area. Taxi from Ipoh town should cost RM10.

One of the three grand British-built stations on the former Malayan network. ETS trains connect this station, fondly dubbed "Taj Mahal of Ipoh", to KL's colonial beauty, Kuala Lumpur Railway Station (one stop before KL Sentral). Singapore's now disused Tanjong Pagar station is the third instalment of the trilogy.

The only thing missing is a cricket match on this immaculate lawn near Jalan S.P. Seenivasagam. The surrounding historic buildings include the mock-Tudor style Ipoh Club, FMS Bar, HSBC Building and the magnificent St Michael's Institution secondary school.

Come here at night, as trees are beautifully lighted up, making it a romantic riverside walk. There's a small hut with an interesting exhibit depicting the rise and fall of Ipoh's tin mining industry. It's also possible to hire bicycles for a more vigorous workout.

An old Tamil temple. Not only is it religious in nature but also a place for discourses, and on Sundays, children are given an introduction to verses in Tamil.

An interesting historical museum of Perak, located in a former tin-mining tycoon's pretty mansion.

The two buildings opposite the Railway Station, in neoclassical style.