Things to do with kids in Ipoh

11 family-friendly places in Ipoh: zoos, aquariums, playgrounds and more.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Drink
Bricks and Barrels
A self-fashioned gastrobar, the place is a good place for families to dine during evenings in the quieter restaurant section before the nightbirds come in to chill around the open alfresco area. They serve pizzas, roast pork and ribs and German bratwursts among others (non-halal obviously), and the bar does draft beer, shots and cocktails.
4PM-1AM
Eat
Family Food Court
Woolley Food City
A food court selling a variety of local dishes as well as some localized versions of Japanese, Vietnamese, Western and Thai cuisine. The ais kacang from ABC Desserts, especially the gula melaka version, is a sinfully sweet mix of red beans, cendol (pandan-flavoured rice strands), condensed milk, syrup combined with shaved ice - perfect on hot days.
Lunch Only
Do
Gunung Lang
A general recreational park with a man-made waterfall and a long waterfront boardwalk. The serene 80-foot-deep lake, like many others in the region, hides the deep scars tin mining made on the landscape. There's a mini zoo and playground for the kids and campsites for overnight stays. A boat ride is required to get across the lake to the park.
RM3
Buy
Hong Kee Confectionery
鸿记饼家
Family business famous for their Cantonese-style egg tarts. Come early as possible to avoid disappointments.
7AM-2PM, closed on FridaysRM1.6/piece
See
Kellie's Castle
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. A taxi will cost you around RM50-60 and they will usually wait for an hour (which is long enough to look around).
RM5 for adults, RM3 for kids 3-12
Eat
Mun Choong Restaurant
Pusing Public Seafood Restaurant
The popular choice for special family occasions in Ipoh because of their consistently good food and large portions. Their steamed freshwater prawns with ginger are a crowd favourite. Service is attentive and efficient.
RM60+
See
Mural Art’s Lane
Mural Art’s Lane lies in Ipoh New Town where all the murals were painted on the back walls of old heritage houses. In an attempt to preserve them, Eric Lai, a local art teacher, started the painting of numerous murals on those buildings. These demonstrate various facets of Malaysian culture, such as Chinese lion dance, kuda kepang Malay dance, traditional Indian dance, playful multi-mural displays of children playing hide & seek, and beautiful waterfall scenery.
See
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple
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.
Do
The Lost World of Tambun
Ipoh's only water theme park provides great rides and entertainment for families and also organizes tours into the nearby limestone caves for those interested in eco-tourism. It has a petting zoo that allows children to feed and pet a variety of animals. Tambun has been traditionally known for its juicy pomelo fruit and the Tambun Hot Springs (now known as the Lost World Hot Springs and Spa). Soaking in these hot springs is said to bring health benefits to the body because of the high sulphur content in the water.
RM40-50
Buy
Yee Hup
The family-operated business started at home in the 1980s, before becoming a corporate company pumping out biscuits by the truckload from industrial sized electric ovens. The convenient branch in town usually has varieties not found elsewhere.
RM9 for a packet of ten
Do Not mapped
White Water Rafting
Get wet and wild with nature on the Kampar River, a 12-km ride down big rapids, taking 1½ to 2 hours depending on how high the water level is. The rapids have some of the easiest grades for beginners and are a good choice for family bonding. Transport from a set location (usually Gua Tempurung) to the river is usually provided by the guides and participants also get a briefing on safety, paddling and rafting techniques. Radak Adventure and Nomad Adventure are two such companies in the area.
RM100-200

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Ipoh (CC BY-SA 4.0).