Parks and the outdoors in Ipoh

11 parks, gardens, beaches and walks in and around Ipoh.

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

Do
Bukit Kledang
Trek up one of the many trails up the Menglembu-Kledang Hills (these are the hills you can see to the west of Ipoh with the radio-TV masts on the top) to enjoy the awe-inspiring view of the limestone outcrops that surround Ipoh. If unsure of how to get to these trails, just ask the many locals who trek up daily in the early mornings and late evenings. If you have a GPS, hikes can either start from 101° 1.813'E/4° 34.577'N or at 101° 1.638'E/ 4° 34.312'N where the paved road to the summit begins. Most trails are open and hot (take a hat and water) but much of Trail 4.9 is through shady forest. There are interesting plants and some wildlife (long-tailed macaques, pig-tailed macaques, leaf monkeys, and siamang) to be seen if you are lucky.
Do
Caving at Gua Tempurung
Gua Tempurung is the largest limestone cave in Peninsular Malaysia. Located close to the North South Highway's Gopeng Exit, it provides the opportunity to explore in detail the insides of a limestone cave. You can choose to experience a short tour of the cave or adventure into the far end of the cave by walking off the walkways and in the cave river. The wet adventures have you wading in the cold underground water, squeezing through holes and sliding over smooth rocks, but require at least 8 people to start.
RM6-22
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
See
Kinta Riverfront Walk
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.
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.
Drink
OldTown White Coffee
Chain of coffee shops selling Ipoh's very own white coffee in comfortable surroundings. The first outlet actually began in Ipoh Garden South. Reasonably priced but uninspiring snacks. A rarity in Ipoh but standard in all branches is free Wi-Fi.
9AM-12:30AMCoffee RM3.50
See
Sam Poh Tong
Cavern of Triple Gems
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. Sam Poh Tong itself is the third of the row, just after the small coffee shop, where you should relax after climbing all the stairs of Nam Thean Tong. By this temple's entrance is a charming landscaped bonsai garden and fish pond; inside, a tunnel leads right through the rocks to the sanctuary of the temple and its tortoise pond; you can buy tomatoes for RM3 to feed the tortoise. On the road leading to the temples are stalls selling pomelos. Sam Poh Tong also contains a vegetarian restaurant. Local bus 94 continues to right next to these temples after passing the former Medan Gopeng Bus Terminal. RM10 in a taxi from the city should be enough, and regional buses will also get you there quickly from the centre of town.
9AM-2:15PM (for Sam Poh Tong)
See
Tanjung Tualang Tin Dredge Ship
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. There is a small museum and tours are available for both the outside and inside of the dredge depending on pricing.
RM5-15
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
Do
Ulu Geroh
Be an ecotourist and experience the rainforest here. This is an Orang Asli kampung about one hour's drive into the hills east of Gopeng. The last half of the ride is along a rough road (4x4 preferred) through rubber, durian and oil palm plantations to the village on the edge of the rainforest. Guides from the Orang Asli community take visitors to see the parasitic Rafflesia flower (the largest flower in the world) and the Raja Brooke's Birdwing butterfly as well as other forest bugs, plants, etc. There's also a small but beautiful waterfall. You will need your IC or passport number for the visitor log book. Basic accommodation is available at Ulu Geroh itself or in a rural setting at three nearby eco-resorts: (My Gopeng Resort, Rumah Rehat Adeline and Gopeng Rainforest Resort).
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).