Lonely Planet names Ipoh as the sixth hottest place to visit in Asia

Ipoh is undergoing a quiet renaissance. Until now, domestic tourists seldom lingered beyond a weekend sampling ayam tauge (chicken and beansprouts) and Ipoh's famous white coffee. Backpackers considered this pleasant, mid-sized city an overnight stop between Kuala Lumpur and Penang. These days, renewed enthusiasm for Ipoh's heritage is seeing old shophouses restored, while new cafes and craft shops are springing up...

Ipoh is undergoing a quiet renaissance. Until now, domestic tourists seldom lingered beyond a weekend sampling ayam tauge (chicken and beansprouts) and Ipoh's famous white coffee. Backpackers considered this pleasant, mid-sized city an overnight stop between Kuala Lumpur and Penang. These days, renewed enthusiasm for Ipoh's heritage is seeing old shop houses restored, while new cafes and craft shops are springing up within historic buildings. Meanwhile, the ribbon is being cut on brand-new accommodation, from hostels to luxury hotels.

The key to enjoying Ipoh is tackling it by neighbourhood. Its pavements seem designed to shred sandals while its sights sprawl over a large area. Start with the old town's charismatic lane ways and revived period buildings. Grab a trail map to seek out the best heritage structures and street art. South of here, Ipoh's Little India has glittering shops and some fine eateries.

East of the river in Ipoh's new town, a cluster of canteens serve up regional classics like ayam tauge and some of the creamiest beancurd pudding around. Just north of this foodie hub are the city's more upmarket hotels alongside the shiny Parade shopping mall. As Ipoh's confidence grows, it's an exciting place for an urban interlude, not to mention a convenient gateway for travel to the Cameron Highlands or Pulau Pangkor.

Lonely Planet has ranked Ipoh as the 6th best place in Asia to visit in the next 12 months. Describing Ipoh as Malaysia’s renaissance city whose ‘coffeehouses and heritage houses are staging a long overdue comeback’, Lonely Planet sings praises for Ipoh’s old and new charm and cuisine.

One of the draws of Ipoh, according to the Lonely Planet article, is the ‘colonial golden triangle’ which covers several of Ipoh’s colonial buildings that are still standing proudly west of the Kinta River. The Ipoh train station, described as the ‘Taj Mahal’ of commuter hubs for its white domes, as well as the 100 year old Town Hall, white Court House, and Birch Memorial Clock Tower were all built in colonial times.

Lonely Planet also highlighted Ipoh’s growing number of hipster cafés, renewed love of Ipoh coffee (locals would approve of this, for sure), street art, temples and the racy history of Concubine Lane.

To an Ipoh native, the beauty of this old town is obvious and precious, and word has been spreading steadily to other parts of the country for a while now. Ipoh is already groaning under the weight of local day-trippers who head up there for the small town charm and delicious food. Ipoh is so popular among the locals that on weekends, you will have to queue up for quite a while if you want to enjoy some of Ipoh’s best meals.

With Lonely Planet’s highlight on Ipoh, those queues just got a little longer. Go soon  and beat the crowds.

Lonely Planet’s Best Places to visit in Asia

1. Hokkaido, Japan
2. Shanghai, China
3. Jeonju, South Korea
4. Con Dao Islands, Vietnam
5. Hong Kong, China
6. Ipoh, Malaysia
7. Pemuteran, Indonesia
8. Trang Islands, Thailand
9. Meghalaya, India
10. Taitung, Taiwan