Discover Malaysia By Bicycle

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Ipoh Heritage Cycling Trail

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Once a tin mining town in the 1800s and now the fourth largest city in Malaysia, Ipoh offers a lot of fascinating discoveries in its rich heritage sites. It is in the capital of Perak state where stately historical buildings stand proud of its history all the way back to British colonial era.


Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah @ Restoran Yong Suan

Upon arriving in Ipoh, we first enjoyed a sumptuous 1. Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah at Restoran Yong Suan which has operated since 1950 in Jalan Yang Kalsom. It is amazing to marvel at the long queue of customers waiting for their Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah in a Chinese “Kopitiam” that has a welcoming cross cultural environment.


Lost World of Tambun

We commenced the guided Half Day Ipoh City Tour by van at the 2. Lost World of Tambun. Different to most water parks, the Lost World of Tambun has an amusement park, tiger valley, petting zoo, tin valley, and hot springs & spa. For cyclists, the hot springs & spa is the ideal place to soothe your tiredness after a long ride.


Pomelo Farm

We went next to 3. Pomelo Farm which may be a surprise if you have not seen a pomelo tree before. The owner of the farm explained how pomelos are grown, and the highlight was, we got to taste some delicious pomelos.


Geological Museum of Perak

Feeling re-energized by the juicy pomelos, we stood in awe at the beauty of the 4. Geological Museum of Perak at Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah. This newly renovated museum plays an important role as a centre for education in geology and geoscience. It displays an extensive collection of fossils, rocks, minerals and gemstones. In addition, the museum exhibits an interesting assortment of cassiterite (tin ore) samples found in the tin rich fields, as well as a diorama of tin mining throughout Malaysia with various mining methods explained.


Darul Ridzuan Museum

Built over 100 years ago, the nearby 5. Darul Ridzuan Museum at Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang Wahab exhibits fascinating artefacts related to the history and development of Ipoh in the mining and agricultural sectors.The recently added historical collection is the replica of the “Perak Man”, found in the UNESCO Heritage Site of Lenggong Valley. The “Perak Man” is believed to be 11,000 years old.


Gua Kek Look Tong

Famous for its caves, Ipoh has many caves that even house Chinese temples, such as the Sam Boh Tong Temple. In particular, the 6. Gua Kek Look Tong is certainly worth a visit to appreciate the natural formation of the cave into the shape of a fish.


Ipoh Bean Sprout Chicken Rice

Before we ended the tour, we dropped by Restoran Onn Kee at Jalan Yau Tet Shin for the famous 7. Ipoh Bean Sprout Chicken Rice. It was just a delightful way to end a 55.24km journey that lasted over six and a half hours.


Cycling Route – Ipoh Heritage Cycling Trail (Day 1)


Taman Dr. Seenivasagam

On the next morning, we set off to 8. Taman Dr. Seenivasagam, one of the public parks in the heart of Ipoh. Offering bicycle rental, the park also has a Japanese garden and a purpose-built playground for kids to learn traffic signs.


Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan


St. John Church

From the park, we embarked on an 11-minute ride on Jalan Raja Musa Aziz, climbed a bridge before turning left to Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang Wahab. Along this stretch of road are blocks of buildings, new and old, including 9. Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan (Perak Government administrative office), Muzium Darul Ridzuan, 10. St. John Church (once an Japanese noodle factory), and Tun Razak Library.


Royal Ipoh Club

Further down the street was the 11. Royal Ipoh Club that was established since 1895 for Englishmen during the British occupation. It is now an exclusive club for the rich and famous. The Sultan of Perak was its first member when the club opened its membership to non-Englishmen.


Ipoh High Court

A stop at the 12. Ipoh High Court and Dewan Bandaraya (Town Hall) next to the Royal Ipoh Club offers a lovely photo opportunity against a backdrop of old architectural buildings. Formerly a police station, the Town Hall is rumoured to have a tunnel built underground linked to the Ipoh High Court. The tunnel was once used to escort criminals from the police station to the high court.

This is a busy stretch of road. Cyclists have to take extra care as traffic is zigzagging in and out to buildings along the main road. Traffic lights and signs assist in providing directions and guiding traffic flow.


Ipoh Railway Station


Ipoh Tree (Pohon Epu)

Built between 1914 and 1917, the colonial style 13. Ipoh Railway Station was designed by A,B. Hubback, the architect who designed the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, the Ipoh Town Hall and High court. Formerly housing the now defunct Majestic Station Hotel, the station is now the base for KTM’s Electric Train Service (ETS). When you are at the station, spot the 14. Ipoh Tree (Pohon Epu). The name of Ipoh was derived from this local tree. Its sap is poisonous and was used by Orang Asli to coat the tips of the darts of their blowpipes for hunting purposes.


Little India

As we cycled down the street to the roundabout for a right turn to Jalan Leong Boon Swee and took the next left to Jalan Lahat, we reached the 15. Little India and China Town, where shops, restaurants, and cafés are located.


JWW Birch Memorial Clock Tower

Take a short ride along Jalan Sultan Yusuff, you will find the 16. JWW Birch Memorial Clock Tower. This tower was built in 1909 in memory of the first British resident in Malaysia, JWW Birch, who was assassinated in 1875 after the signing of Treaty of Pangkor. For Muslim cyclists, Masjid Sultan Idris Shah Kedua is just opposite the clock tower.


Ipoh Padang

The last stop is a two-minute ride from the clock tower to 17. Ipoh Padang. Take a turn to Jalan Tun Sambanthan. Facing the padang is a row of cafés, pubs, restaurants and the popularly known Old Town White Coffee. For more information about other famous destinations around Ipoh, visit the Ipoh Tourist Information Center (ITC) across the road.

This 8.41km cycling tour was completed slightly over two hours.


Cycling Route – Ipoh Heritage Cycling Trail (Day 2)

This cycling tour package is provided by: Sri Maju Tours & Travel Sdn Bhd

No. 2, Jalan Bendahara, 31650 Ipoh, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia. Tel: 605-2535367