Faces of
Malaysia
Ipoh

Ipoh is the apital of the state of Perak and the fourth largest city of peninsular Malaysia with a population of 760,000 (Metro area: 1.4 Mil). It is scenically located amoung karst limestone hills in the Kinta Valley, about 2 1/2 hours north of Kuala Lumpur. The city is somehow forgotten by most travellers in Malaysia, however it has a lot to offer with many colonial buildings and shophouses (it used to be a very rich city around the turn of the 19th century due to tin mining) and the nature (hills, caves) around. Among Malaysians it is known for good food like the popular Ipoh Chicken Rice.

Melaka

Melaka (a.k.a. Malacca) is the capital of the Malaysian state of Malacca.
Traditionally, the spot where Melaka stands today was the center of Malaccan history. It was the capital of the Malaccan Sultanate and the center of the Malay world in the 15th and the 16th century before it fell to the Portuguese in 1511. Centuries of colonization by the Portuguese, Dutch and the British have shaped the architecture of the town.

Backpacking Malaysia
Ipoh, Malaysia

Birch Memorial Clock Tower

address: Jalan Dato Sagor / Jalan Dato Maharajalela, 30000 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Birch-Memorial-Clock-Tower-Ipoh.jpg, The historical clock tower was built in 1909 in memory of James W.W.Birch, the first British Resident of the state of Perak who was assasinated.
The historical clock tower was built in 1909 in memory of James W.W.Birch, the first British Resident of the state of Perak who was assasinated.

The civilisations panel at about 1/3 of height of the tower represents the growth of civilisation and shows famous figures of world history.  It also included an image of prophet Mohammed but was painted over in the 90ies after Muslim objections.



Related Places

Ipoh Heritage Trail

The heritage trail through the historic old town center is an interesting walk passing many impressive buildings from Ipoh's boom periodic from 1880s to the 1930s.

Hotels in Ipoh
Attractions

Gua Tempurung, Ipoh

Gua Tempurung, located 30min south of Ipoh, are the largest limestone caves in Peninsular Malaysia.

Kek Look Tong Cave Temple, Ipoh

Picturesque Chinese cave temple at the Gunung Rapat limestone hills at the southern edge of Ipoh city

Attractions

Forest Walk, Telok Blangah Hill Park, Singapore

An Elevated Walkway at eye-level with the canopy of secondary forest of Telok Blangah Hill - part of the Southern Ridges

Colonia District / Fort Cornwallis, Penang

Penang was the first british settlement in Malaya so many colonial building can be found like the remains of Fort Cornwallis where Captain Francis Light stepped ashore in 1786