Senses of Malaysia – July 18, 2019

destination focus: cities of the peninsula

Emergent Ipoh

MORE THAN A TOWN OF WHITE COFFEE AND GREAT NOODLES, IPOH IS INCREASINGLY FLEXING ITS

MODERN MUSCLE AS A LEGITIMATE TOURIST DESTINATION. PHOTOJOURNALISTDAVID BOWDEN

VISITS THE PERAK CAPITAL CITY ONCE AGAIN AND FINDS THE TOURISM EVOLUTION IN FULL SWING.

I

n tourism terms, Ipoh is best
described as a later developer.
It is often overlooked as a
holiday destination, but one
gets the impression that
things are changing as more
and more people become
aware of its tourism assets
and increasingly appreciate
just how close Ipoh is for an enjoyable
weekend getaway.

Most KL travellers probably drive past
Ipoh on their way north to Penang
(and the inverse is also true), and
few would therefore consider it as a
holiday destination. However, recent
developments have injected new zing to
ensure Ipoh is a more viable proposition
for a weekend escape, especially as it
is just a two-hour drive north of Kuala
Lumpur, and a bit closer for Penangites.

Ipoh’s reputation as a tin town is well
known, but tin alone probably isn’t
something that will motivate visitors to
travel to what is Malaysia’s third-largest
city after Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Tin
was discovered in the 19th century and
it made some people in Perak’s Kinta
Valley very wealthy, as seen by the many
large bungalows located in parts of Ipoh.
Fortunately, heritage has been recognised
by many as an important ingredient
in the tourism equation and now Ipoh
is achieving recognition for its historic
assets.

HERITAGE HEARTLAND
A close inspection of Ipoh’s historic town
centre reveals many fascinating aspects
of the city’s past and of the wealth that
was generated through the discovery and
subsequent mining of tin. Arguably the

finest building in the city is the railway

station which is the second such station

to be built on the site. The first station

opened in 1894, while construction of the

second and current station commenced

in 1914 and was only completed in 1917

due to difficulties in sourcing some

materials during WWI. Built along the

lines of Moghul architecture, it opened

as the Perak Railways Building. The

station celebrates its centenary this

year, and while the exterior remains

mostly untouched, the interior has been

modernised and made more functional for

travel in the 21st century.

The old hotel within the station

appears to have closed, but hopefully an

entrepreneur will come to its rescue and

renovate it back to the grand hotel that

it once was. While new hotels have more

recently opened in Ipoh, the Railway Hotel

was once the place to stay in the grand

era of railway travel.