Let's talk IPOH

[HIDDEN]

hi,

The capital of Perak is a pleasant enough town surrounded by karst hills which are rapidly being quarried for limestone so go see them soonest before they're gone for good, or in this case, environmentally worst.

This environmental destruction is so blatant, so bad, so "no-one gives a xxxx", that it's almost impossible to visit the town without feeling anger at the greed of the local authority which approves the destruction because it collects taxes from the quarries. If anyone can justify this then please go ahead.

Live there and see it everyday, not for me. I boil over just visiting. It's especially bad from the highway and there's always a cloud of dust, smoke and general debris floating in the air on the Ipoh approaches.

The town itself is a grid formed by shophouses. There's a padang and along one side a solicitors row of shophouses. A street of legal advice.

In Singapore, the Ipoh girls are renowned for their beauty. This could be distance lending enchantment to the view so you'll have to visit and decide for yourself.

Lots of sprawling residential developments on the outskirts of the town along with the remains of water-filled tin mines just ripe for lakeshore living. And the soil is really sandy.

Just south of the town the old main road, now somewhat superseded by the north/south highway, is a string of motor repair shops and second-hand car yards. Useful for old merc owners, or is that the owners of old mercs.

There's a railway station where you can catch the overnight train to Bangkok, and a railway hotel. Opposite is a group of renovated colonial buildings, now a museum and concert hall.

There's a Tesco to the north of the town, and another to the south. And a tiny bit outside the grid of the town is a Parkson and a shopping mall.

But all that destruction ... they ain't building Karst hills, overhangs, grottos, and caves no-more. Or the Chinese temples that crouch under them.

[HIDDEN]

Hi Scott, you seem to be very knowledgeable about Perak and Ipoh.  Please give a general housing assessment of Ipoh, pros and cons, including what areas are "good" and what areas to avoid.  I have some in-laws in Ipoh and Sitiawan.  I'll be visiting them February of next year.  My last visit to Ipoh was over a decade ago, before the MM2H program.  At that time I was not interested in real estate, just visiting family... This time I want to look around just in case I might turn into an MM2Her    Thanks. -Hieu

[HIDDEN]

hi, Hieu,

Thanks for the post.

I'm afraid my knowledge is that of a tourist so not much detailed information. I've only driven past the many housing estates that are springing up along the main Sitiawan to Ipoh road, which has just been upgraded to a dual carriageway, although there are a lot of traffic lights so that makes the trip about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

There's plenty of housing in the Kinta Valley and a new development close to the Tesco south store. I didn't have time to check it out last week but may be able to take a look in the next couple of weeks when my current Tesco supplies run out.

One concern for new developments is that they may be built on ex-mining land so there's concern about settlement. It's something to ask about.

Try this Ipoh Property Forum :
http://forum.ipoh.com.my/showthread.php?t=8347


As well as Ipoh there's also Taiping to the north. It has a reputation as the "swiftlet nest town" of Perak so if you don't mind tweety bird calls 24/7 then it's another place to look.

Both Ipoh and Taiping have a distinctive character unlike Sitiawan which is a bit plain as it's really just a meeting of roads. Even Telok Intan has a leaning tower. But there are some really nice coastal areas in Perak you just need to get out and find them. I've located a couple of beaches and now, with the car, I'll be able to explore further.

Rentals in these towns generally start from about RM600 ++ for a 2 or 3 bedroomed terrace or semi detached. So they're not expensive for a basic place. Of course if your budget allows you can rent some upmarket, fully furnished, fully air-con'd places at RM2,000 ++.

[HIDDEN]

Thanks Scott for the link.  I find the Ipoh Property Forum to be quite interesting.  Hmmm... lots to think about. I used to only think of Ipoh as a great place to eat.  Now I have to think about what's under the houses 

[HIDDEN]

We just drove back from KL yesterday passing Ipoh on the NS "Highway" 
One of the hills near a quarry is erroding and looks like an avalanche of yellow earth tumbling down on 2 sides! If there's a way I don't mind scooping some of the rich soil back for my Pg garden 
Sad that the beautiful granite and marble hills are so scarred by abuse of mining and blasting.
Years ago in the 50-s and early 60's when driving along the old roads I could see the white-white sands and sand 'dunes' on both sides of the then highways stretching from Perak to Selangor and as a kid seeing that the first time I thought those were snow and was so excited until my dad said they were the dug outs from the dredging of the tin mines...with a warning how 'naughty' kids wandered off to play in the 'lakes' and we drowned when their legs got caught in the debris left behind 
So I never have a good mental picture of those tin mining areas other than what I saw the snow-like sand and beautiful 'lakes'....

BB

[HIDDEN]

hi,

Just like Ipoh, but smaller are Telok Intan and Taiping.

Taiping is the larger if the two, and it has a zoo. A very nice zoo, and a prison which looks as if it were built in the late 1890's  but I haven't checked it out. And it's a nice, quiet, pleasant town where not much happens and there's not much to do, except go to Ipoh for Tesco. Well, there's never been much to do when I have visited.

Telok Intan is just like Taiping, except smaller and you can't climb up the leaning tower because, (a) its locked, and (b) it's leaning and dangerous. Have a look at the tower, take a photo, enjoy a kopi-O, and think what you're missing in Taiping.

Like many of the towns that I have visited in Perak there aren't any shopping malls. You're lucky to have a Tesco or a Giant, and it's even more remote that there will be a Carrefour. You'll have The Store (Fajar), Econ-Save, Billion and that's it. All 3 if it's a biggish town, 2 for medium and only 1 if it ain't nothing. But as they sell identical stuff at pretty much identical prices, it doesn't matter.

And I'm sure this is all pretty much the same for the many, many smallish towns in all states of the peninsula. There are always local places of interest, such as caves, the karst in Ipoh, wetlands, mangrove swamps, river banks, and paddy fields, and the endless rubber and palm oil plantations.

Most of the towns are two or three storey shophouses fronting the main street (s) and maybe some commercial/retail behind but not much else. Many of the shophouses have been converted into the lucrative swiftlet nesthouses. IMHO, there's no point in buying/renting in the town's main street (or two) as the taped chirp-chirp of swifts is 24/7, the traffic noise and exhausts are toxic, and it's hot.

But just outside such towns are pleasant residential estates, and you need a car for access. Each town has plenty of places to eat, and car accessory shops, repair shops, clinics, hardware stores, provision shops, bridal shops, furniture shops etc. etc. It's all pretty much the same stuff but very nice to walk around, check out prices and bargain for a few ringgit off.

Local shops for local people,     and my2homers.

[HIDDEN]

I've seen some lovely pics of Taiping with all those raintrees.  Is it a good place to visit?  Any hotels there?  And is it true that it rains a lot? (though where doesn't it in south east Asia).

[HIDDEN]

hi,

Taiping is the rainfall capital of Malaysia, and it's a lovely place to visit if you have an umbrella. Last time I went we visited the zoo and got soaked. The animals weren't so daft and stayed indoors.

I remembered seeing this guest house a few years ago. I found it today via google, so it could still be there.

During the colonial era, most larger towns had "rest houses" and some still have them. Basic accommodation, but full of character. I guess it's a bit like the Hydro Majestic in Penang.

[HIDDEN]

Straying off topic.... This is Hydro majestic Hotel , Pg
http://www.booking.com/hotel/my/hydro-majestic-penang.en.html?aid=311088;labehis l=hotel-25721-my-4Sr3P2cjp2wJ5e5JtLiIwgS1366983723;ws=&gclid=CISWl_2tmZ0CFQMupAod-i363g
 
This is Hutton Lodge, Pg:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g660694-d1015421-Reviews-Hutton_Lodge-Pulau_Penang_Penang.html

1926 Heritage Hotel, Pg
http://www.booking.com/hotel/my/1926-heritage.en.html

 BB

[HIDDEN]

Hi Scott, I was passing the Lagenda a while back; and I think it was being demolished... or maybe turned into another swiftlet ranch. However, there are plenty of other hotels in Taiping.
Also, since last year, there is a Tesco. I heard it is the second largest in Malaysia.
Any Malaysian will tell you that Taiping is the rainiest spot in the country. I guess they learn that in school. But locals say that that is no longer the case. Climate change has come to Taiping. These past few months have been a bit rainy... but during the same period over the past few years we have gone for weeks on end without a drop. Makes one long for its return.

[HIDDEN]

hi,

Thanks bazzaman for the latest. Pity about the Lagenda. I haven't been to Taiping for quite some time but I was told that swiftlet farming is so lucrative that many buildings have had the windows blocked-up and holes/tubes sticking out, and steel doors and padlocks.

I need to go visit again, at least all the greenery will still be there, and the Tesco.

[HIDDEN]

It's so sad to see beautiful old heritage houses turned to swiftlet farms
I'm glad Goergetown is now in the UNESCO listing and these lovely old houses are starting to look good and are used as hostels etc. Wonder if Ipoh will do the same to revive them 

BB

[HIDDEN]

Hi,

I went to Teluk Intan in March and I went up to the lean tower till second floor.Then the "jaga" asked me whether I want to go up till top floor? Sure why not? But the tourists must go up with his guide and only 2 person at a time.


cheers,
Shirley

[HIDDEN]

From today's Star newspaper:
Below you will find the 10 best things about Perak.
Comments welcome 

Perak promotes its 10 icons to tourists

SINGAPORE: Perak wants to market itself aggressively abroad by promoting attractions dubbed the "10 Icons of Perak" to boost annual tourist arrivals by 500,000 to 3.5 million next year, senior state executive councillor Datuk Hamidah Osman said here.

She said the overseas promotion would be carried out in cooperation with Tourism Malaysia and would begin with Singapore.

"We also see China as a huge potential market," Hamidah, who is Perak Tourism Committee chairman, told reporters at the Fascinating Malaysia Travel Fair 2009 at Suntec City here.

She said the 10 icons were the Royal Belum world's oldest rainforest, the Gua Tempurung largest limestone cave in Peninsular Malaysia, the Matang mangrove swamp forest, the Taiping Zoo, the Perak Herbal Park, the Orang Utan Island at Bukit Merah Laketown Resort, the Felda Residence Hotsprings in Sungai Klah, Sungkai; the royal town of Kuala Kangsar, Pangkor Island and Ipoh, which is well known for its beautiful limestone hills and diversity of food.

She also said it was hoped that more lowcost airlines would operate flights between Ipoh and Singapore. Budget airline Firefly Sdn Bhd has one flight a day between the two cities.

Hamidah said Perak offered, besides its natural attractions, low cost of living, and urged Singaporeans to visit the state.

The Fascinating Malaysia Travel Fair 2009, which began on Friday, ends today.

[HIDDEN]

hi,

I was in Ipoh yesterday, shopping at Tesco. It started raining about 2pm and continued heavily till about 6pm, then eased up, then started again for another 4 hours. Free car wash.

One problem for Perak is the high cost of the flights between Ipoh and Singapore. I just went through an online booking with Firefly and the total cost for a round trip, including airport taxes, was RM556.90. That's about 20% of the current cost of an all-inclusive round trip MAS airfare KL/UK.

Ipoh to Singapore = 1 hour. KL to UK = 12 hours.

And if you don't take a flight the only way Singaporeans are going to get to Perak is (a) drive up which is 7 or 8 hours, or (b) take 9 hour trip in an Ok, nothing to write home about, coach.

The coaches are always in need of a good clean (take a spray can of Lysol), and they stop at expensive second-rate "pit-stops" off the North-South highway rather than the modern highway service stations. These pit-stops give the drivers a free meal and a packet of cigs, hence the attraction for the drivers.

So Perak isn't really going to attract more tourists from Singapore unless the authorities get Firefly to offer similar discount tickets to Air Asia, or dump Firefly and get Air Asia to pick up the Ipoh route, which simply may not be economically viable. Firefly did offer a limited RM88+++ fare but it was so limited no-one got it.
 


PS : Firefly may have 1 Ipoh/Singapore flight per day but flights on most days are "unavailable."