2D1N Ipoh Trip On a Budget

While many of us are craving for an overseas trip, we went cuti-cuti Malaysia instead to Ipoh! We kept this Ipoh trip very budget friendly as we visited locations that were either free to enter or where you can simply enjoy the area without buying anything. I believe our biggest spending was when we visited a cafe near Concubine Lane and also to buy Ipoh’s famous salted chicken (MUST BUY). Make sure you check for any hotel promo to ensure you get a good deal too. If you’re looking for a place to stay or hotel in kuala lumpur, try using Traveloka to find some good deals.

Sam Poh Tong Temple

Let's start with the place I wanted to visit the most! Sam Poh Tong is a whole temple constructed within a limestone cave. It seems it's famous for the tortoises but I came here for this amazing view! It was a quiet morning just after a light drizzle, and the entire place was a picture of serenity except for the tortoises hissing in the background 😂 There’s also a large garden outside and we spent quite a bit of time here. Entrance is FOC and you can just park along the road outside.

Ipoh Mirror Lake

Not to be confused with the mirror lake in Shah Alam! Make sure you include Ipoh's mirror lake on your itinerary to get away from the city centre for a moment. Surrounded by mountains, the lake's calm water acts as a mirror creating endless luscious greens. You can easily get here by using Waze. At the entrance, pay RM5 to enter, then it's a short drive uphill to this dark tunnel. Don't worry, it's safe! It's only a short walk through the tunnel and there were many people when we went.

Concubine Lane

Tucked between shoplots with wooden shutters and hanging red lanterns, Concubine Lane is great for a short walk. The small alley consists of eateries, cafes, shops selling little trinkets and more. If all this walking is making you hungry, you can grab a bowl of Concubine Lane Ipoh Tau Fu Fa, rainbow cheese toast or cool down with some ais kepal. As the alley is too small for cars, it’s safe to bring your little ones here.

Kong Heng Square Artisan Market

If you enjoy Concubine Lane, the Kong Heng Square Artisan Market which is just around the corner might be your cup of tea. This is also where the Instagrammable Plan B and Sekeping are located. Lots of little stalls here selling handmade goods so take your time browsing and you might find treasures like this ridiculously adorable cat plate?!

Kinta Heights

This might sound strange but a colourful flat actually made it into the list of Instagrammable spots in Ipoh LOL Featuring a bright yellow and blue colour, we dropped by to catch some Hong Kong vibes. It rained when we visited Ipoh so there were puddles on the ground which you can use to create this reflection shot!

Birch Memorial Tower

If you're thinking the name sounds familiar, it's because the Birch Memorial Clock Tower was built in 1909 in memory of James WW Birch. I'm gonna be honest, it's actually really small so don't expect too much here haha.. On a sunny day, the super white clock tower stands beautifully against the blue sky backdrop but as you can see here.. It was too cloudy so no blue skies. To date, the clock tower is still functioning and actually needs to be manually wound every 5 days.

Enlightened Heart Temple

The second temple on my list is the Enlightened Heart Temple, with its trippy-looking interior that resembles a kaleidoscope. 72-metres tall, the pagoda has 13 storeys with numerous 'islands' brightly painted on the underside. If you climb all the way up, you will find an 11 metre tall gold Buddha statue standing tall overlooking the hills surrounding the temple.