Ipoh

Ipoh is the state capital of Perak, on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia. The most practical means of reaching Ipoh is bus, although train services have sped up and increased considerably since the line from Kuala Lumpur was double-tracked.

Driving in Ipoh for the unfamiliar can be like going through a maze. The city centre has many one-way streets and road signs are somewhat lacking. On the bright side, city road maps are easily available at bookstore, tourist centres and even online. It is advisable to have a map handy. Ipoh's traffic is not as congested as other cities such as Kuala Lumpur. However, like any major cities, traffic slowdown is inevitable especially during heavy traffic such as the morning drive to work (around 8AM-9AM), (noon-1.30PM) during weekdays due to lunch-hour & school children being in/out of school and late evening return from work (around 5PM-6PM). Parking spaces are adequate although finding one may require some patience.

Ipoh is inexpensive by Malaysian standards, and even more so for visitors from most industrialized countries: RM50 is a perfectly serviceable daily backpacker budget. Food in particular is a steal, with excellent local hawker fare available for less than RM4 per generous serving. Accommodation is also inexpensive by international standards, with a bed in most hotels below RM100. Top hotels offer rooms at around RM100 to RM300.