Meet your guide at KL Sentral railway station in Kuala Lumpur and board an express train to begin your full-day tour. The 2.5-hour train ride takes you north to Ipoh; once a thriving commercial center during the tin-mining boom of the 19th century, the charming town now serves up local favorites at food stalls, food courts and restaurants.
Start your culinary adventure with a stroll through Ipoh’s streets in search of breakfast. Follow your guide on foot and savor the best food available, from Ipoh sar hor fun (rice noodles served with sweet sauce) to melt-in-your-mouth kaya puffs (flaky pastry filled with egg jam).
On a short heritage walking tour, visit historical buildings constructed during the British colonial era. See landmarks such as the Ipoh Railway Station, the stately Ipoh Town Hall — built across the street in 1916 — and the Birch Memorial Clock Tower.
Take a break and sip a cup of Ipoh’s freshly brewed, aromatic white coffee before heading 3 miles (5 km) north of town to Gunung Lang. This recreational park features a gorgeous lake situated amid limestone outcroppings. Located a short distance away is Perak Tong, a cave temple that houses more than 40 Buddha statues, including a 42-foot-high (13-meter) centerpiece. If you climb the 385 steep steps to the top you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the surrounding countryside — a photographer’s heaven!
Stop by Kellie's Castle to see the unfinished mansion perched atop a hill where it was built on a former rubber estate in Perak, before returning to Ipoh for lunch.
Continue your food tour on a walk to local markets and hawkers stalls, feasting on Malay dishes served up with white rice. Enjoy favorites such as barbecued fish marinated in a savory sauce; chili chicken; locally grown vegetables authentically cooked using coconut, shrimp or chili paste; curry noodles; barbecued pork; dim sum; and fried green onions. After tasting some sweet treats such as cendol — a traditional dessert made from shaved ice, coconut milk, green starched noodles and sugar — stop by a nearby pamelo farm to sample this citrus fruit native to Southeast Asia.
Visit a kacang putih factory to sample a variety of these popular snacks, including fried beans, crispy tapioca chips and murukku (savory, crunchy twists made from rice), which are original to Ipoh and shipped worldwide. Learn how the industry began in the 1940s from just six families who settled in the city from South India.
Your final stop is the Ipoh Central Market (Pasar Besar Ipoh), located at the UTC (Urban Transformation Centre). Walk through this local wet market for a look at food stalls, from produce vendors to fish mongers, before returning to Kuala Lumpur by train, accompanied by your guide.