Ipoh Or Malacca In Malaysia, Which Is Better To Visit?

Ipoh and Malacca are both well-known states located on the Malay Peninsula in Malaysia. Ipoh is the state capital of Perak and is easily accessed by neighboring cities. The city has a population of over 666,000 people. Malacca is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca.

Both places played important roles in colonial times where Malacca was a trading hub along the trading route of the straits of Malacca while Ipoh was a tin mining town. Ipoh is developing and is becoming well known for its cuisine, colonial buildings, and natural attractions while in Malacca you can visit museums, colonial buildings, go shopping, and much more.

In this post, we will compare Ipoh and Malacca in Malaysia. Let’s get started!

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Ipoh Or Malacca

Ipoh and Malacca both have a very similar history and culture and both are interesting cities to visit particularly because of their history and their food scene.

These two cities are around 295 km apart and it would be 4 hours to get from one to the other.

We will try to make it easier for you by comparing Ipoh and Malacca with factors such as their history, accommodation, food scene, and any other factors that may have an impact on your trip.

Malacca And Ipoh History

Both of these have a very similar history mainly because they were under colonial rule from the Portuguese, Dutch, and then the English.

Where Malacca played an important role as a trading hub and Ipoh had huge deposits of tin.

Ipoh History

Ipoh grew rapidly in the 1880s after deposits of tin were discovered. This boom lasted until the tin ran out in the 1970s. Only in the last few years has the city started to grow which is driven by tourism.

There is a lot of history around Ipoh from the colonial era where you can see old colonial-era architecture and old European buildings as you wander around Ipoh.

Malacca Culture

Malacca has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage since 2008, as one of the historic sites along the Straits of Malacca. In Malacca’s past, it experienced Portuguese, Dutch, and English colonial rule before Malaysia gained independence.

As well as finding old European-type buildings around the city, museums, and forts. You will discover a lot more as you wander around the city.

What’s The Nightlife Like?

Malaysia is not known for its wild nightlife, but Ipoh and Malacca have decent nightlife, which is busy mostly at the weekends.

Let’s compare the nightlife between Ipoh and Malacca.

Ipoh Nightlife

Ipoh is not as busy as Malacca in terms of nightlife but it has its fair share of bars and clubs and it is growing. Some of the best places to visit at night are Healy Mac’s Irish Bar, Berlin’s Bier Houze, Night Market, and Brick & Barrels.

Ipoh Nightlife areas are found around the Green Town, New Town, and the Old Town’s Lorong Panglima.

Malacca Nightlife

Malacca nightlife is a bit busier than Ipoh. Jonker Street is perfect for food and a few beers. And for more lively nightlife, head to Melaka Raya where there are more clubs and pubs.

Food Scene in Ipoh And Malacca

Ipoh and Malacca are both great places for people with a particular interest in food. Malacca properly has a slightly better offering in the food scene than Ipoh but only just.

Ipoh Food Scene

Ipoh has only started growing as a tourist destination in the last few years. And has started to develop its food scene with an increasing number of restaurants and food stalls offering amazing local food.

Here is a short list of good food you must try while in Ipoh.

Kuey Teow Soup.
Nga Choy Kai in Cantonese.
Tau Fu Fa.
Wat Tan Hor.

Malacca Food Scene

Malacca surprisingly has a lot to offer, especially from a foodie point of view. There are lots of amazing food in and around Malacca. There is a good variety of delicious food on every corner.

Jonker Street is where you will find the road filled with food stalls and look out for something delicious to eat.

Here is some food worth trying while in Malacca.

Heng Huat Coffeeshop wanton noodles.
Soon Yen Duck Noodles.
Chop Chung Wah Hainanese Chicken Rice.
Durian Cottage.

Accommodation In Ipoh And Malacca

Choosing the right accommodation is important regardless of whether it is in either Ipoh or Malacca. The hostel and hotel prices can differ a lot from high season to low season.

Staying In Ipoh

Ipoh has a good range of hotels and holiday homes. The prices in Ipoh can be a little more pricey but you will find hotels that are within a walk of the town and cheaper.

Prices for a double room in a hotel in Ipoh can start from $13. Where there are not that many hostels the prices range from $7 to $18.

Staying In Malacca

Malacca has a far greater supply of hostels, guesthouses, and hotels than Ipoh. Prices are cheaper further away from the town center.

Prices for a double room in a hotel in Malacca can start from $10. Where if interested in getting a hostel, prices range from $5 to $22.

What To Do See In Ipoh And Malacca

Ipoh and Malacca are both similar and different in many ways. Malacca is well known for its food, history, and culture while Ipoh is known for its restaurants, local food, and colonial-era architecture.

Here are some of the best things to do in each place.

Things To Do In Ipoh

Ipoh offers amazing local food as well as the famous Ipoh coffee from the huge number of eateries and restaurants dotted around the town. As well as see the wonderful landmarks around Ipoh.

Here is our list of things to do in Ipoh Malaysia.

Visit Kellie’s Castle.
Enjoy The Paintings at Gua Tambun Cave.
Visit The Flea Market.
Visit Sam Poh Tong Cave Temple.
Explore Gunung Lang Recreational Park.

Read more about things to do in Ipoh here.

Things To Do In Malacca

Malacca was once a major trading hub back in colonial-era times, this can be seen around the town as you explore the town.

As a result, there is a lot of history in Malacca from colonial buildings to historical museums.

Here is our list of things to do in Malacca Malaysia

Visit Malacca Sultanate Palace.
Explore Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum.
Visit Famosa Monument.
See The Dutch Square.
Go Shopping At Jonker Street.

Read more about things to do in Malacca here.

USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES

Book Accommodation

Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.

Booking Flight

Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.

Booking Transportation & Things To Do

Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.

Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.

Wrapping Up

Finally, which one to choose depends on your interests. For people interested in the food scene and a decent nightlife for a few days then it is Malacca. On the other hand, if you are looking for somewhere a bit quieter with a bit of culture and history. And enjoy amazing local food Ipoh then it is Malacca is for you.

And that’s it for now! I’d love it if this post on Ipoh or Malacca in Malaysia, which is better to visit was helpful to you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.