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Ipoh Old Town Walking Tour 2023
Second Concubine Lane - Market Lane
Kong Heng Square Artisan Market
Concubine Lane - Lorong Panglima
Ipoh Old Town is located to the west of the Kinta River. Ipoh came into existence in the 1820s as a village at the highest navigable point of the Kinta River. It was less prominent at that time compared to the early mining town . From the turn of the 19th century, when more British tin-mining companies were set up in the city, Ipoh gained greater prominence. Influential institutions such as The Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China Limited opened offices in Ipoh. Ipoh developed into one of Malaysia’s main cities around the turn of the 19th century due to the booming tin mining industry. During the British colonial era, Ipoh was Malaysia’s second city for administrative purposes. There are several notable buildings from the British Colonial era such as the railway station and the town hall. 70% of Ipoh’s population is of Chinese origin.
The Second Concubine Lane (or Market Lane) does not have many shops, except for Nam Chau Coffee Shop, which serves curry noodle, and iJuicy, a shop selling fruit juices, at one end of the lane. The red and white umbrellas hovering overhead are unique to this lane only.
Nestled in the centre of Ipoh Old Town, Kong Heng Square needs no introduction. You can explore the many Instagrammable spots around Kong Heng Square. From orange bricks, old wooden windows, ruin walls, and big trees to mural paintings by local and international painters, Kong Heng Square is certainly the perfect place to take plenty of beautiful photos! An artisan market there sells an assortment of handcrafted items, such as pillows, jewellery, books, and other accessories. Most of the items are handmade by local vendors for charity purposes.
The Concubine Lane has evolved a lot ever since Ipoh was featured by Lonely Planet in July 2016 in their list of best Asian destinations to visit. Charming souvenir shops, fashion outlets, cafes and dessert houses line this nostalgic street of Ipoh. The street literally comes to life during the weekends! The atmosphere is like at Armenian Street in Georgetown, Penang or Jonker Street in Melaka. Touristy? Yes, but tourism helps preserve this part of Ipoh!
Date recorded : June, 2023
Camera : Samsung S23 Ultra
#ipoh #malaysia #malaysiatravel