IPOH – One might not expect to hear the melodious, if not ominous, strains of The Phantom Of The Opera performed by world-class musicians in a condominium-cum-resort in sleepy Ipoh. Nor the familiar classics by great composers Tchaikovsky, Puccini and Pachelbel.

But here I am, delighted by the music of Swan Lake, O Mio Babbino Caro and Canon In D by the Selangor Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of its music director and conductor Eugene Pook.

Malaysian singer Asyraf Farhan Adi Zairi also makes an appearance with some of his hits. 

But the real star of the show is the remarkable setting for this night of music.

A ‘sensurround’ experience 

The Haven All Suite Resort sits at the edge of a virgin forest, fronted by a natural lake in repose against a 280 million-year-old limestone outcrop.

The landscape’s natural acoustics, it appears, lends itself to this immersive concert experience.

The first edition of The Haven Musical Extravaganza takes place on a main floating stage specially built on the lake to host the orchestra.

This is complemented by clusters of musicians positioned around the resort grounds, with some featured in the apartment balconies – creating a first-of-its-kind “sensurround” event, say the organisers.  

During the intermission, I head up to one of the apartment units to enjoy the rest of the show from the comfort of the balcony, soaking in the display from my prime vantage point.

Held over three nights in October 2022, the concert was the brainchild of Singaporean property developer and The Haven chief executive Peter Chan, and supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia, Perak Office. 

Mr Chan says it was inspired by the annual Rainforest Music Festival in Sarawak, and there are plans to make The Haven Musical Extravaganza an annual event, in line with the state’s intention to promote Ipoh as the City of Limestone, Music and Arts in Asia. 

More than a foodie haven

Singaporean foodies know and love Ipoh for its delicious eats that rival those of neighbouring Penang. 

Let us begin with Ipoh white coffee, distinguished by its method of roasting the coffee beans with palm oil margarine, and then served with condensed milk. 

And, of course, the famous Ipoh hor fun with shredded chicken. It is supposedly so good because the rice noodles are made with unfiltered spring water packed with minerals – courtesy of Ipoh’s natural landscape overrun with limestone hills.

This results in the smooth and silky texture of the flat rice noodles, I am told. 

Local delights aside, Perak’s capital city was once one of the richest towns in Malaysia due to its tin mining boom in the 1800s.

Today, Ipoh is Malaysia’s third-largest city with a population of more than 850,000, and this is projected to cross one million by 2033, according to a United Nations report on global population growth. 

Tourism is the main driver of Ipoh’s economy, given that its scenic landscape abounds with limestone hills and caves, earning it the unofficial nickname “Guilin of Malaysia”.

Its more famous nickname, however, is “City of Millionaires”. 

Local insiders tell us there is still plenty of residual wealth from its boomtown days. This is one reason Ipoh is considered one of the more expensive cities in Malaysia today – a minor detail that has not dulled its shine as an attractive destination for Singaporeans.

Adventure awaits 

Ipoh is about a six-hour drive from Singapore, or you can jump on a Scoot flight and be there in under two hours. 

There are tons of family-friendly activities, such as the Lost World Of Tambun, a 16ha theme park packaged with an on-site hotel by Malaysian conglomerate Sunway Group.

For the intrepid traveller, white-water rafting in the Gopeng Rainforest is a must. 

I was scheduled to go on this adventure but alas, a late night at the Tiga Bar, a modern cocktail bar I stumbled upon (and out of), thwarted the early morning start. 

So do not make the same mistake if white-water rafting is your thing.

Caving is also big in Ipoh, and I recommend starting your cave exploration at Gua Tempurung, which is popular among spelunkers, or caving enthusiasts.

Also located in Gopeng, it is one of the longest caves in Peninsular Malaysia at 3km-long, and is believed to have existed since 8,000BC to 10,000BC.  

Gua Tempurung means “Cave Coconut Shell” in Malay because of its five huge domes with ceilings resembling coconut shells.

These cavernous chambers are famous for their gallery of stalagmites, stalactites and other rock formations that are speleological wonders, notably found in this part of the world.

Their cave-temple counterparts are also a major attraction in these parts. There are four such major temples: Kek Lok Tong, Perak Tong, Sam Poh Tong and Ling Sen Tong.

Perak Tong may be the most famous (and perhaps most Instagrammable), but it is Kek Lok Tong that I visited. 

Located at the base of Gunung Rapat about 5km south of Ipoh’s city centre, Kek Lok Tong means “Cavern of Utmost Happiness”, and you will find a pantheon of Buddhist figures and deities throughout the grounds.

Tip: Once you reach the end of the cave, venture down the set of stairs as a serene landscaped garden awaits. It features one of the longest foot reflexology paths in Ipoh, but brace yourself, perhaps, for the tranquillity to be disrupted by the family of resident monkeys you might encounter.  

Keep exploring farther, and you will discover, hidden from the main view, an activity corner with pedal boats you can rent for a little excursion up and down the narrow stream. The set-up is not fancy, but it may be fun for children. 

A future medical tourism hub

Besides Ipoh’s ambition of being a music and arts destination, the city is also gearing up as a future hub for medical tourism, with some developments on the horizon. 

Sunway Group in 2022 announced plans to build a medical centre in its 546ha integrated Sunway City Ipoh township, where the Lost World Of Tambun theme park is situated. 

Slated to open in 2024, the RM350 million (S$103 million) Sunway Medical Centre Ipoh will offer 200 beds to serve the increased demand for tertiary medical care through a comprehensive cancer centre, with an added focus on women’s health and wellness lifestyle medicine.

Sunway is also building a 700,000 sq ft shopping mall to complement the new developments in the township. 

With such a diverse landscape of offerings, Ipoh is certainly shaping up as a more exciting destination that might soon shed its sleepy-town image. 

Where to stay

The Haven All Suite Resort (thehavenresorts.com) is located about 15 minutes from Ipoh’s city centre, and the closest thing to luxury accommodation you can get here.

The award-winning 2.8ha property comprises more than 500 apartment suites, with the majority sold for residential living and 150 units designated for resort bookings.

Amenities include a seahorse-shaped swimming pool, a jogging track and a helipad, enveloped by lush greenery. 

I was surprised to see an electric-vehicle charging station on the property, so you can, technically, drive your electric vehicle from Singapore to Ipoh with a little more peace of mind – with recharging pit stops along the way, of course.  

Look out for the next The Haven Musical Extravaganza, which is still being planned, and time your trip to this family-focused resort accordingly if you love music.

Where to eat & drink

There is a decent poolside bar and restaurant at The Haven, but you should definitely venture out to the Old Town and tuck into authentic local eats. 

There may be some debate over which is the best Ipoh hor fun (known locally as shredded chicken hor fun), but you will not go wrong at Nam Heong (2 Jalan Bandar Timah). The dim sum, curry mee, chee cheong fun and egg tarts are also popular here. Go early and be prepared to queue.  

You may not expect Ipoh to boast a thriving nightlife, but it is home to several speakeasy-style cocktail bars that offer well-crafted drinks. 

Tiga Bar is one such hidden gem. Tiga means “three” in Malay, and the bar was opened in 2019 by entrepreneur Sunny Lim, who also owns The Rebel Penguin Of Funky Town in Kuala Lumpur and was looking to add a spritz of the cool cocktail culture of the capital back in his home town. 

Expect experimental cocktails melded with local flavours, as Tiga does everything with a creative twist.

In a nod to Malaysia’s kueh culture, Nutty Minded (RM38) pays homage to the Old Fashioned cocktail, but with brown butter bourbon whiskey and a spiced Sarsi reduction finished with bitters evoking that all-American waffles and root beer classic combination – garnished with a kueh bahulu for a touch of authenticity.  

The bar also bottles its own gin, rum, whisky and tequila infusions. For something unique, try the lychee and butterfly pea gin, pandan gin, jackfruit rum, lapsang souchong whisky and strawberry tequila that you can take home for RM275 a bottle.  

Bookmark its hidden location (26 Jalan Bijeh Timah). Park in front of 99 Speedmart, walk through the alley in front of the mart, and the bar is the first unit on the right. 

What else to do 

It may be teeming with tourists and locals every day of the week, but Concubine Lane in Ipoh’s Old Town is worth a visit, thanks to its vibrant shops and colourful history. 

Concubine Lane got its name from local lore that suggests the area was, from the late 1800s, a red-light district where the Chinese tin-mining tycoons and British officers of Ipoh’s colonial past kept their mistresses.  

Once bristling with brothels as well as opium and gambling dens, Concubine Lane today buzzes with charming souvenir shops, cafes and dessert houses.    

One such Instagram-worthy spot is Kuma Rainbow Cheese Toast, with its signature colourful cheese-pull. 

Parked just outside the lane in a sidecar set-up is where you will find the famous Wawasan Cendol Abang Kacak, who first went viral in 2016 as the hot, buff dude keeping customers cool with delicious bowls of cendol.

I got a cendol durian for RM20, and looking at the lines of (mostly female) customers, it is a small price to pay to snap a selfie with the mini local celebrity whose name is Kelvin Raj Moses.

There are also many biscuit shops around the neighbouring streets and these make for popular snacks to take home from your travels. 

Curry buns filled with delicious chicken curry are another popular snack here.

While not as prolific as the many murals of Penang, Ipoh has its share of street art in the vicinity, so up your Instagram game while you are there.

• Jamie Nonis is a veteran freelancer and incurable jet-setter to places near and far.
• The trip was hosted by The Haven All Suite Resort, Ipoh.