We’ve stayed in Malaysia several times because we truly think it is one of the most underrated countries in Southeast Asia. It is rich in culture, filled with incredible food and home to some of the friendliest people we have met during our travels. Even though we explored several destinations around the country, there is something special about Ipoh.
Ipoh, located in Malaysian state of Perak, is a quieter city with relaxed vibes, beautiful scenery and an amazing cafe culture. If you enjoy slow travel, cosy coffee shops, local food and a more peaceful lifestyle while still having plenty to explore, then you might fall in love with Ipoh too. You can watch our Ipoh vlog below for a tour of the old town.
As you can see from our video, we truly enjoyed staying in this city. And now we’ve compiled 5 reasons why we think it is an ideal base for remote workers and digital nomads.
1. Ipoh has an amazing coffee culture
Have you heard of Ipoh white coffee before? Well, this is where it comes from! If you love discovering authentic cafes and trying local coffee specialties, you are going to love Ipoh.
One of our favourite things to do while staying in the city was exploring different coffee shops. Whether you are looking for a cosy place to remote work from, a trendy brunch spot or simply a relaxing cafe to take a break, Ipoh has so many great options.
Some of the cafes we loved in Ipoh were He Cursor, Kiyoshiro Coffee, Magical Beans Cafe, Jln Theatre Coffee, 22 House Coffee, Aud’s Cafe, OldTown White Coffee Experience Center, Cold Blue Speciality Coffee, Hourglass Cafe and Chillato Cafe.
There’s an abundant of options! If you enjoy cafe hopping as much as we do, you will absolutely love spending time in Ipoh.
2. The city has so much to offer
Of course, when you work remotely like we do, a large part of your time is spent working. But one of the best things about being a digital nomad is having the freedom to explore incredible places during your free time, and Ipoh is perfect for that.
Even though it is not a huge city, there are so many fun and unique things to do around Ipoh. The city has a relaxed atmosphere that makes you want to slow down and enjoy the little things, from wandering around the old town to trying delicious local food.
Here are some cool things you can do while staying in Ipoh:
- Explore the old town and look for the amazing street art murals
- Wander around Concubine Lane (you’ll find some interesting and unique sweet treats down here!)
- Relax in Ipoh’s beautiful parks
- Visit the cave temples: Perak Cave, Kek Lok Tong and Nam Thean Tong
- Discover Mirror Lake (Tasik Cermin)
- Try authentic Ipoh white coffee
- Walk along Kinta River at night
- Taste Ipoh’s famous local food specialties
- Visit the tin-mining history museum
Ipoh is one of the best “slow cool” cities in Malaysia. It is less about huge attractions and more about cafe culture, beautiful landscapes, old-town charm and incredible food.
3. Ipoh is a great base for weekend trips
One of the things we loved most about basing ourselves in Ipoh was how easy it was to explore other amazing destinations nearby.
For example, we visited the Cameron Highlands from Ipoh and absolutely loved it. Although it can be done as a day trip, we would definitely recommend spending at least a few days there if you can. The area is stunning, with tea plantations, jungle scenery, mountain cafes and cool weather.
Some of our favourite things there included visiting the BOH Tea Plantation and exploring the Mossy Forest. Staying in a guest house surrounded by nature for a long weekend would honestly be an incredible experience. You can watch our Cameron Highlands vlog below.
Other amazing places you can easily visit from Ipoh:
- Kellie’s Castle, which is around 40 minutes away
- Penang and George Town for its incredible old town, food scene and beaches (around 2 hours away)
- Taiping for its old railway-town vibes and peaceful atmosphere (around 1.5 hours away)
- Kuala Kangsar for beautiful mosques and riverside scenery (only 45 minutes away)
- Gopeng for outdoor adventures like rafting and nature activities (around 30–40 minutes away)
- Pangkor Island for a relaxing island getaway (around 2 hours away plus ferry)
We spent a week on Pangkor Island and documented our stay on YouTube. You can watch the video below.
If you have more time, you can also head to Langkawi for a longer tropical island escape, or take the train to Kuala Lumpur for a big-city break. The train journey only takes around 2 to 2.5 hours.
One thing is certain: you definitely will not get bored while basing yourself in Ipoh!
4. Ipoh is affordable and comfortable for digital nomads
Compared to bigger and more popular cities like Kuala Lumpur or George Town, Ipoh is one of the more budget-friendly digital nomad destinations in Southeast Asia, while still offering everything most digital nomads need.
You can find comfortable work-friendly accommodation, good cafes to work from and reliable high-speed internet without spending a fortune. We also found the overall pace of life to be much calmer and less stressful.
We stayed at Ninety Guest House and really enjoyed our stay there. You find this accommodation listed right here on My Nomad Space! The guesthouse also has a cafe on the bottom floor.
5. You can stay in Malaysia visa-free for up to 3 months
Another reason why Malaysia is such a great destination for digital nomads is that many nationalities can stay visa-free for up to 90 days. That gives you plenty of time to base yourself in Ipoh, explore other destinations around Malaysia, enjoy the local culture, try amazing food and meet friendly people along the way.
Malaysia is also becoming increasingly popular among remote workers thanks to its relatively accessible cost of living for many digital nomads, modern infrastructure and diverse mix of cultures and landscapes.
If you are interested in an even longer stay to stay and work, you can also check out all the details about the Malaysia Digital Nomad Visa (DE Rantau) here.
So… are you ready to explore Ipoh and maybe even base yourself there for a while? And if you’ve stayed in Ipoh before, share your favourite stays on My Nomad Space to help other remote professionals discover the best places to stay and work.
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