Ipoh Street Art: Self-Guided Walking Tour

Welcome to my Ipoh street art guide and self-guided tour!
The small city of Ipoh in central Malaysia is a hidden gem in more ways than one. I’d have fallen in love with it whether there was street art or not… But life’s always better with colour!

IPOH ESSENTIALSE-sim data planCopy of Lonely Planet MalaysiaGetting there: flight, bus, train (12GoAsia)Accommodation: Hotels on Booking.com // hostels on Hostelworld
Tours: GetYourGuide / Viator

Related read: What to do in Ipoh, Malaysia

Intro to Ipoh

Despite feeling small, the capital of Perak state is the third-largest city in Malaysia after KL and George Town. In the early 1800s, it was a small village but, thanks to the ‘tin rush’ of the 1870s, it was a prospering city by the end of the century.

But with the ups come the downs, and when the tin mining industry declined, so did the economy of Ipoh. Residents left to find work in other locations and – were it not for tourism – the city might not be faring so well today.

Today, the charm of this historical city attracts travellers from around the world. With heritage buildings from the colonial train station to grand mosques, and a blend of cultures including Indian and Chinese, the city is overflowing with culture.
The fantastic cuisine, thriving coffee scene and street art only add to Ipoh’s appeal!

History of street art in Ipoh

There’s one character you need to know when it comes to urban art in Malaysia: Ernest Zachareviv, also responsible for most of the street art in George Town, Penang.
He basically brought street art to Malaysia and for that I am grateful! Born in Lithuania, he was dubbed the next Banksy by the BBC after creating 6 pieces of art for the George Town Festival in 2012.

‘Zach’ mural in Penang

Louis Gan art in Penang

Zach’s work isn’t overly vibrant or abstract: it’s lifelike and shabby-chic. You might describe it as ‘whimsical’, with many of his creations showing children at play.The main thing that draws me to his art? The interactive nature. Many of his Ipoh murals feature items like bicycles and scooters attached to the wall with painted characters interacting with them.This has the dual purpose of allowing real people to interact with the items too, making for fantastic photo ops and, better yet, encouraging us to feel childlike curiosity… just like the characters in the murals! Genius.
Once you’ve seen a few of his designs, you’ll recognise his style anywhere.

Map of Ipoh street art locations

Some bits I found on purpose and others I stumbled across while wandering. Ipoh Tourist Information Center offer paper maps with GPS coordinates but, not being a compass-wielding Victorian, I took to Google Maps for the locations 😉

Click map to see the interactive version

A Yellow Hummingbird

This gorgeous mural has a self-explanatory name: ‘A Yellow Hummingbird’ says it all. For ease, most of the Ipoh murals have simple names describing the image.

Google name + location: Yellow Hummingbird / 37, Jalan Panglima.

‘Kopi’ Break

If you didn’t know already, coffee (known here as kopi) is a big deal in Malaysia. Kopi-O is the local drink of choice, made from coffee, margarine and sugar. If you’re like ‘wait, margarine in coffee??’ then I hear you… it IS a bit weird. I can confirm it tastes delicious but you may wish to avoid drinking too many if you’re on a diet!This easy-to-find mural is in the same car park as the Hummingbird.Google name + location: A Kopi Break / 73, Jalan Bandar Timah.Psst – if you love coffee, read my guides to coffee shops in Melaka and coffee shops in Penang.
This giant mural isn’t the only Ipoh wall painting featuring coffee…

Old Uncle Drinking Coffee

This is another caffeine-themed piece of street art in Ipoh Old Town. I love the detail and expression on the old uncle’s face.It’s painted beside Old Town White Coffee Padang so why not join some real-life old uncles for a cup of white coffee and a custard tart? These beauties, similar to pastel de nata, became popular with the Chinese community after Portuguese settlers brought them to Macau.
Google name + location: Old Uncle Drinking Coffee / 1, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, directly opposite the Ipoh Tourist Information Centre.

Trishaw

Right in the heart of town on popular Market Lane, you’ll find a few quirky Ipoh murals including this one.When it comes to Ernest Zachareviv street art in Ipoh, this is the only 3D piece. Check the real bicycle attached to the wall or have a go sitting on it. I’ll share some more pieces like this later.
Google name + location: Ipoh Mural – Trishaw / 47 Market Lane.

Paper plane

Not far from the Old Uncle Drinking Coffee is a place I nearly missed. I followed the pin to its location but it was nowhere to be found… Until I looked up! It’s high up on the wall of an old building. Once you know that, you can’t miss it.
Google name + location: Ipoh Mural – A Paper Plane / 35 Jalan Tun Sambanthan.

More street art in Ipoh 

Finished with the Ernest Zachareviv murals in Ipoh? Don’t worry, there’s more to see…

Interactive art on Market Lane

Interactive Ipoh Old Town street art!

Find these pieces on Market Lane near the Trishaw piece. This is a historic street with plenty of uses over the years (no prizes for guessing that holding markets was one of them).Today its primary purpose is tourism with a collection of rainbow umbrellas hanging above the street. They make for a fun colour pop (and Instagram backdrop) but they can’t compete with the cute wall art.
These murals are designed for interaction. One of a waiter serving food has a spare seat… and it’s a real one you can sit on! Although this isn’t an Ernest Zachareviv piece, it’s clearly created to mimic his style.

Jumping kids!

Like much of the lighthearted, playful street art nearby, this image shows three kids jumping for joy. If you do the same next to them for a photo opp, I can guarantee you’ll feel upbeat.The result? Art spreading joy into this often serious and scary world we call the modern-day.
Location: Market Lane.

Ipoh Booth Cart

Ipoh Booth Cart is a centre for indoor murals with a couple of souvenir stands. It’s a bit of a random place (on the second floor above a restaurant) and was deserted when I ventured inside.The highlight was the art outside, namely the tiger and swing murals above. I learnt that the tiger art references the sad fact that there are only a handful of these Malaysian mammals left in the wild. They may soon become extinct 🙁
Location: Ipoh Booth Cart, 11A Jalan Bijeh Timah.

Fruit tree

Unlike the many murals in Ipoh featuring people going about daily life, this piece shows a simple fruit tree. Well, kind of. With jackfruits, durian and rambutan growing from the same plant, it must be a mythical breed!

Motor Wall Art

While admiring the Hummingird mural, I stumbled across this cool piece beside a local’s home. It’s slightly hidden away in an alley off the car park but it’s not hard to find. Look for it in between the Humminbird and ‘Kopi’ Break murals.
Google location: Motor Wall Art.

Sleeping shopkeeper

I stumbled across this piece accidentally and have to confess I fully made up that title. Find it by following the link below. It’s by Yip Yew Chong, a Singaporean street artist who specialises in murals, canvas, sketches and installations.
Location: Jalan Bijeh Timah.