Off the beaten path: Ipoh, Malaysia

The "Taj Mahal" Ipoh train station

Considered by most people to be a boring town, Ipoh (3 hours train ride from Kuala Lumpur), this humble former British colonial town has blossomed into a charming city.

There are two parts to the city. The "New Town" with its pre-World War II shop houses looked sadly grim, moldy, almost crumbling, some suffocated by tree roots, while still retaining their grandeur architectural character. Not to despair.  There is ongoing renovation works to restore these buildings and turn them into cafe, boutique hotels, and eateries.

The "Old Town", is splendid with manicured period architecture.  There is the 1912 tudor St. Michael's institution, now a school and the Edwardian baroque municipal town hall.

This is a foodie's city.  It offers endless street stalls and restaurants serving mouthwatering local fare.  It's also well known for its white coffee where the beans are roasted with butter and is intoxicatingly addictive.