What to do at Kellie’s Castle in Ipoh

Kellie’s Castle is a huge mansion with a six-storey tower, wine cellar, and stately columns. — Destination Perak

Located beside Sungai Raya in Perak, Kellie’s Castle is a huge unfinished mansion built by a Scottish rubber plantation owner named William Kellie-Smith.

It was a gift for his wife and also to celebrate the birth of their son. Unfortunately, Kellie-Smith died of pneumonia at age 56 and the castle was never completed. Construction on the castle started in 1915 and ended in 1926 before it was finished.

His wife moved back to Scotland and the architectural wonder is a tourist attracton today, with some believing it to be haunted.

Why you should go
The building brings you back to a time and place in the past. You get to see where some scenes from Anna And The King (1999) and Skyline Cruisers (2000) were filmed in the mansion.

For history and architecture buffs, Kellie’s Castle is constructed in the British Indian Mughal-Gothic architectural style.

What to do
If you visit, you can explore the vast interior of the building – its rooms, wine cellar, elevator shaft and six-storey tower. Some of the rooms have been fitted with furniture so you get to see what they would have been like if the construction had been completed.

From the rooftop, you also get a lovely view of the surrounding gardens.

The balcony of Kellie’s Castle might be a romantic place for a pre-wedding photoshoot or a spooky place reputed to be haunted.

Who will like it

It’s a good place for history and architecture enthusiasts. And since the mansion is believed to be haunted, it will also appeal to those who get a thrill from of the unknown. Both the castle interior and gardens are also good for taking your pre-wedding shots so it might appeal to couples and photography fans, too.

Getting there

Kellie’s Castle is located in Batu Gajah, which is about a two-hour drive drive from Kuala Lumpur, and a 30-minute drive from Ipoh town to Jalan Gopeng. You can also take the Electric Train Service from KL to Ipoh.

If you’re driving, the gps coordinates are: 4.4743826,101.0855991

Kellie’s Castle

Address: Jalan Gopeng, 31000 Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia

Tel: 05-365 1336

Entrance fees for locals: RM5 (adults), RM3 (children below 12 years old) and RM4 (seniors)

Entrance fees for tourists: RM10 (adults), RM8 (below 12 years old)

Carpark ticket: RM2

Opening hours: 9am to 6pm