Dubbed the ‘City of Millionaires’ (due to its tin mining wealth) Ipoh, Malaysia’s third-largest city, offers the ghosts of its grand colonial days with the mixture of colonial and modern architecture; the best example of the former is the Moorish and Victorian pastiche of the train station. The city center also boasts many colonial-era shops, which retain their original atmosphere today. The Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary in Ipoh is of great interest to all nature lovers. In addition to over 160 different species of birds, lucky visitors may get a chance to see smooth otters, long-tailed macque and ridge-back dolphins. The best time to visit is between September and December when many migratory birds arrive at the sanctuary.