IPOH, Sept 21 — Historically, the over 100-year-old Concubine Lane located in the heart of Ipoh was something of a red-light district where the mistresses of tycoons used to stay, hence its name.

Also a hotspot for gambling activities and opium dens in a bygone era, today, it has transformed into an iconic heritage site and tourist attraction.

Perak Tourist Guides Association chairman Roslyn Lim said the area has three lanes, including the 100-metre-long Lorong Panglima, with about 50 shops and houses, most of which have retained their original architecture.

According to Lim, who has worked as a tourist guide for the past 20 years, Concubine Lane receives up to 10,000 visitors daily.

"The houses here are very narrow. Their design is such that their front portions are long, making the interiors dark. To allow sunlight to enter, the middle section of each house is left open, often with a well in that area,” she said.

Describing the shophouses in Concubine Lane, Lim said they are built in rows with shared walls and interconnecting five-foot walkways in the front, with narrow facades of a width of about six to seven metres.

"The rear portion of each shophouse can reach 30 metres in length, or even extend up to 60 metres. Due to its length, an air well is present to control ventilation as well as to illuminate the interior space,” she told Bernama recently.

With the passage of time, this once notorious alley has also turned into a bustling commercial area offering a wide range of goods such as souvenirs and accessories as well as delicacies that have gone viral on social media.

One of the traders operating there is Muhammad Azlan Zainal Azam, 35, the owner of Azlan Nuts Company, who has been selling various types of nuts for three years now. He said the popularity of Concubine Lane has brought him good fortune.

"When I first opened the shop, I only sold three types of nuts — almonds, pistachios and cashew nuts. But over time, I became somewhat of an expert in nuts and now I offer 12 varieties including pecans imported from Texas (in the United States).

"We roast the nuts ourselves... we’ve visitors from countries like Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan coming to my shop just to buy nuts,” he added.

Meanwhile, a visit to Concubine Lane would feel incomplete without trying the ‘viral’ rainbow toast, known as Kuma Rainbow Cheese Toast. Besides its cute packaging and delicious taste, the delicacy is also certainly ‘Instagram-worthy’.

Siti Nur Hidayati Saleh Fadzil, 21, an employee at the outlet selling Kuma Rainbow Cheese Toast, said the toast is sold at RM20 each together with a beverage.

"Some tourists come here just to try our toast. Apart from its great taste, it is also visually appealing, which makes it something exciting to share on social media,” she said, adding their menu also features rainbow cheese chicken chop. — Bernama