Unassuming And Tranquil
In Northern Malaysia, there is a lovely verdant town called Taiping, in the state of Perak. It translates to ‘everlasting peace’ and is an unassuming and tranquil place, far different from the hustle and bustle of Malaysia’s capital city, Kuala Lumpur, and largely unknown to international travellers. It holds no tickets on itself and seems happy to keep its quaint and old-fashioned charm a secret from the rest of the world.
Visiting Taiping on my travels to Malaysia, I have discovered some hidden gems I wish to share with you.
A Heritage Town with Colonial influences
Taiping, Malaysia is located approximately 100km from Penang, or 50km from Ipoh. It was originally a Tin Mining settlement in the 1800’s and now a Heritage Town, with a rich colonial history, as is visible by the many English architectural influences still present today. But sadly, it doesn’t usually feature on most tourists’ itineraries. Slowly, tourists are beginning to venture here, particularly lovers of places ‘off-the-beaten-path’ and ‘eco-friendly tourism’.
The Taiping Heritage Trail with 40 historical and cultural sites to see is a great way to explore the city. Some of the heritage buildings along the trail are now mere ruins.
Malaysian Firsts
In 1874 Taiping became the first British colonial settlement and the first town planned on the Malay Peninsular.
Hence, Taiping boasts many ‘firsts’ in the country. The sites that are Malaysia’s first include:
- Hospital – Taiping Hospital 1880
- Museum – Perak Museum 1883
- Sporting Club – Taiping Perak Club 1881
- Police Force – 1879
- Zoo – Taiping Zoo 1924
- Airfield – Tekah Airport 1930
- Post Office – 1884
- Railway – Taiping Railway Station 1885
- Prison – Taiping Gaol 1879, and
- Newspaper – Malay Paper 1893
It’s remarkable that this quiet unassuming town was once the beating heart of Malaysia.
Taiping was ranked in the Top 3 Sustainable Cities in the world several years ago.
Taiping Lake Gardens
Since 1880, the most famous part of the city and the most delightful by far, is the Lake Gardens district. Built on an old tin mining site, the lakes, ponds and beautiful gardens were modelled on Kensington Park in London and span 64 hectares.
Huge, magnificent trees over a hundred years old, swoop over the lake almost touching the water and arch over the road, giving drivers a lovely view as they steer through the lake gardens precinct. It’s a very pleasant location for a stroll and a picnic and very popular with locals. Activities you can partake in are boating and fishing on the lake.
This is my favourite part of Taiping and I have spent quite a bit of time here taking photos, walking and admiring the lake and its flora and fauna. These are arguably the most beautiful gardens in the country.
Taiping Zoo
The Taiping Zoo is another highlight, and a very popular attraction, with 34 acres of natural jungle environment for the animal inhabitants. You can actually touch the animals here. We got right up close to an elephant and took photos standing next to it.
The Taiping Zoo is quite famous for night time safaris so you can observe the nocturnal habits of the residents and enjoy the cooler tropical evenings.
But most impressive, I think, is the Zoo’s breeding program. It has been very successful for many species of animals including the Malaysian Tiger which is, or was, endangered.
Check out this You Tube video of Taiping Zoo.
Architectural sites
Architectural buildings and monuments to check out in Taiping include,
- Taiping District Office
- St George’s Institution
- Taiping Memorial Library
- All Saints Church
- Perak Museum
- Chinese Pagoda
- Peace Hotel
- Clock Tower
- Jubilee Jetty
- Sri Mariamman Temple
- King Edward VII School
- Masjid India Mosque.
Cuisine
Food is cheap on the streets of Taiping and there are local delights to sample everywhere you go.
Open-air hawkers and cafes are popular and mostly casual dining and quick meals. I won’t call these places ‘alfresco’ dining, as that actually means outside in the fresh air, which it definitely ain’t!
The largest hawker eatery is Larut Matang.
Malaysian cuisine consists of a blend of Chinese, Malay and Indian cuisines.
For just 4 or 5 Malaysian Ringgits you can get a delicious and substantial hot cooked meal. How cheap is that!
Some of my personal favourites are Char Kuey Teow (noodles), Nasi Lemak (coconut rice), Roti Canai (flakey bread) and Satay chicken.
Oh, and I can’t go past a good curry puff for a snack, or a refreshing Ice Kacang to cool you down in the heat.
Other Malaysian delicacies to try in Taiping are assam laksa soup, prawn and crab noodles, chicken rice, mee goreng, rendang, chicken curry, and rojak.
Climate
In Taiping it pours with rain everyday, making it very humid and because of this has earned the dubious title of “Rain City”. The climate is hot, day and night, all year round and the temperature is always between 28 to 33 degrees celsius. It’s probably one of the most humid places in the world. Taiping is in fact, the wettest place in Peninsular Malaysia.
So when visiting Taiping, come prepared and be sure to bring only lightweight clothing and an umbrella.
If exercising outdoors is your thing, it’s best very early in the morning when the weather is less stifling.
From midday onwards, my advice is to stay out of the heat and try to find a cool place, if possible. Evenings are a little cooler, but still humid.
Street Art
For those that love street art, Taiping is becoming known for some little gems around town.
The Tin Mine mural, a tribute to the town’s historic beginnings, is located on the corner of Jalan Ong Saik and Jalan Barrack.
The HMS Pluto mural which references the signing of the treaty of Taiping can be found near Main Rd.
Accommodation in Taiping
The town has slowly been developing in recent years. In time, I’m sure, it will attract a lot more visitors. With many new hotels being built, travellers now have lots of accommodation options to choose from, including hostels, homestays, and up to 4 star hotels.
I stayed at the Novotel Taiping Hotel, which has very comfortable suites and is centrally located. We enjoyed the lovely lap pool with views of the nearby hills in the background. They have quite a good buffet on offer, with delicious local Malaysian cuisine, which I absolutely love.
Taiping's Future
Many, many new developments are popping up everywhere, such as shopping complexes, a new main railway station and cafe/restaurants, including chains like Starbucks, which make the city a more modern centre.
However, many locals don’t want too much change, as they like the slow pace, quiet, and relaxed feel. That’s why they are here, because the price of living is still affordable for them and there are no traffic jams like the bigger Malaysian cities – a definite plus.
Read about Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.
I hope Taiping continues to expand and grow in the future, but most importantly, maintain its rich heritage buildings that give the city its charm. I’m sure it will attract more tourists and holiday makers and really put it on the map.
I recommend visiting Taiping for a short stay of 2 days, whilst travelling through Malaysia. You may be pleasantly surprised at what hidden gems you’ll find in this unassuming and tranquil town. Accommodation and food is quite cheap here and there are no crowds. Driving in Taiping is quite easy and relatively stress free.
Check the Taiping Council Website for information about current events.
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