The rainy town of Taiping is often overlooked when planning travel routes through mainland Malaysia.
Most people want to chase the sunshine in this part of the world, but despite its tendency to drop buckets of water down at any moment, the city is filled with amazing sights. Plus, you’ll most likely do your exploring without the typical crowds that places like Penang and Melaka often see.
I spent an enjoyable week in Taiping, relaxing by natural pools, wandering the streets in search of colonial architecture, and learning about the city’s history with coffee and tin mining. And, with the rain comes a few unique benefits, like gorgeous gardens and lush green mountains. These have helped it gain notoriety and recognition as one of the world’s most sustainable cities.
This is my guide to Taiping, including some of the best things to do around the city, tips on where to eat, and a look at some wonderful nearby day trips. I also share accommodation recommendations, along with where to stop for a coffee when you need to wait out the rain!
Here are 9 wonderful things to do in Taiping, Malaysia.
Wander The Taiping Lake Gardens
Perhaps the most popular thing to do in Taiping is to explore the well-kept, spacious Taiping Lake Gardens. Highlighted by its spectacular greenery, manicured grass landscape, and various islands and lakes, the Gardens are a place to unwind.
They also perfectly demonstrate how beautiful a place that rains as much as Taiping does can be. I suggest visiting when you have a few hours, because there’s a lot to see here.
TAIPING LAKE GARDENS INTERESTING SIGHTS
Zig-Zag Bridge
Taman Tasik Lotus Pond
Clock Tower
I Love Taiping Sign
Duck Island & Scotts Island
Oblong, Island, & Watergate Ponds
Rock Garden
Turtle Point
Swan, Jungle, & South Lakes
Taiping Lake Chinese Bridge
That Taiping Tree
There are nice pathways through pretty much every sight at the Taiping Lake Gardens, including stop-offs at child-friendly areas. While it’s not a guarantee, you’re more than likely to see some wild animals, too.
I came across several bird species, dozens of monitor lizards, long-tailed macaques, turtles, and a group of dusky leaf monkeys. This was the first time I saw a dusky leaf monkey, so it was really cool.
And, watching the monitor lizards swim, some of them well over three feet long, was special. However, I’d give the macaques a wide berth, as they’re known to cause trouble.
Besides animal watching, I’d say the must-see spots are the Zig-Zag Bridge and That Taiping Tree. If you just wander around, you’ll most likely run into both of them.
ZOO TAIPING
Connected to the Taiping Lake Gardens is one of Malaysia’s most popular zoos, and the only one in the north of Peninsular Malaysia. I didn’t visit because I’m always skeptical about how ethical places like these are, but they’re supposed to do good conservation work and breeding of endangered species. If you want to do some more research about them, you can check out the Zoo Taiping website.
Opening Hours | 8:30 am to 6:00 pm every day
Night Safari | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Cool Off In The Burmese Pool
To the east of Taiping Lake Gardens, at the end of Sungai Larut River, is a natural swimming area called the Burmese Pool. The waterway, which consists of a coolwater stream, a rock formation that creates a pool, and a small waterfall, is the perfect spot to beat the heat in Taiping.
When I visited, there were only a few other people there. But the size of the parking area tells me that it can get busy here on weekends and after work hours.
There are two sections here: a shallow stream that sits under an old metal bridge and the pools a few hundred meters up the path. The first area was popular with families, as the water is low enough for kids to play. There’s a small wooden swing hanging from a tree here, and plenty of large rocks to leave your stuff as you stand in the water.
The second is the pool, which is tucked out of sight from the main path. It’s essentially a large natural basin that is surrounded by rocks in the river. One side has a continuous flow of water that slides down the rocks and creates a small waterfall. The water is deep enough to swim here, but areas can get a bit dirty at the edges where the flow of the stream is stagnant.
HOW THE BURMESE POOL GOT ITS NAME
The Burmese Pool name is believed to stem from Burmese soldiers who found it in the 1920s. This same group was brought in to replace an elite regiment known as the Malay State Guides when it was dissolved. The natural pool was used for fun and relaxation by the Burmese soldiers during that period.
At the trail entrance for the Burmese Pool, there’s a small convenience store selling drinks, snacks, and flotation devices. It also has a bathroom next to it.
Getting There | The Burmese Pool (maps) sits at the end of the street with the same name. There’s parking for those who have a car or motorbike, but it’s close enough to walk as well. You can just head east from the gardens on Jalan Air Terjun Street towards Bukit Larut. Right before the Taiping War Cemetery, there will be a turnoff to the right on Jalan Taman Sentosa. There’s a sign here with the direction of the Burmese Pool on it.
Entrance | Free
Wander The Streets Of Taiping
Taiping was a former capital city of Perak and a booming tin mining town during the times of British Malaya. You can still see the influence from that era all around the city, although it’s not so apparent on first glance. That mostly comes down to the historic buildings being spread out from each other just enough.
However, if you keep your eyes peeled when wandering the streets, you’ll notice some magnificent colonial buildings. Most of these have signs in front, giving historical context to what you’re looking at. While a few, like the Perak Museum, showcase a more in-depth look into Taiping’s past.
Gereja All Saints Church | The most iconic of the buildings. It’s a mostly wooden church built in 1883 that is only a few steps away from the Taiping Lake Gardens. It features a Gothic design and was the first church in the Federated Malay States.
Clock Tower | A 19th-century clock tower with neoclassical elements that stands out amongst the more modern structures in Old Town. A red phone booth sits in front, as well as a heritage trail map that will guide you to more than 30 of Taiping’s historical structures. Not to be confused with the funky modernized New Clock Tower that’s only a few blocks away.
Taiping Municipal Gallery and Telegraph Museum | These two sit side by side. The Municipal Gallery doubles as a tourist information point and has a visitor’s map highlighting interesting places around town, popular hotels, and the city’s mosques. The museum is a small, information-packed collection of communication devices. Entry costs 4 RM.
The Old Train Station | It’s mostly just restaurants now, but you can see the remnants and old wooden overhang from Malaysia’s first railway station.
Visit The Perak Museum
Housed in a two-story colonial building with English and Moorish designs, the Perak Museum offers an introduction to the region’s interesting history. It’s also Malaysia’s first museum and is as beautiful as it is informative.
At first, I was surprised to find such a place in Taiping, but after seeing the importance the city has had through the years, it makes sense.
There are a handful of galleries located in the museum, covering things like natural history, cultural heritage, and Aboriginal culture. The display of taxidermied and sculpted animals from the area was impressive. At the same time, the cultural exhibits had some really neat historical pieces and facts.
Outside, you’ll also find several vintage cars, an old-school train carriage, and an Australian-made fighter jet.
Entry Times | Every day from 9 am to 5 pm. The only exceptions are the first Monday of every month, the first two days of Eid al-Fitr, and the last day of Eid al-Adha.
Price | 5 RM for foreigners and 2 RM for Malaysians
Explore Taiping's Food Scene
Like most everywhere else in Malaysia, I found the food in Taiping to be…very good. I also had my first run-in with bihun soup and its clear, flavorful broth at the local market here. This is a dish I always search out now while traveling in Malaysia.
I didn’t dive into the local cuisine as much as I did in Penang or Melaka, so I can’t claim to know all the city’s specialties, but here is a little overview of the places I tried or were recommended to.
Larut Matang Hawker Centre
If you’re a foodie, the best place to start in Taiping is the Larut Matang Hawker Centre. It’s a large open-air food court with dozens upon dozens of different stalls.
There are both halal and non-halal sections, and you’ll find classic regional favorites like char koay teow, pasembur, and nasi lemak.
This was where I had bihun soup too. The typical way to serve it here is with a clear broth that contains several spices, beef meatballs, and rice vermicelli (although I got a thicker noodle). I also had a nice pasembur, which consisted of potato, pasta, fried seafood, cucumber, boiled egg, and a sweet and spicy nut sauce.
Next to the pasembur stand, there was a stall with all kinds of unique dessert-style drinks. Most of these involved candied fruits and jellies with ice and your choice of juice.
I had quite a few other dishes at the Larut Matang Hawker Centre too, but they were foods I found everywhere else around the country.
It’s worth noting that during Ramadan, the market is working at partial capacity.
Solo Restaurants
Besides the hawker center, there are several restaurants worth mentioning around the city. Here are a few of my recommendations:
Railway Station Laksa | They serve a really tasty assam laksa that I would describe as thick and not too sour. My partner and I also split a cendol, which was quite delicious. They also have rojak and ais kacang on the menu. Oh, and it’s located in the old, historic train station!
Bismillah Cendol and Ansari Famous Cendol | Two popular cendol places that were recommended to me during my stay. They were both closed when I went (Ramadan maybe?), but they are supposed to be quality at a great price.
P S L Famous Goreng Pisang | A small fast-food stall known for its pisang goreng or banana fritters. They also have a few other fried food options.
Taiping Smoke Grill | The name tells it all; it’s a proper barbecue joint. The food is served on platters like a typical American BBQ restaurant, and the meats and flavors are high-quality.
Kedai Makanan Tai Chien | Kopitiam-style restaurant with a few stalls selling classic Malaysian dishes like hokkien mee, wonton mee, and char keoy tow.
Ramadan Night Market
I was in Taiping during Ramadan, so there was a bustling night market near the Larut Matang Hawker Centre every night. It had several food stalls serving traditional Malaysian fare. I didn’t try any of these, but the food looked quite good.
Chill Out In A Cafe
If you’ve read some of my other ‘Malaysia guides’, you’ll notice I tend to focus on cafes in almost every city. I found it difficult to find ground coffee in grocery stores in smaller towns and cities in the country, so I ended up exploring the cafe scene more often than usual to avoid drinking instant filtered coffee every day.
While there weren’t nearly as many options in Taiping as in Melaka or Penang, there was still a nice variety of places to get my caffeine fix.
Here are some decent options:
Kee Nguyễn | A small, no-hassle Vietnamese coffee joint. They have great prices and offer drinks like condensed milk, salt, coconut, or egg coffees, which are common in Vietnam. There are also some other unique offerings, like Coke coffee. I came in here during one of the famous Taiping downpours and was quite happy with it!
BANG Coffee | Great coffee, good prices, and really cool vibes. Next door was a place called Cafe Floria De Amore, which had tasty-looking food and what I would best explain as a cute setup. I think the two are running a joint type of business where one does food and the other coffee, but I can’t confirm that.
+90 Specialty | Modern and elegant, with an upscale feel to it. This is a coffee spot for those seeking specialty coffee. They have a nice house blend and offer oat and soy milk drink options.
Raw Coffee | A newer cafe with modern but cozy aesthetics. The coffee is decent, and there are tasty homemade breakfast foods and desserts.
Head Over To The Antong Coffee Factory
If you’ve read any of my previous articles, mainly those from Colombia and other parts of Southeast Asia, you’ve probably noticed my affection for everything coffee-related. I wouldn’t say I’m an aficionado or any sort of expert, but I do enjoy a good coffee. I’m also a big fan of seeing coffee production at its source.
Well, in Taiping, I was able to do just that.
The Antong Coffee Factory ended up being one of my favorite things about Taiping. It’s Malaysia’s oldest coffee mill, starting in 1933, and continuously pumping out coffee ever since.
Plus, the land it rests on has a unique historical connection to the Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen. The attached Chang Chun Pu Villa serves as a small museum, sharing a few interesting facts about Sun Yat-sen’s concubine Chen Cuifen and her link to Taiping.
The factory grounds themselves have plenty to keep you busy. Beautiful graffiti-style art pieces are shown on the exterior walls, a frequently visited cafeteria sits behind the villa, and a gift shop stands behind the active coffee mill. If you’re into sweets, I recommend trying the express ice cream in the gift shop.
If you want a free tour of the mill, you can ask a worker at the gift shop. The guides speak good English, and the tour includes watching a video of the production process, then watching it in action from the outside, followed by some interesting tidbits about the coffee plants they use and other related facts.
For the hardcore coffee lover, don’t expect much in terms of fresh roasted beans. This is very Malaysian in that the finished product is turned into instant coffee mixed with margarine and sugar or simple coffee filter pouches. Despite that, it’s still a wonderful spot to see, and the coffee from the cafeteria is worth a try.
Opening Hours | 8:30 am to 5:30 pm
Explore The Markets
Most Malaysian cities have a handful of markets to wander around, and Taiping is no different.
Besides the food-centric Larut Matang Hawker Center, there are a few more nearby spots to explore if you’re looking to buy some local goods:
Night Market (Cross Street Bazaar Taiping) | The night market is essentially a couple of rows of open-air tents along the streets of the old town. It’s only at night, and it doesn’t seem like every vendor shows up every night of the week, but that could have been because of the heavy rains during my visit. The weekend, however, was pretty active. There are a lot of clothes stands, some of which have some awesome second-hand finds. There were also a lot of unique Ramadan food items that I think are only sold at that time of year.
Plaza Perbandaran | A two-level plaza with a wet market and various fruit stands on the ground floor and a food court on the second floor. I grabbed loads of fresh fruit here and found the sellers to be friendly with reasonable prices. There were also items like flowers, clothes, leather goods, and bags on the ground floor. It was Ramadan when I was there, so it wasn’t too busy.
Bazar Melayu | Across from the hawker center is a small bazaar with local textiles. Colorful scarves line the walls, as do traditional clothing, handmade shirts, and simple dresses.
Taiping Mall | A modern mall with a massive supermarket on the basement floor and different trendy shops on the floors above it.
Take A Day Trip To A Nearby City
I wasn’t expecting it when I chose to visit Taiping, but it makes for a nice jumping-off point to some of Perak’s other tourist destinations. It’s a simple train ride to Ipoh, along with lesser-known places like Kuala Kangsar.
IPOH
If you’ve done a little prior research on Perak, Ipoh is probably on your radar. It’s a really cool city, one that deserves more than a day to truly discover. However, if you don’t have the time for it or just want to avoid the crowds, then a day trip or multiple trips from Taiping is a feasible alternative.
Here are some suggestions for a full day in Ipoh:
- Go temple hopping around the city’s picturesque cave temples.
- Explore the delightful food scene, especially the chicken and bean sprouts.
- Get a coffee buzz (and history lesson) at Old Town White Coffee.
- Stroll down Concubine Lane and enjoy the fun stores.
- Check out the lovely street art in the Old Town.
- Keep wandering around the Old Town to see the historic colonial-era buildings.
Getting There | Take a train from Taiping Railway Station to Ipoh Railway Station. A one-way ticket was 6.80 RM when I was there, and trains left every hour or so, starting early in the morning. The ride takes around 45 minutes each way.
KUALA KANGSAR
Kuala Kangsar might be the most beautiful town in Perak. The ‘Royal Town’ sits along the Perak River and possesses decaying but fanciful mansions and a blend of Art Deco and Islamic architecture. You can easily explore the town on foot in a half-day, too, making it an easy day trip from Taiping.
These were the highlights of my trip to Kuala Kangsar:
- A quick stop at the Royal Museum of Kuala Kangsar (Muzium Diraja Kuala Kangsar).
- Seeing the immense beauty of the Ubudiah Royal Mosque of Kuala Kangsar.
- Having a look at Malaysia’s first rubber tree ever planted.
- Walking along the riverside, the Galeri Sultan Azlan Shah, and the Istana Iskandariah.
Getting There | Take a train from Taiping Railway Station in the direction of Ipoh. The round-trip ticket price was 5.80 RM when I was last there, and trains left often. The ride takes around 25 minutes each way.
Other Trip Options
- Kuala Sepetang | About 30 minutes by bus from Taiping, the small town is best known for the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve. You can walk in a sustainable mangrove system here or opt to take a private boat tour of the area. Another popular thing to do is to visit the My Charcoal Factory @ Kuala Sepetang to learn about the charcoal-making process.
- Bukit Larut | Formerly known as Maxwell Hill, Bukit Larut is actually at the edge of town, to the east of Taiping Lake Gardens. I mention it in the day trip section, though, since it is quite difficult to get to. Hiking will take you almost 3 hours each way, so it’s recommended to book either a jeep ride to the top or join an ATV tour with ATV Adventure Park Larut. However, if you want the chance to see a unique biodiversity and tons of highland animal species, it’s worth a visit. Just bring a raincoat, because it experiences the highest rainfall in the country.
GETTING AROUND TAIPING
Most of Taiping’s highlights are within walking distance, so you should be fine exploring on foot. I recommend bringing an umbrella and jacket with you while you do so, or just wave down a taxi.
In all likelihood, you’ll arrive at the main bus station, the train station, or, as I found out coming from Kuala Lumpur, a random stop along the highway. These are also the places you’ll head outside of the city from if you’re going on a day trip or two.
Stesen KTMB Taiping (maps) | Not to be confused with the old historic train station, although they’re right next to each other. If you’re heading to Ipoh or Kuala Kangsar, this is the best transportation option. You can also take trains up to Butterworth from here and all the way down to Kuala Lumpur. I should note that trains to KL sometimes call for a changeover.
Terminal Taiping (maps) | A pretty rundown old bus station that has buses running to some smaller nearby towns and places like Kuala Kangsar. There wasn’t a proper working ticket counter when I was there, so it’s best to ask anyone working there or the bus drivers about prices and routes.
Ops. Market Simpang bus stop (maps) | I had to catch the local bus that was coming from Kuala Kangsar here when my Kuala Lumpur bus dropped me off along the highway down the street. If this happens to you, don’t worry, just hop on the Red Omnibus that says Taiping-Kuala Kangsar at this stop. The bus price was 1.30 RM and took me to Terminal Taiping.
WHERE TO STAY
Unless you have your vehicle, I suggest staying close to the Taiping city center. It’s the “rainy city” after all, so you’ll want to make sure things are within walking distance.
Here are some recommended places to stay:
Sojourn Beds & Cafe | A cute, cosy, budget-friendly hostel. They have dorms and small private rooms in a centrally located part of the city. The cafe area is also a wonderful place to sit, relax, and sip on coffee.
Novotel Taiping | The chain hotel is smack in the center and offers nice rooms at reasonable prices. Some of the rooms have wonderful views of the gardens and the surrounding landscape.
Knight Alley Hotel | A well-located hotel that is between a budget and midrange option. They have friendly staff and self-laundry service, which is a plus. Just don’t expect anything too fancy. The owner also has a budget hotel called Dino House located near the Perak Museum. I stayed here for a couple of days, and the rooms were pretty bare bones and the mattress springy, but it was quiet, had self-laundry, and a fully equipped kitchen.
For more options, check here.
