February 8, 2018

Escape to Nature: Taiping, Malaysia

To escape the hustle and bustle of the big city, visit the sleepy and charming town of Taiping, an hour’s drive away from Penang and Ipoh. After hungry travelers satiate their appetites with delicious old school dishes in Taiping, they can work off their calories visiting the area’s gorgeous nature sites.

Taiping Lake Garden

Originally a tin mining ground, Taiping Lake Garden was established in 1880, becoming one of the first public gardens in Malaysia. Covering an area of 160 acres, Taiping Lake Garden consists of 10 scenic lakes and ponds, jogging tracks, a pagoda bridge, a children’s playground, and paddle boat facilities.

One of the most striking features of the garden is the row of magnificent rain trees planted along Residency Road. The branches of these trees stretch across the road to reach into the waters of the lake, like they’re dipping their toes in the pool.

If you want to stay close to the garden, you can book a room at Flemington Hotel that’s right across the lake. Otherwise, it is about a 20 to 30 minute walk from the town center.

Address: Jalan Taman Tasik, Taiping 34000

Opening hours: 24 hours. Daily

Bukit Larut (Maxwell Hill)

After visiting Taiping Lake Garden, you can head over to the nearby hill resort, Bukit Larut, formerly known as Maxwell Hill. Founded in 1884, the oldest hill resort in Malaysia was named after William Edward Maxwell, a British Assistant Resident in Perak. It was built to provide British officials a sanctuary to escape from the heat and humidity of the lowlands. Bukit Larut experiences the highest rainfall in the country, resulting in cool temperatures that range from 10 to 25 degrees Celsius (50-77℉).

Because it’s not as developed as other hill resorts like Genting Highlands or Cameron Highlands, it has retained its colonial charm with historic bungalows and English gardens full of blooming flowers.

To preserve the natural beauty of the area, private cars without a permit aren’t allowed up the hill. You may hike up the 13 km (8 miles) up to the top of the hill or hop onto one of the Land Rovers (operated by the resort) for the 30 minute thrilling ride to the top. Hang on tight!

Address: Jalan Bukit Larut, Taiping 34000

Opening Hours: 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Daily. Land Rovers operate 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve

Having never visited a mangrove reserve before, I ignorantly thought that we would be trekking in muddy fields in the jungle! However, Matang Mangrove was far from that! It’s known as the best managed sustainable mangrove ecosystem in the world and it’s also the largest mangrove forest reserve in Malaysia spanning 40,000 hectares (98,842 acres).

The mangrove is home to 19 mammals (Long-tailed Macaque, 155 species of birds, river dolphins, 112 species of modern bony fishes and three species of stingrays, and about 50 species of crabs and 20 species of prawns and shrimps! You can see the full list in the official website linked above.

At first glance, you can see that it’s incredibly well maintained. During the day, visitors stroll along a wooden boardwalk built over the swamp to protect plants and animals residing in the muddy mangrove floor. At night, however, you can book a boat ride to see the blinking lights of fireflies over the water.

The nearby coastal town of Kuala Sepetang is only a five minute taxi ride away. Do stop by to have lunch or dinner at Xin Kuala Sepetang Seafood Restaurant.

The restaurant is built on stilts over the water and is surrounded by a fishing village. Across the road from the restaurant, you’ll find these huge flat netted beds of seafood drying in the sun. You can also buy some dried shrimp or fish straight from the source!