Take a day trip to Taiping from Ipoh or Penang: What to eat, do and shop in this Perak town

Taiping is one of those places in Malaysia that, unless you are visiting relatives living in this Perak town, would unlikely rank high on Singaporeans’ must-go list.

Situated midway between its more famous Malaysian cousins Penang and Ipoh, which have international airports with direct flights from Singapore, Taiping is only accessible by road or railway. Like Ipoh, Taiping in Perak made its fortune through tin mining, attracting large numbers of Chinese settlers in the 19th century. With the decline of the tin industry, Taiping’s profile also faded.

However, it is an easy hour’s drive from Penang and Ipoh, and offers a small-town charm that deserves a side trip, particularly if you are already visiting either city. We booked a private driver for RM$450 (S$128.85) for eight hours, departing from Ipoh.

Interestingly, Taiping has also won an eclectic range of accolades: Top three sustainable cities in the world; the town of "40 firsts in Malaysia"; and the dubious honour of being the wettest town in Peninsular Malaysia. Pack an umbrella and join us as we eat, play and shop our way through Taiping, Perak.

WHAT TO EAT

1. Larut Matang Hawker Centre

If you’re driving in from Ipoh or Penang, leave bright and early so that you’ll get to enjoy breakfast at Larut Matang Hawker Centre. Taiping’s biggest food hall serves up tasty, affordable nosh that is well-loved by locals and tourists.

Stall 72’s famous wanton mee (RM$5.50) comes with springy thin egg noodles topped with dumplings, char siew slices and even shredded chicken, drenched in a black sauce.

The highly recommended char kway teow from Stall 46 (RM$5) was fried with small prawns, and had short and fat beansprouts to add crunch. Wash it down with an iced coffee (RM$3.70) from stall 73, next to the wantan mee stall. 

Located at Jalan Panggung Wayang, 34000 Taiping, Perak.

2. Peace Hotel char kway teow and lor back

For a meal with a historic touch, you must visit Peace Hotel, just down the road from Larut Matang Hawker Center. Built in 1928, it still retains its original facade and colonial architecture, and makes a great backdrop for photos.

The 76-year-old hawker has been frying up his char kway teow at the coffee shop at level 1 for the last 50 years. His wife hand-makes the lor bak (meat rolls) with fillings like pork and crab (RM$3.80 each).

We enjoyed a chat with the spritely uncle and a second breakfast of his wok hei-kissed char kway teow and a variety of lor bak, for RM$20.

Located at 34 Jalan Iskandar, 34000 Taiping, Perak.

3. Restoran Light House Seafood

On our way to Kuala Sepetang (see below), we stopped by Light House Seafood for a late lunch of its famous seafood porridge. There’re a few restaurants along that stretch that serve the same dish but our driver – and web reviews – confirmed that this charges reasonably for the quality.

You can customise your order with your choice of seafood and add-ons like minced meat. We left it up to the chef and our steaming hot claypot for three people came with pomfret, big prawns and fishballs.

Also order their signature appetiser, the deep-fried ikan belanak (grey mullet) that’s so crispy you can eat it bones and all. Our four-course meal with sambal sweet potato leaves and oyster omelette and drinks cost us RM$106 – barely S$32.

Located at No 10 Jalan Cina, 34750 Matang, Taiping, Perak.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

1. Taiping Lake Gardens

Taiping’s rainy weather has blessed it with particularly lush greenery. Taiping Lake Gardens, arguably the town’s most famous attraction, is one of the aforementioned "firsts" the town is known for.

Built on the site of an abandoned tin mine, this 64-hectare green haven, which opened in 1880, is the first public garden in Malaysia. There are 10 tranquil lakes and ponds here, all of which make great picnic spots.

As you drive through Residency Road, enjoy the sight of its gigantic raintrees that form a natural canopy as they bend towards the lake, as if drinking from it.  

Located at Jalan Pekeliling, Taman Tasik Taiping, 34000 Taiping, Perak.

2. Perak Museum

If you’re a history buff, put Perak Museum on your list. It is the first and oldest in Peninsular Malaysia, founded in 1883 by Sir Hugh Low, the fourth British Resident of Perak.

There are an eye-popping 8,474 items here, spread over four galleries clustered under nature, cultural, indigenous people and temporary, which rotates some of the unseen exhibits collected by the museum.

Located at Jalan Taming Sari, 34000 Taiping, Perak.

3. All Saints Church

All Saints Church is another "first in Malaysia" – the first church in the Federated Malay States, completed in 1886. This well-preserved Anglican church has remained mostly unchanged, from its timber facade, gothic architecture, and even its original stained glass window installed in 1911.

There is a small cemetery next to it, where early European settlers were laid to rest. The church was closed when we popped by but if you’re in town on a Sunday and would like to attend a church service, do take the chance to admire the interior. 

Located at 17A Jalan Taming Sari, 34000 Taiping, Perak.

4. Taiping Railway Station

Malaysia’s first railway station opened in 1885 when the Taiping-Port Weld Railway Line was established. With the introduction of KTM Electric Train Service from Kuala Lumpur, a new station was built right next to this historic site, which has since been preserved.

Pop by to check out the old school railway fittings and for a bite at the eateries, which include a burger joint and a chendol dessert stall.  

Located at 1915 Jalan Stesen, 34000 Taiping, Perak.

5. Kuala Sepetang

Also known as Port Weld, the coastal town of Kuala Sepetang is a popular stopover for its history, seafood restaurants, and mangrove river rides. The standard one-hour boat ride costs RM$28 per person or check with the operators to book a private boat tour.

Our humorous ponytailed boatman is a proud Sepetang boy who taught us more about the history of the fishing villages inhabited by Teochews on one side of the river, and Hokkiens on the opposite bank.

We also visited a floating fish farm where we fed hungry tilapia and learned about the pufferfish and native horseshoe crabs that live in the river. The horseshoe crabs are a protected species.

The most memorable part was when he placed the pufferfish in our cupped hands. These smart little fishies first "blew up" as a defence mechanism and looked like poufy fishballs with manga-ish eyes and pink lips. When they were released back in the water, they played dead for a spell, before quickly deflating and zipping off.

We kept our eyes peeled for pink river dolphins but were not lucky enough to spot any. You are guaranteed of another highlight though: Watching dozens of eagles swoop into the water to feed on chicken skin thrown by our boatman.

After you disembark, check out the local sun-dried seafood, like their popular salted fish.

On the car ride out, tourists usually drop by My Charcoal Factory, which uses sustainable methods of harvesting mangrove trees. It was closed during our visit but is a popular stop to buy the ‘black gold’ as a decor piece or as a dehumidifier.

Located at 34650 Kuala Sepetang, Perak.  

WHAT TO BUY

1. Antong Coffee Mill

In another "Malaysia’s first", Antong Coffee Mill, established in 1933, is Malaysia’s oldest. You can go on a free guided tour of its facilities and coffee production.

Even more heady than the coffee is the romantic history of Changchun Pu, the weathered mansion next to the factory, which currently serves as the coffee mill’s office. It has a statue of Sun Yat-sen, the Chinese revolutionary and first president of the Republic of China, at its doorstep.

This was where Sun and his “partner in revolution” (and romantic partner), the Hong Kong-born Chen Cuifen, lived when he was in Taiping. (Unfortunately, after 20 years together, he broke up with her – and also divorced his first wife Lu Muzhen – for the elegant Soong Ching-ling.)    

Before you leave, stock up on Antong’s wide variety of coffee products. Popular items include their traditional kopi beans, their speciality Golden Coffee, and if you like the pungent fruit, give the Durian White Coffee a try. We splurged on their Kopi Luwak Wild which cost RM$75 for three sachets of 12g each. 

Located at 8A Jalan Asam Kumbang, Kampung Asam Kumbang, 34000 Taiping, Perak.

2. Khim Heong Foodstuffs

If you love traditional biscuits like heong peah, do make a pit stop at Khim Heong, one of the oldest factories in the cities of the north of Malaysia. These aromatic molasses-filled munchies, once offered to emperors of the Tang Dynasty, are now a common sight in Malaysia.

However, most are baked in gas ovens. At Khim Heong, they are baked in huge ovens heated to 300 degrees Celsius by burning coconut husks, which add a wonderful fragrance.

Watch the master stick the circles of dough – by hand – onto the scorching hot walls. A bag of nine costs about RM$17. They also offer other baked goods like tau sar peah (mung bean biscuits), which smelled so good fresh out of the oven that we almost ate them on the spot.

Located at 13 Lorong Perusahaan Pengkalan 3, Taman Perusahaan Perkhidmatan Pengkalan, 34000 Taiping, Perak.