タイピン🇲🇾 マレーシア最古の歴史的都市、”初めて”がいっぱい！

タイピン🇲🇾 マレーシア最古の歴史的都市、”初めて”がいっぱい！

Taiping is a city in Perak, Malaysia
, known as a quiet, historical hub with significant “firsts” in the country, such as the first jail, hospital, and hill resort. Key attractions include the large, scenic Lake Gardens, Taiping Zoo, and historical sites. The city is also known for its high rainfall, making it the wettest town in Peninsular Malaysia. I didn’t know this until now Taiping in Perak is often called the “town of first” in Malaysia with 30 to 40 first attributed to it but honestly I have only managed to visit one or two of these first and that’s enough to be totally convinced of Taiping charm let’s get charmed together hey everybody uncle go traveling here I am doing a 4-day trip across Peninsula Malaysia stopping at 5 towns and city all by railway and road I begin in Johor Bahru then ride up to Kluang then Kuala Lumpur Onward bus to Taiping then continue by train to Bukit Mertajam and finally end in Alor Setar it is going to be a cross-country road adventure Landscape, local shops, train life and more join me in this overland journey next stop Taiping I am standing at TBS bus Terminal in Kuala Lumpur paying the price for not booking my ETS train ticket well in advance Yes, the train out of Kuala Lumpur is totally sold out today so instead I am taking a bus coach up north to Taiping what could have been a 2.5-hour rail ride now stretches into almost 5 hours by bus and here am I sitting here ranting a little bit as the journey drags on at first this was an intercity coach but somewhere after Ipoh it morphed into a local bus winding through countryside lanes stopping where you least expected it I am telling you it’s excruciating just sitting here through the ride on the flip side the rural landscape outside does ease the pain a little Green, open, slow-moving life but then halfway through the trip the bus stops at a petrol station so that the bus can get a refuel my soul is slowly bleeding by the time I reach Taiping I am late for check in the bus drops me off at Kamunting bus terminal finally reached Taiping this is Kamunting Raja bus stop about 7 kilometres away from where I am supposed to stay so I have to book a Grab into town this is Taiping my hotel is just in front of me, it’s nights by the time I reach the hotel, Barracks Streets hotel a friend of mine messaged me after seeing my post on Instagram and offered to help check in for me that is a lifesaver I got a twin bedroom my friend who joined me for this trip is nowhere to be seen possibly he went out having a walk, the toilet of this hotel is of decent size and an old cupboard these days I rarely use in hotel nowadays, I am totally tired but hungry the hotel receptionist was kind enough to note there is a night Hawker Lane at Jalan Pasar and he guaranteed that I would not miss it sure enough night in Taiping is mostly dim and quiet but as I walk straight ahead I suddenly see a burst of lights a huge cluster of hawker stalls lighting up the streets there is food everywhere stalls, lining up both side of the road like walls on both side this street is clearly closed to traffic and transformed into a dining space under the stars this is what a proper Malaysian Hawker street feels like that surely beats indoor Kopitiam, stuffy facade here I am faced with so many choices but only a small stomach I usually can eat a fair bit but at 10 PM I do not want to wake up feeling stomach stuffed also my friend beside me is a vegetarian so we have to pick our food carefully I order Chee Cheong Fun because I love the theatre of seeing rice water getting stretch into something silky right in front of me A normal chee cheong fun and a mixed Chee cheong fun Having the food here See my food turn from nothing to something is really therapeutic then I go for rojak the thick mucus, rich sauce, the pop of texture, open kitchen seeing all this how my food is prepared I know what I am getting and yes I sneak in a couple of satay sticks for myself first an iced cold coffee after Penang I am more comfortable with a milk foam foam on top of iced coffee it’s like “ulala” moment next rojak it is obviously prepared in northern Malaysian style with big flavours then the chee cheong fun sliding down my throat and the light soya sauce drizzle is just right and finally kampung satay simple hawker food under the stars and I am loving it my friend eyeing the dessert scene spots “muah chee” or mochi balls he grabs a pack this mochi version is a chendol mochi hybrid that flavour is totally new to me but wow peanut covered chewy shell familiar in taste but fresh in format we both pack up the mochi and wander away along the lit section of Jalan Pasar we see the coffee shop glow and along the street side they are store selling toys and clothing I even see children riding little toy cars that is brightly lit that totally reminded me of Yogyakarta night market however by now many stalls are already packing up it’s too late for full action walking past I spot old colonial era house still lit and these are beautiful relics the Taiping clock tower which is one of Taiping first stands quietly we plan to visit the Taiping lake gardens at night but no lighting, total darkness means we skip it so we finally headed back to the hotel mochi in hand contented and good night oh good morning from Taiping just be careful (cars), good morning from Taiping this is Taiping in the morning and we are now going to look for breakfast, with daybreak I finally see Taiping in its full glory my first impression Taiping has wide streets a legacy of its colonial era with broad throughfare and open spaces these main roads flow into smaller pocket streets and alleys and this alley has historical shophouses and heritage buildings all lined up that gives this town its true old identity after all Taiping is the oldest British Malaya town Taiping is quiet and structured and you can feel how Taiping was built with purpose just like other cities and towns in Malaysia Taiping has its own wall arts scenes here these wall murals are almost ubiquitous weaving together local history culture and visual storytelling generally wall art in Taiping focus on its heritage where we are here now is the newly renovated Taiping market the old Taiping market is said to be the oldest market not just in the state of Perak but in the whole of Malaysia what used to be the heart of the town bustle now has been given a new facelift if you ask me I still prefer the rustic market vibe a few blocks from here and now we are at the Larut Matang Hawker Centre this is Taiping food Mecca almost every travel blogger tells you to come here and honestly you will not go wrong having your local food here there are over 100 stalls halal and non halal section all under one roof there are a couple of standout stalls the unique fish ball Cha Kway Teow, the nonya Kueh the ice kacang and the mee rebus but both my friend and I are so overwhelmed by choices and the crowd in the end we just said let’s just grab a seat then decide We didn’t try to find the best stalls that the Instagram and the food vloggers recommend I believe all the food here is authentically good we just follow the queue the local queue and we believe what we see tells us more then what we see online we see this peanut pancake stall it is an instant visual for my blog so that must be one of our picks then I go for a wonton (dumpling) noodle Malaysian styles, go for thick sauce instead of what we have it in Singapore that’s obviously dumplings and char siew as for coffee But funny enough I found out you have to order at the store nearest to your table back in Singapore I do not see that kind of territorial setup for more than 10 years now everything comes together wonton noodle, the coffee the peanut pancake this is my “serapan” my local breakfast in Taiping and that kick start my simple day in Taiping I am so full I am so full my friend is taking the lead in planning this Taiping trip and I am totally okay with playing the backseat that is a beauty of having a travel buddy we stroll into another street with wall arts and murals in Taiping I’ll be honest here it’s kind of underwhelming when compared to what I have seen earlier while Malacca holds the title of Malaysian oldest town Taiping was formally established in the year 1874 during the British administration and to put things in perspective Kuala Lumpur during this time is still a tiny mining town along the way we pass classic two storey shop houses that line the streets that’s a visual feast of heritage architecture after touring around the old shop houses of Taiping the heat finally caught up with us and we are both very thirsty we pass by a small shop house and my friend suddenly said let’s grab a coconut here! “can meh?” I wasn’t sure they even sell coconut retail but hey never try never know like many old towns in Malaysia, big shopping malls are few and far between and as noon approaches the Malaysian heat really starts to crank up my head was starting to throb and I know I needed air con fast before that migraine hits me among all the low rise shophouse Taiping Mall stood out like an oasis nothing fancy here but definitely a good spot to cool off and rest our tired feet and to get a recharge before heading back into the blazing tropical sun a short rest a bit of aircon and I am fully recharge ready for my next Taiping venture Taiping might be a tropical town but under the shade of its giant rain trees the heat feels miles away if not for these big trees I cannot imagine how scorching it would be follow the tree lined road towards the Taiping lake gardens this is one of the most peaceful corners of Malaysia and the country first public garden dating back to the year 1880 even after more than a century this garden still feels timeless everywhere I look the reflection of the lake the calm and rhythm of nature is like stepping into a painting it is hard to believe this peaceful lake was once a tin mining site now locals start their morning here with slow jog and lazy rides around the lake while we see the enormous rain trees stretching their arms gracefully over the waters that is nature on umbrella, the rain tree walk occupies a corner of the Taiping lake garden and these enormous rain trees are the true superstars here some of these rain trees are over a hundred years old they are heavy branches now resting on metal beams Like wise old Guardians of the park unlike in Singapore where many old rain trees have been pruned or replaced here in Taiping they are respected and protected and that’s the most beautiful thing I have seen walking beneath this giant on the legendary rain tree walk I am so happy seeing this rain tree here and that’s probably the best thing I see in Taiping here walking under the rain trees let us take an aerial view of one of Malaysia most beautiful parks from above Taiping Lake Garden is even more breathtaking this is a park consisting of 10 interconnected lakes and ponds framed by Bukit Larut at the background lakes and pond were not originally natural they were all man made from abandoned tin mining pools it is hard to believe but this calm mirror like water were once the scars of abandoned tin mines thanks to one far sighted British officer Colonel Robert Walker this abandoned land becomes Malaysia first public gardens and perhaps still is most peaceful ones this is Taiping Lake gardens but not as peaceful for us we almost get our drone down from the air into the water and almost get caught in between the trees and risk dropping into the water again thank goodness we waited a couple of minutes for the drone to slowly return to home properly okay finally I got back my drone yeah what a traumatic experience, you never lost it, come on it was like hanging around the tree I am not going to play again by now both of us are acting like two excited kids pacing up and down waiting for our toy to land the afternoon sun is glaring and the heat’s creeping up so we leave the lake garden and head somewhere for cool Refreshments, after months in Singapore with so many shops selling this all over the island nation this is actually my first time trying Chagee one of the most favourite bubble tea stalls in whole of Asia and of all places my first Chagee tasting must be in Taiping and let me tell you this I am seriously impressed everything from the cup’s texture the sturdy straw that feels like it will last a thousand years and the surrounding where one can just sit back and relax these are the small little things that surprise me the most some personal thoughts as I wrap up my trip in Taiping I really like this town its wide pavement the quiet streets and so few cars that sometimes I find myself walking right into the middle of the road without even noticing there is a calm peaceful charm here that just grows on you I didn’t even realize until much later that Taiping holds so many firsts in Malaysia the first Malaysian Zoo the first Malaysian public garden the first Malaysian museum and apparently there are up to 40 of Malaysia firsts across Taiping town honestly, I didn’t come here to tick off a list now we have checked out of hotel walking towards the train station so far I have only seen one or two Malaysia “firsts” and that was enough to know I truly like Taiping there is no grand scenery here in Taiping there is no big tourist crowd like in nearby Ipoh just simple living walking eating and enjoying the nature that blends right into the town the food here may not be world famous but it’s real comforting and full of local flavours I didn’t even need to take a single Grab right here everything is closed enough to walk and maybe that’s what I like most about Taiping it’s compact, genuine and quietly beautiful here I am at Taiping railway station excited to be back on the rail after missing a leg earlier for the next transport leg I am switching transport modes instead of doing the fast KTM ETS intercity service I am traveling on the KTM Komuter northern sector this commuter train network served the northern region of Malaysia with more frequent stops, shorter distance and a more relaxed pace it’s definitely great for capturing local life and scenery and most importantly with KTM Komuter is super convenient there’s no need to book my ticket days ahead with an hour to spare, my friend and I wander around the station hunting for a simple drink and guess what we discover? the old railway train station in Taiping just a 3-minute walk from the current station we are standing at the historical sites of what was once Malaysia’s first railway line and what’s more there is a real canteen still in its original condition that is the true-blue station canteen vibe and it feel like a godsend since I missed out dining at the famous station coffee spots at Kluang so of course I couldn’t let this opportunity slip by we went into the RAIL canteen and ordered mee rebus the mee rebus cooked here is of a slightly different soup base than what I am used to back home and then we share a chendol my Penang born traveling friend nodded this chendol can match the one in Penang and that’s a high praise coming from a local after our quick meal we stroll through the wooden preserved station building taking a peek in the antique clutter shop right next to the canteen honestly, I wasn’t sure what they are selling and then head back to catch our next train from the actual station this detour turns out to be a mini gem of local life heritage and food I am so glad to reconnect back to train again thank you for riding along this leg of the journey with me and if you enjoyed this video so far please drop a comment and hit like if you have not subscribed yet be sure to do it because we are continuing our train journey up north of Malaysia tonight we are staying in Alor Setar so stay tuned for what coming next see you in the next episode

Malaysia playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0pkMZHeitO_ghE8eFZw0Z6ikNHkLxs3b

Join me on a journey through Taiping, Perak in this new Malaysia vlog! 🇲🇾 I’m travelling Malaysia and exploring what makes Taiping so special. From local eateries to the charm of Taiping Malaysia, this travelogue captures the essence of travelling malaysia. Taiping is one of Malaysia’s most historic and charming towns — known as the “Town of Many Firsts.”

In this video, I explore Taiping’s heritage streets, colonial landmarks, and lush Taiping Lake Gardens, uncovering why it holds so many “firsts” in Malaysian history — from the first railway, first museum, first hill resort, to the first prison.

Discover the rich stories behind this underrated gem in Perak, where history, nature, and culture blend seamlessly.

📍 Featured highlights:
• Taiping Lake Gardens 🌳
• Taiping Railway Station 🚉

#taiping #ets3 #malaysiatravel

timecodes
00:00 Taiping is Malaysia’s “Town of Many Firsts”
00:28 I rode ETS from Johor Bahru to Kluang to KL to Taiping
01:22 how to go to Taiping from Kuala Lumpur?
02:42 my bus reach Taiping Kamunting bus terminal
03:12 I check into Barrack Street Hotel in Taiping
04:03 Jalan Pasar is Taiping famous night hawker centre
05:25 Local Taiping food Chee Cheong Fun, Rojak, satay, kopi and mochi balls
08:10 Taiping night life and old heritage buildings
09:03 Taiping clock tower is Malaysia’s oldest clock tower
09:44 My first impression of Taiping
10:51 Taiping wall mural and street art and Malaysia oldest market Taiping market
11:46 Larut Matang Hawker Centre is Taiping most famous hawker centre
12:36 Larut Matang Hawker Centre to have wonton mee, peanut pancake and local coffee
14:30 Taiping Wall Art Street showcase oldest Malaysia town under British Malaya
15:20 Raw Coconut drinking at shophouse
15:52 Taiping mall is Taiping city centre biggest mall
16:33 Taiping lake gardens is Malaysia oldest public park
17:44 Do not miss the Raintree Walk in Taiping Lake Gardens
19:05 aerial view of Taping Lake Gardens
20:57 My first Chagee experience is in Taiping
21:47 What I like about Taiping
23:33 book my KTM Komuter Northern Sector (KTM Komuter Sektor Utara) train ticket at Taiping train station
24:38 Having food in Malaysia’s oldest Train station – Taiping Station