" City Of Everlasting Peace "
A Brief History
The name Taiping comes from the Chinese word Tai-Peng which means eternal peace.Taiping's history started more or less in the middle of the 19th century when the different warlords fought over the tin-fields in theLarut district of Perak. Chinese merchants had heavily invested in the tin mines and needed peace. So they pressured Raja Abdullah and several warlords to keep peace and accept the Pangkor Treaty 1874.
With the newfound peace many miners and shopkeepers came to the new city and the within a year the city countedover 5000 inhabitants.With the growing thin industry a good intrasructure was important.One of the first roads the was build was the Taiping-Kamunting road.
In 1875,the British sent troops to punish the chiefs.Many were killed or imprisoned.Soon Perak's adminstation was moved from lower Perak to Kangsar. just 30km away from Taiping.The result was that several institutions were established in Taiping,including a goal,hospital,police force and survey offi
Taiping was mainly a Chinese town.But at the one end of the town there were the British officers detached quarters,the military cantonment and the gaol.At the other end was the Indian settlement at Kota Taiping's street were kept clean by the Taiping Sanitary Board.The reputation as a clean city as a cool town was enhanced by the cool weather and the water from the nearby highlands.
Taiping location was strategic because the nearby hills :Gunung Jijau rise up to over 1500 meter and it's only 20km frm the coast.
Around 1885 the railway between the fast growing city and Port Weld was finished. It was the first railway in the Malaysian peninsula. However, by the end of the 19th century the administrative center of Perak slowly moved up to Ipoh. Taiping's importance was briefly resumed during the Japanese occupation. It became then the headquarter of the Japanese military administration of Malacca and Sumatra. During those day, many schools were turned into army bases.
Surkarno and Mohammad, the later president and vice-president of the Republic of Indonesia flew to Taping for discussions of independence in which Indonesia and Malaysia would fall under one flag. The plan never got shape and in 1945, Indonesia declared independence without Malaysia.
After the War, Ipoh replaced Taiping as the capital of Perak. The city remained the "City of Everlasting Peace" with it's exceptional climate and tranquil surroundings.
Taiping's War Memorial
Taiping's war memorial was both a very enlightening and somber experience.So many young men – from late teens to early 20’s - died on the battlefield during World War 2 fighting for the Allied forces in the British Colony known as Malaya (present day Malaysia) against the invading Japanese Forces . On one side of the cemetery, most of the grave sites are for Christian soldiers who died in battle (mostly British and Australian). On the opposite side of the cemetery, most of the grave sites are for the Muslim,Gurkha and Hindi casualties of war.Most of these soldiers came from India and Nepal - at that time, British colonies - deployed by the British to fight against the Japanese.
Looking at the various headstones, I discovered that the British used various Indian regiments in the war effort – including the many Punjab regiments, the Indian Army medical corps and the 13th Frontier Force Rifles.The designs on the headstones for the different regiments were very exotic, especially the ship with a serpent head used for the headstones of the 2nd Punjab regiment.
Stay in Taiping
Taiping is surprisingly cheap with a good range of hotels available. One of the better hotel in town is the Grand Paradise Highway Hotel which is not located near the highway but almost in town center. With a good service and an even better price (around RM 80-100 a night), you can not go wrong with the Grand Paradise Highway Hotel.Grand Paradise Hotel is the best hotel in Perak and also the Laketown Resort Hotel Perak. The Bukit Merah Laketown Resort presents many attractions and facilities such as the Waterpark; friendly and comfortable accommodation; eco-attraction haven; themed-shopping areas as well as banquet and function facilities. To us, this is the best place to stay.Places to visit in Taiping
The Taiping Zoo
The zoo is probably the most famous site to visit in town. The zoo is located close to the foot of Larut Hill (Bukit Larut). The reason why this zoo is such a success is that it is build in a complete natural setting. And for the visitors of Pulau Pangkor who love to spend a day in a zoo, this is your only choice in North Malaysia. The Zoo is home to more then 180 species, 1300 individuals. These include: tigers, lions, elephants, hornbills and many more. There's also a breeding station which is successful. Even tigers were breeding. An interesting thing to do are the night-safaris.
The Zoo is daily open from 8.30 to 18.30 hr. Feeding time is usually between 10-12 am. The Night Safari is open from 20.00 to 23.00 hr on weekdays and until midnight on weekends and the eve of public holidays.
Taxis in town bring you to the entrance of the Zoo for about a few ringit. Alternatively, it's a 30 to 40 minutes walk through the awesome Lake Gardens.
The Lake Gardens
The Lake Gardens dates back to 1880 and it's one of the oldest in its kind in Malaysia. You will find the Gardens in the vicinity of Maxwell Hill or as it is known in Malay, Bukit Larut.
The Zoo is their located too. It offers a beautiful panoramic landscape. If something in in the city explains why it is still called "The town of everlasting peace", the Lake Gardens fully explain.
Bukit Larut or Maxwell Hill
Bukit Larut is a hill resort, a place to escape the heat of the the lower areas. The former name was Maxwell Hill. It was a popular outing destination for groups, families or singles. On top of there's a waterfall for some great cool fun. A beautiful and peaceful place.
History Of Maxwell Hill
Gazetted as a permanent forest reserve in 1910, Maxwell Hill is one of the least developed hill resort in the country. Thereis no international standard hotel here and accommodation is basically bungalows and rest houses, some of which were builtalmost a century ago. This hill is also the smallest hill compared to the other hill resorts of Malaysia.
In a clear day, you will be able to see a panoramic view of the west coast of Malaysia from Penang down to Pangkor Island.Nature lovers will appreciate the daisies, tulips, pansies, marigold, roses, dahlias, petunias and sunflowers that are planted here.
Getting To Bukit Larut and Accommodation
Maxwell Hill is situated 9 km away from Taiping town and 290 km from the city of Kuala Lumpur. After arriving in Taipingtown, go towards Taiping Lake Garden and follow the turning to Jalan Air Terjun towards the foot of the hill. From the foot of the hill, the journey up to the summit is by government Land Rover. The roads up the hill is steep and narrow with 72 sharp bends, so make sure you sit tight as the vehicle cruise up the hill.
The Perak Museum
The objective behind the setting up of the museum is to establish a repository of the rich cultural heritage of Malaysia. The Muzium Perak (Perak Museum) is the oldest museum in the Peninsula. The building was completed in 1886, and subsequent additions were made in 1900. In the early days, the pioneers of museum work in what was then Malaya gave greater emphasis to the natural sciences, especially flora and fauna that had economic significance. It was only much later that the museum began to document the material culture and the life of the peoples of Malaysia.
There are three collections - anthropology, zoology and local history - with a total of over 3,000 artifacts. The anthropological collections include different types of weapons, implements of husbandry, ornaments, dresses, household articles for daily use, musical instruments, symbols and requisites of religions, marriage and death ceremonies collected since the opening of the museum.
There are four galleries. Exhibits are mostly displayed in showcases. Photographs and charts are also utilised. Temporary exhibitions on various subjects are held periodically.
Historical Buildings
The town center is quite small so you will be able to cover most of the interesting buildings on foot.The General Hospital was founded in 1880 as Yeng Wah (Chinese Pauper). Of the original building there are still some left.
The Old Kota Mosque on Mosque Road build in 1897. It was originally a Hanafi Mosque used by the Indian Muslims in Kota. In the later years it was handed over to the Malay Muslim population.
The Taiping Government offices are located at Kota Road in a large Victorian style building. It was build by the end of the 19th Century.
The Peking hotel was build in 1929. It was formerly a rubbers dealing association. It's now restored in it's former glory.
Some of the buildings are now cultural heritage of Taping, like the Kedai kopi dan rumah tumpangan peace above.
The last to mention, since there's so many nice places, is the Taiping Market Square. The Old Market building also belongs to Taipings culutral heritage and was build in 1884 the New Market came a year later.
Lake Gardens, late 1950's courtesey Mr. Brian Paton
I read it is the best preserved example of a 19th Century Market building. If this is true, I can not say, I know it's still a nice place to explore the local market. And next to the market is a big food market. Here you can try all the delicatessens of the Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine under one roof. At any time of the day there's food available and it's probably the most convenient place to eat (as it is also near the bus station).
Taiping has a long Chinese history. Even the name refers to China (I have visited Taiping in China, about 100km south of Guilin in Guangxi province). Not surprisingly, the city has quite a few Chinese temples.
With its Chinese history, there are plenty of Chinese Temples in the city
The photo above is a scale model of a ship to be found in a temple on the outskirts of Taiping town, hidden in an urban area. The ship has a specific function in Taoism.
Kuala Sepetang
Kuala Sepetang is located about 15 km from Taiping and is an excellent day out from the city. The old name for Kuala Sepetang is Port Weld and dates back to 1877. Kuala Sepetang is a little fishing village which is easily overlooked. But the village is worth a visit for a couple of good reasons. The people in the village have all something to do with the mangrove forest. This area contains one of the largest mangrove forests in Malaysia. It's also partly a nature reserve and for that reason alone worth a visit.
The entrance of the park can be found just before arriving in Kuala Sepetang town. Opposite of the entrance is the charcoal factory of Mr. Chuah, another excellent reason to visit Kuala Sepetang.
Taiping Prison
Hardly a tourist destination but I happened to walk past it on my way from the Zoo to the Perak Museum. Taiping Prison is one of the earliest permanent penitentiary institutions in the Federated Malay States. It was built in 1879 to quell further unrest in the wake of the Larut Wars. The original prison could only accommodate 50 prisoners. Its walls were nine feet high and the five buildings within the compound were built of half brick and half timber. It also housed a hospital and an administrative office. In WWII, during the Japanese occupation (1941-1945), the prison was used as a public prison and also a Japanese prisoner-of-war detention centre. It was during this period that all records about the prison and its inmates were destroyed.
All Saints Church
All Saints Church is a charming wooden church that was the first Anglican Church in the Federated Malay States. It stands on a plot of land donated by W.V. Drummond, an estate owner from Shanghai. The original structure was designed by Australian architect G.A. Lefroy and completed in 1886 and consecrated in 1887. Within its compound are the graves of British officers who died while on duty away from their homeland. Unfortunately, it was shut when I visited in Feb 2009 and so I couldn't get to see inside.
Ling Nam Temple
This temple is located opposite Taiping Prison and is reputed to be the oldest Chinese temple in Perak even though it doesn't look like it from either the outside or inside. It's nothing special so don't waste your time trying to come here if your time is limited.
