Taiping is said to be the “wettest” town in Peninsular Malaysia. Famous for its Taiping Lake Gardens, this quiet Perak town has other attractions worth checking out too.
If you’re travelling to the state from down south, stop by Papan, a former mining town that offers a glimpse into the past.
There are rows of old pre-war shophouses here, many of which are abandoned. One of the buildings is “Sybil’s Clinic”, once the home and clinic of Malaysia’s World War II hero, Sybil Kathigasu, and her husband, Dr Abdon Clement Kathigasu. During the war, the couple secretly treated Malayan fighters who opposed the Japanese.
There are articles about Sybil and her husband’s heroic actions plastered on the doors of the building that you can read.
Further down the road you’ll see the Istana Raja Billah which was built in the 1890s. Amazingly, its beautifully carved facade is still visible. Nearby is the equally well-preserved Masjid Lama Papan.
As we drove into Taiping, not surprisingly, a light shower welcomed us. We stayed at the Taiping New Club, which is near the Lake Gardens and has a view of Bukit Larut in the distance.
As for food, start your day at the Larut Matang Hawker Centre or Pusat Makan Taman Tasik, and end it at the open-air Restaurant Prima. All these places offer a good variety of Malaysian dishes.
Kuala Sepetang, formerly known as Port Weld, is a 40-minute drive from Taiping and is the terminal station of the first railway line built in Malaysia. It’s a thriving Chinese fishing village, where visitors can not only get fresh seafood, but also the opportunity to see fireflies in the mangrove areas via boat.
Meanwhile, Antong Coffee Factory, one of the oldest traditional coffee roasters in Malaysia, is also worth visiting. It operates out of the historical home of Chen Cuifen, said to be Dr Sun Yat Sen’s former romantic partner, before he married Soong Ching-Ling.
At the factory, I didn’t get to see any roasting, but there was a showcase of the old equipment used for roasting beans. There’s also a shop selling a variety of Antong Coffee souvenirs and coffee powders, as well as a cafe – try their espresso ice cream.
Wonder Farm Mushroom is a 20-minute drive from Taiping, and has been in operation since 1986. It grows a variety of mushrooms and does everything from spore creation to the packaging of final products. A tour guide took us to see all the processes: From cultivation right up to harvesting.
I bought some vegetarian sambal from this farm – instead of ikan bilis, they used mushrooms in the sambal.
We visited the Coal Factory at Kuala Sepetang, too. You get to see how coal is made here – from harvesting wood in the mangrove to preparing them for shipping or selling.
Venture into the “oven” to see dome-shaped kilns. Once the “baking” is done, the clay doors are broken and coal is harvested. You can buy deodorising charcoal bags or wood vinegar, which acts as mosquito repellent.
With Visit Malaysia 2026 coming soon, Taiping should get a boost in promotions as there are lots of interesting things to see and do here.
The views expressed are entirely the writer’s own.
