Malaysia surely has a lot of attractive places to visit. However, some places are more well known than others.

Small towns which are interesting on their own are often ignored for larger cities. One good example is Taiping, a town in the state of Perak.

Most people tend to go to Ipoh instead of Taiping. If you do get the chance to visit Taiping, here are five things you should do:

Visit the Taiping Lake Gardens

The lake gardens are the green lung of this rustic town. They were established during the British colonial rule and are well maintained.

The main attraction of the lake gardens are the grand old trees lining the road circling the lake, known as the Raintree Walk.

Previously, motorists were allowed to drive on this road and park under the trees, but as of 2018, this is no longer allowed in order to protect the trees.

The Taiping Zoo’s night safari is a crowd favourite especially for children. It is one of the best and oldest zoos in Malaysia.

The night safari is the time to watch the animals up close especially the nocturnal animals which are more active at night.

Hike up Maxwell Hill

Bukit Larut, also known as Maxwell Hill, is a hill overlooking the town. It used to be an outpost for the British to rest and escape from the tropical heat in the lowland areas.

Depending on your fitness level, you can choose either to hike up by foot using the jungle trail and the tarred road, or if you just want to enjoy the view, get on a Jeep instead.

Visit the Perak Museum

The state of Perak where Taiping is located boasts several “oldest” features, including the oldest zoo and also the oldest human remains found in Malaysia.

Apart from that, the Perak Museum is the oldest museum in Malaysia. Sir Hugh Low, the fourth British Resident of Perak established the museum in 1883.

Eat Doli kuey teow goreng

While Ipoh is famous for its white coffee, Taiping is equally famous for its kuey teow goreng or fried flat rice noodles.

The place that people will always recommend you to go to try this dish is Doli kuey teow goreng. It is one of the more famous eateries in Taiping.

Khai and wife Amira are Malaysian travel bloggers who blog at Kaki Jalans. Their travels have taken them to almost all the countries in Asean and five countries in Europe. They are still actively travelling and adding to this list.