Taiping, the city of everlasting peace (Malaysia)

I love traveling in Malaysia. I used to land up in Kuala Lumpur or Johor Bahru and just take a random bus and end up in a random city. Once, on the way to Penang, the bus stopped for a while in Taiping. I had heard about this town’s history and I knew some people who call Taiping their hometown. I decided to spend a few days in Taiping.

In colonial Malaya, Taiping was a tin mining centre. The Chinese mining groups always fought each other. Fed up, the British got troops from India and managed to subdue the groups after a long and bloody fight. Then they named the city Taiping — The city of everlasting peace.

The peace has lasted. It is a quiet little town with friendly people, neat streets and good food.

The Taiping Jail — originally built to house troublesome miners, later used by the Japanese during the WW2. Then the British used it to hold the communists.

Perak Museum — The oldest museum in Malaysia

Some exhibits in the museum. They even had some Shang Dynasty bronze. Not sure if these are replicas or originals.

The museum grounds had some train carriages on display. Taiping also had Malaysia’s first train service. These trains were used to carry people and tin to the nearby coast.

St. George’s School.

Old government office.

During the WW2, Peking Hotel was the office of the Japanese Military police — The Kempetei. It was election time in Malaysia. Here you see the hotel covered with party symbols.

The Ceylon association. Malaysia has a sizable population of people from Sri Lanka who moved here during the colonial period.

The number one attraction in Taiping is the “Taman Tasik Taiping” — The Taiping Lake gardens. The lakes were formed when rainwater filled the abandoned tin mines.

The train station. The first train station in Malaysia.

The services offered by Malaysian railways.

You can reach Taiping via any bus going to Penang from Kuala Lumpur or Johor Bahru. Penang is another one hour or 90KMS to the north. The bus station is a little off the town centre. You might have to take a cab to get to the centre. There are several budget hotels in the centre.

The Wikipedia page on Taiping lists the 40 firsts in Taiping.

Due to the booming tin-mining industry in the 19th century and its previous position as capital of Perak, Taiping is the pioneer in many fields achieving many ‘firsts’ in the country. The list given by Taiping Municipal Council records a total of 40 firsts in the country under Taiping’s belt. Dated as early as 1844, these firsts are either in monuments or events.

* Open tin mining activity in the peninsula (1844)
* Hill resort — Maxwell Hill (1844)
* Swimming pool — Kolam Renang Kemahkotaan (1870)
* Mosque — Masjid Tengku Menteri (1870)
* Rest house (1870)
* Artillery warehouse (1870)
* Magistrate court (1874)