Taiping: Back to Colonial Times

This is the third time i'm doing solo traveling, and all of the three were for business matter.

Taiping, where is it? China?

When the first time i heard the name of Taiping, i think its the name of a city from somewhere in China, Taiwan or Hongkong. When i'm googling it, its located in Perak, Malaysia. 

 Taiping is formerly the capital city of Perak (federal state), now the capital is moved to Ipoh. Taiping ("太平" in Chinese, meaning "everlasting peace"). There is a long history of Taiping about its war and colonialism in the past. At the present time, Taiping has many colonial buildings and it is very "British" style unlike buildings in Melaka where it were so "Portugese" style.

Taiping is a small city and it is located far-far-faaaaaaaaaaaaar away from Kuala Lumpur. At first, i want to fly to Penang, because Taiping is not so far from it (according to Google Maps :p ) but in the end I've to take a flight to KL (overall, it was all about the ticket price). From KL, there is a direct train to Taiping named Ekspress Rakyat (the last station is Hat Yai, Thailand). The train only scheduled two-three time per day and to reach Taiping from KL Central, it is need 5-6 hours journey, tireeeeed! (The ticket is 28RM)

I stayed for two days in Legend Inn hotel Taiping, one of the oldest hotel in the city. The hotel is located near train station, night food hawker, hospital and bus terminal. Taiping is located between hills, so the weather is nice and not too hot. There are few sightseeing places in Taiping, but because of my works, i only visit few of the place, such as Perak Museum and Taiping Lake Garden. In Taiping, there is a biggest prison in South East Asia (according to my driver :p), the prison was established in 1879. 

According to wikipedia, The Taiping Lake Gardens was originally a mining ground before it was established as a public garden in 1880. The idea of a public garden was the brainchild of Colonel Robert Sandilands Frowd Walker. The garden was developed by Charles Compton Reade (1880–1933), who was also responsible for planning the Kuala Lumpur garden town, together with Lady Swettenham.

The Garden is a good place to relax and there is also zoo in the area. In front of the lake is Flemington hotel. I really want to stay in that hotel but it is so far from the city center. Perak Museum is your-common-museum, it shows old things from the colonial age.

Taiping is not a tourism city, but it is a really well-maintained small city along with attractions on it. visit TripAdvisor about Taiping to know more about places you can explore at this place.

I did not know about the schedule of the train at first, and then when i do, i'm short of panicked because the train schedule is so tight with my flight schedule. After thinking, finally i chose the late night train to Singapore and stopped by at KL Central station. The train is Senandung Lengkawi, i'm leaving at 12am from Taiping and arrived at 06am at KL Central, meanwhile my flight is a 3.30pm >_< .... I took the sleeping coach  because i will departed in the middle of night and will arrived at the city in the morning. I REALLY LOVE THE SLEEPING COACH!!!!! really i love it except for the snoring-event from coach across mine at dawn :( i can't go back to sleep at 3am..

Cheers,