Taiping Lake Gardens is the pride of Taiping, the former capital of Perak. And at one point, all of Malaysia!
Hence, it would be a shame to miss out on the exceptionally beautiful lake gardens of Taiping, Perak.
Especially if you happen to be in Ipoh for a while as it’s only a short drive away from Ipoh! So, stick around this post and find out more about what you can do here.
Table of contents:
- How To Go
- History
- Facilities
- Attractions
- Cafes
- Attractions Nearby
- Hotels Nearby
- How To Get To Taiping
Getting To And Around Taiping Lake Gardens
The garden itself is large (close to 65 hectares) so you might want to have a look at a map first!
And since the garden doesn’t have walls, perimeter fencing or gates, you can enter it from almost any direction.
Unlike Penang Botanic Gardens, there is no road through Taiping Lake Gardens either. You have to walk or cycle in order to explore the garden.
History Of Taiping Lake Gardens
From the map, you’ll notice the unusual splotchy shape of the lake in Taiping Lake Gardens.
And it’s by no means, a coincidence:
In fact, the whole place used to be a tin mine site. Like Froghill in Penang. After the mine was abandoned, the gardens were developed and finally opened in 1880.
Taiping Lake Gardens was the very first public garden of the then-Malaya (i.e. when Malaysia was still under British rule).
And the lake gardens were where the first golf course was in Malaysia too!
But as you can imagine, that was kind of dangerous for anyone taking a stroll in the garden. So, the golf course was closed in 1995.
In its place, there are now plants and some playgrounds.
Around the gardens, are some heritage buildings as well:
- Old Residency – home to the Secretary (to the Resident)
- The Raja’s House
- And some residences that belonged to former army officers
Read more: 5 Theme Parks To Check Out In Ipoh & Perak
Facilities At Taiping Lake Garden
Taiping has the reputation of one of the wettest areas in Malaysia so check the weather forecast before you plan a trip to Taiping!
If you do get caught in the rain here, the largest shelter in Taiping Lake Gardens is the visitor center near the paddle boats.
Facilities:
- Jogging tracks
- Reflexology tracks
- Some outdoor gym equipment
- Playgrounds
- Roller-skating rink
- Paddleboats for rent rides
What To Do At Taiping Lake Garden
1. Go On A Picnic
It’s not uncommon to see families having picnics here during the weekends.
2. Exercise
Every day, in the cool of the early morning or late evening, there will be people having their daily round of exercise at Taiping Lake Gardens.
And since, the gardens are open 24/7, it is not a bad place to walk off a heavy meal after trying some Taiping food!
3. Spectate A Wedding Photoshoot
Occasionally (and not surprisingly), you’ll see someone having their wedding photos taken here!
4. Walk Among Giants (Raintree walk)
You can’t miss these majestic ancient trees which are over a century old! Some have large arching branches that dip into the lake!
While others need manmade crutches to keep them from collapsing.
5. Explore The Lakes And Ponds
In Taiping Lake Gardens, there are multiple ponds in addition to the lakes. Some have lovely bridges to cross over to the other side too. There is also a pool of lotus.
6. See The Japanese Garden
At one side of Taiping Lake Gardens, the landscaping resembles a Japanese Garden. If you go in the early morning, the atmosphere is even more enchanting.
7. Birdwatching
If you have binoculars, bring them along. Because at Taiping Lake Gardens, you may be able to spot some migratory birds that frequent this area.
8. Bring The Kids To The Playground
There is a nice playground at Taiping Lake Gardens. It is not far from the paddle boats too.
9. Enjoy The View Pier Lake Garden
This is the side of Taiping Lake Gardens where you can find the old pier with its white balustrade.
Additionally, you can get an exceptional view of the lake from here. If it’s a weekend, there will be paddle boats out on the lake too.
10. Cycle Around The Gardens
If you don’t happen to have your own bicycle, there is a bicycle rental station (by CYCLEDIOS) beside the Pier Lake Garden.
11. Paddle On The Lake
Paddle boats shaped like swans are available for rent at Taiping Lake Gardens too. You move around by using the foot pedals inside the boat.
Lifejackets are compulsory.
Cafes Close To Taiping Lake Gardens
There’s no on-site café at Taiping Lake Gardens. But there a few cafes that you can get to easily from the gardens.
1. DoubleTap Café
This spacious and stylish café has a front-row view of Taiping Lake Gardens. They have breakfast and lunch options and are also open at night (they have alcohol for sale).
What to order at DoubleTap Café.
2. Rainy Corner
This café is a little further but with a car, it takes 1 minute to reach Rainy Corner from Taiping Lake Gardens.
It’s cozy in the narrow and plant-filled café. This café gets a good amount of sunlight from the side of the building (with window seats too). Drinks are not bad either. And you can also order mains for lunch.
Read more about Rainy Corner from our perspective.
Here are some other Taiping cafes to check out.
Attractions Nearby Taiping Lake Gardens
First, here’s a map of the places to see in Taiping:
Click on it to adjust the route accordingly to your preferences.
1. Taiping zoo
Pay a visit to Taiping Zoo. Feeding time is typically between 10am to 12pm. The zoo is also open at night for the Night Safari after 8pm.
You can book your tickets here. It’s RM16 per adult. Or RM20 per adult for the Night Safari.
If you’ve never seen a mouse deer (Malaysia’s national animal, the kancil), here’s a great opportunity!
- Address: Jalan Taman Tasik Taiping, Taman Tasik Taiping, 34000 Taiping, Negeri Perak
- Opening hours: 8 am to 11 pm
- Contact: +605-808 6577
2. Burmese Pool In Taiping
Cool off at the Burmese pool in Taiping. The water temperature can be colder than you expect!
There is a fee of less than RM5 for the car park. The toilet is free to use. And there is a small store in the car park where you can buy snacks.
Be careful to keep valuables out of sight in your car. And to keep food hidden from monkeys!
- Address: 153, Jalan 2, Taman Sentosa, 34000 Taiping, Negeri Perak
- Opening hours: 8.00am until 5.00pm
Read also: Kuala Sepetang Charcoal Factory – Must-See Kuala Sepetang Attraction!
3. Maxwell Hill
Another cool place you should visit is Maxwell Hill (Bukit Larut). The gate is open from as early as 6:30am and closes at 8pm.
This is a good nature spot. And a great deal less crowded alternative to the super popular Cameron Highlands.
Once you are up here (either by jeep or by hiking), you’re on your own. There’s only a toilet, playground, and a scattering of picnic tables. But the cafe has recently closed.
Note: Jeep service may be closed due to landslides. Call the admin office (+605-807 7241) ahead before going.
Read also: Orangutan Island: A Hidden Orangutan Sanctuary In West Malaysia
4. Perak Museum
The oldest museum in Malaysia which was established since 1886 by the British:
Until today, the museum still preserves its original colonial architecture and has about 8,500 items on display! It’s a short 5-minute walk from Taiping Lake Garden too.
See what we personally like about the Perak Museum at Taiping.
It’s a mere 5 minutes’ walk from Taiping Lake Garden too!
- Address: Jalan Taming Sari, 34000 Taiping, Negeri Perak
- Opening hours: daily 9 am to 5 pm
- Contact: +605-807 2057
- Admission fee: RM2
Read also: Bukit Merah Laketown Resort – Affordable Family Fun Theme Park
5. Telegraph Museum, Taiping
The Telegraph Museum is not walking distance from Taiping Lake Gardens, but you can drive there in around 3 minutes.
There are many things to see in the small but well-maintained museum. See more photos from our visit to the Telegraph Museum.
Want more things to do? See more Taiping attractions.
Or check out the nearby fishing village of Kuala Sepetang.
Taiping Lake Garden Hotel
Want to stay in a hotel close to the lake gardens?
Check out these options:
Note: For other hotel accommodations around Taiping, our article on the best hotels in Taiping should help you in picking out the right one!
1. Flemington Hotel
Fancy a view of the lake gardens right from floor-to-ceiling windows in a comfortable contemporary bedroom?
Then, this is the hotel for you!
What you’ll like (besides the view):
- Rooms have coffee/ tea making facilities
- Swimming pool
- Free parking
- Free WiFi
- Room service
- Bar
- Breakfast available
- On-site restaurant/ cafe
Good to know:
- Front desk offers bicycle rentals
- Taiping Express bus station is 5 minutes’ drive away
- 5 minute’ walk to Taiping Zoo
- 4 minutes’ drive to Taiping Mall
- Address: No. 1, Jalan Samanea Saman, 34000 Taiping, Perak, Malaysia
- Contact: +605-820 7777
- Price range: Prices start from RM160 for 2 people a night
2. Novotel Taiping
Just across from the Taiping Fire and Rescue Station:
You’ll also get some good views of Taiping Lake Gardens here.
And the surrounding mountains!
What you’ll like (besides the views):
- Modern and clean rooms
- 2 minutes’ walk from eateries and Taiping Mall
- Swimming pool (and kid’s pool)
- Free WiFi
- Free parking
- Bar
- Breakfast buffet available
- Fitness center
- Polite and helpful staff
Good to know:
- 15 minutes’ walk from Taiping Lake Gardens
- Swimming pool closes at 10pm
- Hotel car park is on level 6
- Address: No.1, Jalan Tupai , 34000 Taiping, Perak, Malaysia
- Contact: +605-820 8288
- Price range: RM160 and up for 2 people per night
3. Hotel Grand Baron
A fairly new hotel that’s close to Bukit Larut and the lake gardens, Hotel Grand Baron has rooms with panoramic views of Bukit Larut.
What you’ll like:
- Family rooms
- Swimming pool
- Free parking (but not many)
- Free WiFi
- Breakfast available
- Balcony
- On-site restaurant
- Bar
- Quiet surroundings
- Superb cleanliness
Good to know:
- Big rooms but small beds
- Basement parking is quite dark
- Not easy to get a taxi
- Need 5-10 minutes’ drive to Taiping Lake Gardens or eateries
- Don’t leave your windows open! Monkeys will find their way in.
- Address: Hotel Grand Baron 8, PT 7861, Jalan Bukit Larut, Perak, 34000 Taiping, Perak, Malaysia
- Contact: +605-807 9222
- Price range: Prices start from RM130 for 2 people per night
4. Hermitage Boutique House
This particular hotel lies within a residential neighbourhood:
Within the compound, are a cluster of low-rise apartments with glass fronts that surround the main swimming pool.
What you’ll like:
- Polite and helpful staff
- Spacious and clean rooms with high quality furnishings
- Swimming pool
- Beautiful modern design
- Smart TV available
- Fridge and kettle
- Option for breakfast
- Covered car park at entrance
Good to know:
- Less than 5 minutes’ drive from Taiping Lake Gardens and Taiping Zoo
- Can be tricky to find this hotel
- You can book units with kitchens
- 6 minutes’ drive to Taiping Mall
- Address: 30, Jalan Lim Sam Kip, Taman Tupai Mas, 34000 Taiping, Perak, Malaysia
- Price range: RM185 and up for 2 people for a night
5. Taiping Homestay
Need a larger space for your group?
You can rent out this entire apartment that can fit up to 8 people!
Note: The apartment is in the highest condominium (Crystal Creek Resort Homes) in Taiping!
What you’ll like:
- Free private parking
- Well-equipped kitchen for guests to use
- Wonderful view of Taiping town
- Apartment is spacious and clean
- Kid-friendly swimming pool
- Free WiFi
- Washing machine
- Balcony
- Fitness center
- Helpful and understanding host
Good to know:
- 7 minutes’ drive to Taiping Lake Gardens
- Short drive (6 minutes) to town and Taiping Mall
- Address: Jalan Lembah Tupai 5, Taman Lembah Tupai, 34000 Taiping, Perak, Malaysia
- Price range: ~RM300 for the whole place
For other homestay recommendations, check out our curated list of Taiping homestays for the best ones!
How To Get To Taiping
Taiping is highly accessible even though you cannot fly there!
From Penang: 1.5 hours’ drive south via the North-South Express Highway
From Kuala Lumpur: ~3 to 4 hours’ drive up north via the North-South Express Highway.
But let’s focus on how you can get there from Ipoh:
1. Ipoh To Taiping By Private Tour
Taking a tour may seem over the top for a little town like Taiping. But it takes a local to show you around places and things you might miss if you go on your own!
With a tour, you can take the opportunity to explore other attractions close to Taiping! Or combine this together with your Ipoh itinerary or Cameron Highlands trip!
And you don’t have to worry about navigating!
The tour service we’re recommending is RayTheTour. Book them via WhatsApp.
Duration: 1 hour drive from Ipoh
Distance: ~68.6km
2. Ipoh To Taiping By Train
It’s possible to take the ETS train from Ipoh Railway Station directly to Taiping!
Trains run on a daily basis.
Duration: 45 minutes
Price starts from: RM20 per adult
Book a ticket for the ETS train to Taiping.
3. Ipoh To Taiping By Bus
Of course, you can always take a bus from Ipoh to Taiping!
Buses depart daily at hourly intervals from 6:15am to 10:00pm from Ipoh AmanJaya station.
Bus operators are Perak Transit and Starmart Express.
Notes:
- The station is 20 minutes’ drive away from Ipoh city.
- No buses between 7:30pm and 10:00pm
Duration: 53 minutes to an hour
Price starts from: RM10 per person (adult/ child)
Conclusion
Nature lovers will not want to miss out on the impressive Taiping Lake Gardens in Perak! The lakes, large trees, and all the greenery are a treat to the eyes.
Moreover, there are paddleboats and a playground for kids to enjoy!
If you’re making a trip to Ipoh, consider going because it only takes less than an hour to get there!
