Taiping Zoo & Night Safari

Hello everyone, Shea Sonia is just too lazy to blog and she hired me, a leprechaun called Urukhai to write her journey to Taiping Zoo on a night safari trip. So here goes...

The night safari at the Taiping Zoo will cost you RM20.00 per adult if you are a Malaysian and the parking nearest to the entrance will cost you another RM3.00.

If what you have in mind when the word 'night safari' means driving your own vehicle through the zoo then you're sadly mistaken. But you will still be get driven around in a tram though. You may then choose to walk around the zoo after the guided trip on the tram.

What is interesting about this night safari is that most of the nocturnal animals become active. The temperature at night is normally cooler than at daytime. Which makes it more bearable.

Visitors walking around at the entrance

The description of Zoo Taiping

If you decided to take the tour with the tram fear not of the waiting time. There will be one every 15 minutes and the guide will usually be very strict about queuing up. Which is greatly appreciated if you're surrounded by teenagers and brats who love cutting queue.

The tram waiting station

If you're lucky you get to sit next to the driver/guide.

Plenty of seats on the tram carriages

The tram's guided tour routes. You'll need to remember the animal locations if you're planning to walk later.

From our observation, the animals that are active at night were the bears (these lot love walking on the edge of the concrete near to the fence but uninterested in humans), the foxes (they sound like a mix of hyena and dog. Well that answers the question in that popular song), the black panther (these too love walking near the fence. Being inches away from them and you could hear their breathing is surreal), owls (well, that's a given), giraffes (eating machine), elephants (they were chained and kept in a small corner with electrical fence system), african lions (usually further away from the visitors for safety reason of course but the male lions loud roar is an experience by itself), malayan tigers (they just laze around) and a pair of hippos (they were either eating or hiding in the shadows).

The deers eating. You can smell their strong odour.

A non nonchalant deer walking close to the visitors.

A bird perching on a branch. The birds are the only animals free to roam the zoo around it seems.

The bears walking around back and forth for hours.

The foxes were cagey.

And you have the deer  feeding on sticks.

The giraffe loves tough and dry branches.

The magnificent black panther.

Rhino. Lazy rhino.

A lonely swan. You don't see them in pairs.

I'm not sure of the rules in the zoo, but the lighting is minimum, good enough to show the visitors the path they should take. However, if you need to see the animals hidden in the dark you're probably better off bringing your own low power LED torch. I said this based on the zoo's guide action by illuminating these animals with his little LED. The animals seems unperturbed but obviously irks them if you shone towards their eyes directly. If you have the night vision function on a video camera that would certainly help you enjoy the trip immensely!

That's all from me. I hope you find the report useful and enjoy your time at the zoo if you're stopping by in Taiping. Ta!

-Urukhai- 

First Galleria, Taiping

Why should you visit First Galleria the next time you visit Taiping?

If you love history, you'll love this place. The building was restored and now under private management. So, it is not just well-curated but also well-taken care of.

Check out the link above or picture below for details on visiting hours and such. I recommend visiting in the morning so you can walk outside as there are plenty to see. Read: photo op!

Info board outside

Taiping Peace Wall

Restored 

Choo choo!

Let's go in!

There is entry fee here and we got a tour guide! But before the tour started, we were asked to watch an introduction video. Please pay attention!

Tickets <3

The welcome video

Decor at lobby/reception area

Visitors aren't allowed to take photos in the gallery except for in areas allowed by the tour guide. 

Reading Room

Shea and mirror. Whatelse ;)

I was informed that the exhibition in Kapitan Gallery will be changed every 4 months. Currently on show is the First Railway Station. Look out for the new exhibition after September!

Enchek, ticket to KL satu please!

The tour guide

First planned township in Malaysia

In case you want something to read while you wait for the train

The guide I got was very informed and she had patiently answered all my questions. She didn't rush me off like some museum guides tend to do. I spent more than enough time strolling around the gallery gazing at old photographs, looking at old pictures and reading all the info. 

Tour ended at the souvenir shop. They'll usually have something that is in theme with what ever special exhibition on show but nothing interest me so all I got from the shop was a bottle of orange juice.

Visit it for I'm sure you'll learn something new just like I did!

That across the road is the abandoned railway office

Hope you'll have as much fun as I did!

Regency Hotel Seri Warisan, Taiping, Perak

Hello!!!

Before I proceed to tell you what else I *managed* to do in Taiping in details, let me write about THE best hotel in Taiping. OK, as far as I've stayed in la :)

The Regency Hotel Seri Warisan is fairly new I heard and it wasn't disappointing. For RM160 per night, I had the deluxe single room no breakfast. Like who needs breakfast when you're in Taiping? Go try the local food la. If you want hotel food, worry not as they have a restaurant next to it, within the same block.

Finding the hotel was easy peasy. Don't trust Waze but use the address given. Ample open-space parking just next to the hotel. Check-in and check-out were swift and without incidents. My favorite kind of hotel <3

Booking - Very easy. I used Agoda
Rate - Value for money
Location - Good. In town, right opposite the Masjid Melayu Taiping
Dining - Didn't try
Service - Good. Polite and efficient front desk.

Overall: 4 <3<3<3<3 of 5


What's so great about the hotel?

Well, aside from being fairly new, the room is spacious and well-equipped. I'll let the pics do the talking.

Lobby area opposite front desk

Lobby area

Lobby at level 2

Little wonder kids were running and shouting, no?

Thought the mop was a bad omen but thank God it was just a bad impression.
Room was ready!

Store all your belongings

Told you. Spacious

Clean bathroom

Very basic toiletries, please pack your tooth brush

Comfy bed in a snug corner

I love the heavy curtain! Kinda regal, isn't it?

View from the bed

Hair-dryer and iron. Look, prayer mat too!

Good thinking- they put the drinking water in the mini bar to chill!

I'd say this hotel is good for couples and family (yes I heard kids screaming down the hall but that was okay, I didn't lose any sleep) looking for a little affordable luxury. Let me know what you think after you have stayed!