Taiping – A historic city located in North Perak, Malaysia, once prospered from the discovery of tin deposits and the development of the tin mining industry in the 19th century. Taiping was also one of the pioneers in municipal government in the Malay states. At that time, Taiping already had the economic and social features commonly found in modern states today, such as Maxwell Hill: the 1st Hill Resort, the swimming pool, the mosque, the rest house, the magistrates’ court, the house of residents, the port, the English school. , police force, government offices, post and telegraph office, lake gardens, general hospital, club house, museum, market building, prison, railway line, railway station, lawn club, Anglican church, English school for girls and clock tower, among others. Some.
Despite countless historical achievements, Taiping, as its name suggests, is still QUIET, it has little development after World War II.
Bukit Larut – Founded by Straights settlement officer William Edward Maxwell in the 19th century. Bukit Larut, also known as Maxwell Hill, is the oldest, smallest and least disturbed mountain complex in Malaysia. At 1,250m above sea level, with temperatures ranging from 15 to 25 degrees Celsius and annual rainfall of more than 5,000mm, it is the wettest place in Malaysia.
Bukit Larut is designated as a Rank 1 Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) and a Wildlife Reserve by the Federal Government of Malaysia. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has placed it in a Category 1 Strict Nature Reserve, while the United Nations Environment Program World Conservation Monitoring Center (UNEP WCMC) has declared Bukit Larut an area of great ecological and botanical importance.
Botanical studies have documented the existence of some 1,980 species of flowering plants from 123 families. About 250 species of birds have been sighted seasonally, including migratory birds from Indochina and East Asia. A new species of lizard was discovered here in 2001.
The surrounding areas are among the last sanctuaries for large mammals such as sun bears, panthers and the elusive clouded leopard. The monkeys, buzzards, civets and porcupines that roam the nearby forests serve as their food source.
Ecotourism – also known as Ecological Tourism. Ecotourism involves traveling to natural destinations, which should:
• Minimizes environmental impact and raises awareness
• Creation of economic opportunities for local communities
• Provides direct financial benefits for conservation
• Provides financial benefits to the local population
• Respect the local culture
• Preserve heritage
Ecotourism should, however, include programs that minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment. Therefore, the promotion of the reduction, reuse of resources, such as water conservation, must be an integral part of ecotourism.
The balance between development and environmental conservation is always a challenging task. For Taiping, despite its prosperity in the past, today it is one of the least developed cities in Malaysia. Promoting Taiping and Bukit Larut to be an ecotourism destination is again a good and encouraging initiative.
