Strongest Coffee in Malaysia? Antong Coffee Taste Test in Taiping

Day four of our Malaysian road trip. Shum and I were still in Taiping before heading on to Penang, and what I learned about Taiping is that I need to come back and spend a lot more time. Next trip, maybe a week.

Taiping Lake Gardens. We started the morning back at the lake: lotus flowers, paddle boats, and a beautifully kept park that people actually use, which is what makes it all worthwhile. Driving around town, Shum pointed out Malaysia’s first prison, a big school, the botanic garden and the war cemetery. And monkeys. I’m not saying monkeys shouldn’t be allowed to ride motorbikes, but they should probably have to pass some extra tests first.

We also stopped at the Perak Museum. It looked pretty interesting from what I could see, but filming wasn’t allowed inside, and we were on a limited schedule, so we grabbed some quick shots of the classic cars outside and kept going.

Antong Coffee Factory. Antong is Malaysia’s oldest coffee factory, and the little museum is donation-only, very laid-back and easy to park at. They give free samples downstairs where you buy the coffee. We tried the Golden blend, and it took me right back. When my kids were growing up, we tailgated at Jaguars games across from the old Maxwell House factory in downtown Jacksonville, and the Golden blend tasted exactly like that smell. We didn’t buy any coffee to take home, but we did get the espresso chocolate ice cream. It tasted awesome, and it’s strong: Shum and I bounced off the walls all the way to Penang.

On to Penang. That evening we hit a night market in Penang that Shum’s friend Cody recommended. Editing this later, I realized I need to push myself more. In Thailand, I haven’t had nearly the comfort level trying new things that I had in Malaysia. I don’t understand what half the stands are selling, but I’ve had enough good experiences to keep trying.

Where we stayed: the Novotel Taiping. It’s in a good location, connected to the mall, with plenty of good local food options across the street.

Everywhere we went on this trip, we felt like we should have done more. So if you’re from Taiping and I missed your favorite spot, I’m coming back.