BUKIT LARUT (formerly Maxwell Hill) – 12km northeast of Taiping – is Malaysia's smallest (and oldest) hill station. Named after the first Assistant Resident of Perak, George Maxwell, the name changed back to Bukit Larut in 1979 as part of a general trend to return to local rather than English place names. At approximately 1035m above sea level, the climate is wonderfully cool, and on a clear day there are spectacular views down to the west coast. Unfortunately its status as reputedly the wettest place in Malaysia, with 5m of rainfall annually, also means that it's frequently too cloudy at the top to see much at all. That said, the cloud cover can be very atmospheric and the air of colonial nostalgia makes Bukit Larut well worth visiting. There are a few tame forest walks here too; most walkers stick to the main road winding up the mountain. There are a few forest paths leading off the main road, but these are unmarked. The climb to The Cottage – a stone bungalow built in the 1880s for British officialdom – leads through groves of evergreens and the largest variety of flowers in the country, to the only accessible summit. Protect yourself against leeches, which can be a problem in the forest, by wearing long trousers, and socks and shoes, rather than sandals.

The narrow road up to the hill station twists and turns round some terrifying bends and is only accessible by government Land Rover or on foot; private vehicles are not allowed up. The service (hourly 8am–5:30pm; 35min; RM4 round trip) begins at the foot of the hill, twenty minutes' walk from the lake gardens in Taiping. If you're only making a day-trip, it's especially advisable to book your seat in advance (either in person at the booking office where the service begins, or by calling 05/807 7241 or 807 7243), otherwise at busy times you could find yourself hanging around waiting for a space. Book the return journey up at the hill station itself, in the booth by the Rumah Beringin resthouse (if you're in the last jeep down, beware that they sometimes leave ahead of schedule).

Many people prefer to walk up from Taiping instead, which takes from two and a half to three hours; the marked path starts at the Land Rover pick-up point. You'll need to be quite fit, but this way you get more time to take in the views and can still make it down again by early evening. About midway to the summit is the Tea Garden House, little more than a shelter now, though once part of an extensive tea estate. It's an ideal place to stop for a rest, as the view at this point is superb, with the town of Taiping and the mirror-like waters of the gardens visible below.