Cover Story
By Ili Aqilah and Tan Mei Kuan
Located just 38 kilometres away from Ipoh, it is believed that Kampar was founded in 1886 by Imam Prang Jabor at Keranji River. When tin-mining was booming, miners from China came to Kampar as it sits on the tin-rich area of Kinta River. Additionally, the Chinese community in Kampar calls it ‘Kam Pou’ that is translated as ‘precious gold’ in Cantonese.
Ipoh Echo sent its duo to visit to Kampar to discover its famous spots.
So, what is good in Kampar?
Kampar Food Court @ Kampar Public Market
Fuel your day’s adventure by having breakfast at the Kampar Food Court located right next to the Kampar Public Market. With a myriad of food available, especially look out for stall number 7 named Haji Abdul Ghaffoor. It is the only stall selling the local delicacy, laksa sanggul (spicy, soup-based noodle dish). Established in 1970, the noodle, named after the shape of a bun (sanggul) is handmade in-house daily without any preservatives used. About 5kg of noodle is made for weekdays and 10kg for weekends and public holidays. A bowl of laksa sanggul costs just RM3, (RM4 for a bigger portion and RM5.50 for double the portion). The family business opens every day from 7am to 11.30am except Monday.
Kinta Tin Mining (Gravel Pump) Museum
Drop by the Kinta Tin Mining (Gravel Pump) Museum to learn all about open cast mining, from the discovery of rich tin deposit, arrival of labourers, to the modernization of the tin mining industry. Discover mine owners cum philanthropists such as Yap Ah Loy, Chung Keng Quee, Leong Pi Joo, Loke Yew, Leong Sin Nam, Eu Tong Sen, Yau Tet Shin and Foo Choo Choon among others.
The display in the double storey building also features detailed statistics and original copies of the mining lease, contract and permits from the era.
Open daily from 9am to 5pm, it is located at Lot 126026, Jalan Batu Karang, Taman Bandar Baru, 31900 Kampar. Admission rates are priced at RM5 for adult, RM2 for youth and free for child.
A&C Espresso Cafe
Established in December 2014, A&C Espresso Café is a casual space for you and your furry buddies to chill. In the evening, you will be greeted by a cute in-house Schnauzer named Cuppo.
“Our specialty is our coffee. We try to serve the best coffee in town. The roasting company customized a special mixed blend only for us made up of beans from various countries in order to get the taste that we want. It’s a medium roast which is not too light or dark. It is also seasonal, if we get a single origin coffee bean, we will announce it in Facebook for those who like hand brewed coffee,” Cindy Chong, co-owner explained to Ipoh Echo. She runs the café together with Joey Chow who formerly worked as a barista cum bar leader in Melbourne.
Equally memorable are My Valentine (hot chocolate with vanilla ice cream), Vero Amour (vanilla ice cream, espresso, whipped cream and caramel sauce), Joey (blended with fresh strawberry and blackcurrant with salt on the rim of the glass) and Cindy (lime and mint combination with sweet and sour note). All priced at RM10.90 each.
“Everything, including our waffles and cakes are made in-house too. Our matcha tiramisu cake was sold out in just one hour, to my surprise. We always create new dessert. A lot of customers pre-order whole cakes from us too,” the amiable Cindy, an Ipoh girl, added.
For the signature Belgian waffles, one can opt for mini waffle (RM9.90), greedy mixy (RM15.90) and espresso amour (RM15.90).
According to Cindy, this is the only cafe in Kampar where you can get customizable brunch at RM8.90 for three items, RM13.90 for five items and RM15.90 for seven items. The menu features new additions from time to time. For instance, it is now serving chocolate churro at RM13.90.
The pet-friendly, pork-free café with warm hospitality is located at 2234, Jalan Batu Sinar, Taman Bandar Baru, 31900 Kampar. Just remember to stick to the pet’s rules and regulations. All pets must be legally licensed and vaccinated.
There is a mini function room upstairs for private events for up to 70 guests.
Open seven days a week from 1pm to 2am (opens at 2pm during university semester break and slightly earlier during long weekends and public holidays). For updates and bookings, call Cindy at 012 551 1433 or swing by the café’s Facebook page: A&C Espresso.
University Square
For
Instagram-worthy shots, one must-go spot is University Square by Agacia Land which has a multi-hued western layout as its architectural aesthetics.
There is even a Agacia Castle in the pipeline! Rising high in the sky near University Square, a fairy tale-like castle will soon be materializing, welcoming you to a magical world. Boasting soaring spires, ornate turrets and regal royal-blue rooftops, the castle will invoke both the magic and mystery of real-world castles. Stay tuned!
University Square is located at Castle Avenue, 31900 Kampar.
Kelapa Lelehhh Kampor Original
Established in 2016, the place boasts the best coconut ice cream in town. Beat the heat by opting for kelapa leleh (ice cream served in green coconut shell), coconut shake, cendol (dessert consisting of chilled coconut milk), ABC (crushed ice mix) or various bingsu (Korean shaved ice dessert).
One will be spoilt for choice as western and local dishes are available like cheesy wedges, chicken chop, cheesy meatball, fried rice, fried noodle, fritters, pasembor (salad) and laksa (spicy, soup-based noodle dish).
Operates from 2pm to 11.30pm daily except Monday. It is located at 1, Gerai Pertanian, Jalan Iskandar, 31900 Kampar. Featuring a brand new menu, find out more in its Facebook page: kelapa lelehhh kampor original.
ReFarm
Nestled just 4km away from Kampar, ReFarm offers a getaway surrounded by hills and forests. The farm, located at Jalan Temoh Kampar is a 26-acre oasis that provides numerous fun activities with swimming pools and a mini zoo.
Open from 9am till 6pm, visitors can go for net fishing, cycling, honey harvesting, rubber tapping and even a dip or two in their swimming pools. Other activities include planting organic vegetables and fruits, feeding the farm animals such as fish, chicken, goats, rabbits, turtles and swans and pedal-boating. For guests who seek adventurous activities, ReFarm offers jungle trekking, photo-session at the waterfall area and diverse plants and trees at the rainforest.
For those who wish to try rubber tapping and honey harvesting, the farm offers a 45 minutes tour (RM10 per pax) complete with hands-on rubber tapping and tasting the freshly harvested raw honey. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance and a rubber seed as souvenir.
Surrounded by the luscious trees and secondary forest, ReFarm is an eco-farm that produces organic fertilizer from animal wastes. In fact, low quality vegetables and fruits are used to feed animals. This is among their efforts to ensure that thoughtless wastage is kept to a minimum.
Another must-visit spot in the farm is their time tunnel that explains the history of Kampar, tin mining and the aborigines from Kampar. ReFarm also offers unique rooms for guests who wish to spend a night or two or even few hours at the site. They are currently running a special promotion for the 4-hour stay at any of the rooms; RM50 for cave room, RM60 for cabin room and RM70 for brick room.
If you are feeling hungry after trying all the activities at the farm, do visit their ReFarm cafe that offers fresh-from-farm dining. Ingredients such as vegetables, fish and chicken are produced by the farm itself. From venison to beef to vegetarian selections, this pork-free café opens every day except Tuesday from 9am till 6pm.
Starting from 1 November, the entrance fee for adults (13 years and above) is RM15 while for children (2-12 years old) and senior citizen (60 years old and above) is RM8. For pedal-boating, the admission rate is RM20 for 40 minutes which can accommodate up to 4 people. The boat activity however is only open on weekends, school holidays and public holidays.
Their business hour starts from 9 am till 6pm and opens every day except Tuesday (excluding school and public holidays).
ReFarm Kampar is located at Lot 6059, Jalan Temoh Kampar, 35350 Temoh, Perak. For more information about the farm, readers can visit their website at refarm.com.my or call them at 012 502 6115.
Batu Berangkai Waterfall
Another attraction in Kampar is the famous Batu Berangkai Waterfall located at Kampung Batu Berangkai. Once known to the crowd for its waterfall and clean water, visitors can have their picnics at the provided area. Although the place offers a nice and large pool with a few cascades, those with small kids, senior citizens and people with disabilities are not advised to come here due to the lack of facilities.
Kampar: a must visit!
With its strategic location offering a selection of great attractions, Kampar is a definite must-visit for those who seek for historical sites, adventurous activities and great food. What are you waiting for? Let’s go to Kampar!
