#31 Kampar, Perak

District: Kampar, Perak
Last time I was there: January 2021

The story:
One of my favourite drives is taking the old trunk road from Tanjong Malim all the way to Ipoh. It’s always a relaxing journey -- passing charming old towns, stretches of greenery, and landscapes that somehow make you slow down and appreciate the ride a little more.

On one trip, we made a stop in Kampar -- specifically at Kampar Disney Avenue. Yes, that quirky attraction that went viral many moons ago. And honestly, it lived up to the reputation. The colourful buildings made for great photo spots, but at the same time, the place had this strange “twilight zone” feel to it. There’s even a hotel beside it called Champs Élysées, which somehow adds to the surreal, almost theme-park-like atmosphere of the whole place.



Launched in 2012 on a 100-acre former tin mining site, the development was originally envisioned as an ambitious fairytale-inspired attraction complete with the Agacia Castle -- a structure said to replicate Disney’s iconic castle design. It certainly had grand ambitions.

It didn’t help that many of the shops had already shut down because of the pandemic. That was what we saw during our brief stop in 2021.

Reading the news today, it seems a handful of cafés are still holding on despite the odds, though the area has yet to become the thriving tourist attraction many had hoped for. A bit of a pity, really.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#10 Hulu Selangor, Selangor

Image
District: Hulu Selangor , Selangor Towns in the district: Kuala Kubu Bharu , Serendah , Batang Kali , Kerling , Rasa , Ulu Yam , Bukit Beruntung , and others  Last time I was there: November 2024 The story: One of my favourite drives is heading north through Hulu Selangor -- a route filled with lush greenery and a relaxed, old-town vibe. I still remember my first visit to Kuala Kubu Bharu : smooth roads, scenic hills, and that unmistakable small-town charm. The “new” Kuala Kubu was actually rebuilt in 1926 after the original town was destroyed by a dam burst -- a story that adds even more character to this peaceful place. Our first stop was Taman Tasik Milenium , a serene lake park that locals adore. With its cool breeze and picture-perfect scenery, you’d be tempted to say, “Macam New Zealand!” If it wasn’t 80 km from home, we’d be here every weekend. For sure! But the true gem of the trip was Ampang Pecah , a tranquil dam site with cascading waters and breathtaking views -- the...
Read more

#11 Bentong, Pahang

Image
District: Bentong, Pahang Towns in the district: Bentong Town , Karak , Bukit Tinggi , Manchis , Telemong Last time I was there: June 2025 The story: We’d never really explored this part of Pahang before, so a spontaneous day trip to Bentong it was. The mission: food and a bit of history. First stop -- the legendary Lemang To’ki , serving lemang with rendang every single day. It lived up to the hype -- the lemang , rendang , and ayam bakar were all superb. Then it was on to Bentong Gallery , housed in beautifully restored century-old shophouses once owned by Loke Yew , offering a free, fascinating glimpse into the town’s past. We also visited Masjid Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah , and since it was durian season , naturally -- we had to indulge. Heading home, we made a stop for coffee up in the hills of Janda Baik -- and since it was a weekday, we had the place almost entirely to ourselves. A delicious, easy-going day out in Bentong.
Read more

#9 Alor Gajah, Melaka

Image
District: Alor Gajah, Melaka Towns in the district: Alor Gajah , Masjid Tanah , Kuala Sungai Baru , Lubok China , Rembia Last time I was there : December 2022 The story: We were in Port Dickson that day when I decided to drive further down to Melaka . Oh yes, indeed. So we took a slow and steady drive on the coastal route via Pasir Panjang , all the way to Pengkalan Balak . We got down at the beach area and enjoyed the view quite a bit while having some keropok .   Then on the way back up, we turned on Google Maps and decided to have lunch at an asam pedas place near Kampung Kuala Linggi .  After a stopover for Zohor at the local masjid, we stumbled upon an old Dutch fort called Fort Supai ! We were literally the only ones there, so it was a little creepy-- but the views of the Straits were fantastic.  It was eerily beautiful. Armies used to launch cannons from here, and now it’s just there, standing silent with a thousand and one stories to be uncovered. Then we dr...
Read more