MY · Perak · 4.31°N 101.15°E
kampar
Old tin town turned uni town, still famous for its chicken biscuits.
- Best time
- Any time of year. Mornings are best for the old town, before the heat and the afternoon rain.
- How long
- Half a day
- Getting there
- About 2 hours' drive north of KL on the North–South Expressway, or around 40 minutes south of Ipoh. KTM trains also stop at Kampar.
kampar
Dear group chat,Old tin town turned uni town, still famous for its chicken biscuits.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingKamparMY, Perak
Photo: Tony Ng · CC BY-SA 3.0 Photo: Lucius089 · CC0 Photo: Lucius089 · CC0 Photo: Wiki Farazi · CC0
Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.
A Kinta Valley town that boomed with tin in the late 1800s and now has a second life as a university town. The old town's shophouses still stand, and most Malaysians know it for one thing: chicken biscuits.
Makan
- Chicken biscuitsKampar's famous snack: crisp, sweet-savoury biscuits flavoured with fermented beancurd and candied winter melon. Buy a few packs to take home.Map ↗
- Kopitiam breakfastThe old town's coffee shops do noodles, toast and strong local coffee.Map ↗
- Student cafésThe newer side of town near the university is full of cheap, casual places to makan.Map ↗
Things to do
- The old townWalk the pre-war shophouses and old kopitiams from the tin-mining days.Map ↗
- Battle of KamparThe hills around town were the scene of a major battle of the Japanese invasion of Malaya, at the turn of 1942.Map ↗
- Gua TempurungA big limestone show cave near Gopeng, about 20 minutes north, with dry walks and wet river tours.Map ↗
- Gopeng raftingWhite-water rafting and river trips on the Kampar River near Gopeng.Map ↗
- Kellie's CastleThe unfinished mansion of a Scottish planter, about 30 minutes away near Batu Gajah.Map ↗
Good to know
- Pair it with Ipoh or Gopeng to make a full day of it.
Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.