An Excursion Guide to Kampar (1)

A SHORT GUIDE TO KAMPAR

KAMPAR TOWNABOUT KAMPAR

Kampar was founded in 1887 as a tin-mining town. Due to its rich tin reserve, Kampar is believed to have been named after the Cantonese words "kam pou", which means "precious gold". On the other hand, there is also another theory that Kampar was named after the river Kampar which flows through the town. The river was named by settlers from Riau Province, Sumatra, after the Kampar regency there. This is where the first Sultan of Perak, Sultan Mudzaffar Shah, was based before he become the Sultan in Perak. As the Kampar River has already been around before Kampar town

was established, it is more likely that the town was named after the river than the other way around, and that the Cantonese name is simply a translation of the name Kampar.

As with many of the tin-mining towns in Perak, Kampar's fortune followed the ups and downs of the tin mining industry. The town prospered at the turn of the 20th century when tin prices were high. It began to stagnate and decline after World War I. By the 1980's, with the last of Kampar's tin mines having closed down, the town itself was pretty much dead. It was only recently that the town became to be revived, driven partly by the arrival of the new Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) campus and the opening of the Tesco hypermarket in September 2008.

The construction of the North-South Expressway bypassed Kampar, hastening its economic decline. Perhaps on the positive side, it also helped preserve Kampar's pre-war houses until such time when the population becomes more appreciative of its heritage architecture.

While people might not generally be interested in the shophouse architecture, many certainly know Kampar as a place to get good food. There is plenty to choose from. Among these, perhaps the most famous are the Kampar Chicken Biscuit, the Roti Ayam and the Kampar Fish Ball Noodles.

FAMOUS KAMPAR FOOD DIRECTORYKampar Chicken Biscuits & Pastries

Kampar Biscuit and Confectionary (Kedai Biskut Kampar)101, Jalan Idris, 31900 KamparTel: 05 465 1011

CB Red Label Sdn Bhd.72 Jalan Gopeng, 31900 Kampar, PerakTel: 04-651748

Kampar Fish Ball Noodle

Nam Fatt Fish Ball Noodle HouseJalan Kampar, IpohTel: 05-2536454

Kampar Curry Chicken Bun

Yau Kee Restaurant (Roti Ayam Yau Kee)55 Jalan Idris, Kampar, 31900 Kampar Tel: 05-465-1738

Kam Ling Restaurant105 & 107, Jalan Idris, 31900 KamparTel: 05-466 1174

Kampar Original Claypot Chicken Rice

Restaurant Wing Lok Yuen (Heng Kee Stall)123, Jalan Idris, Kampar (Opens: 5am – 1pm)Tel: 016-564 2386

Kampar Ice Kacang

Kedai Kopi Foong Mun Kee (FMK Ais Kacang)42, Jalan Idris, 31900 KamparTel: 012-538 7662

Ham Kok Chai

Outside Fye Hoong Coffee Shop (Mobile Hawker Stall)Jalan Masjid, 31900 KamparTel: 012-454 1407 (Tan Chin Guan)

Kampar Chow Kueh Teow

Medan Selera Kampar (hawker stall)Jalan Ampang, 31900 Kampar (near Jalan Pasar wet market)Opens: Morning onlyTel: 05-466 1019 (Cheong Kuan Seng)

Glutinious Rice with Char Siew

Medan Selera Kampar (hawker stall no. 42)Jalan Ampang, 31900 Kampar (near Jalan Pasar wet market)Opens: Morning only

KAMPAR NEW TOWNGRAND KAMPAR HOTEL2188, Jalan Timah, Bandar Baru Kampar 31900 Kampar, PerakTel: 605-466 2111

KAMPAR OLD TOWN

GUA TEMPURUNG [ GOPENG ]

ABOUT GUA TEMPURUNGGua Tempurung stretches 1.9km and 30 storey high, is the largest and magnificent limestone cave in Peninsular Malaysia. Made up of five huge domes, each of them has different formation of stalagmites and stalactites well as different temperatures, water level, contents of limestone and marble. Concealed within this limestone massif is an intricate system of caves honeycombed of stalagmites and stalactites and other amazing rock formation which super geological wonders found only in this part of the world.

GETTING THEREGua Tempurung is located in Lembah Tempurung, a 15-minute drive from Gopeng. It is 25km to the south of Ipoh, which is less than 30 minutes’ drive away. Take the North-South Plus Expressway and exit at the Gopeng toll plaza. From the plaza, turn left (southwards) towards Kampar. Drive for about 5km

before turning left and driving a further 2km to reach Gua Tempurung. Signboards will help you find the way. The road leads to the car park just outside the cave entrance.

BOOKING / ENQUIRIES:Apt Consortium Sdn Berhad Batu 16 1/2 , Jalan Kampar, 31600 Gopeng, PerakMr. Daniel: 017-5901625 / Cik Feza 012-5928952 Tel: 05-3188555 Fax: 05-3188557

E-mail: [email protected] Web : http://www.guatempurung.com/gua.htm

TOUR PACKAGE OPTIONS:No Type of tours Adults Children

6-12 yrsTime taken to complete

Visiting hours Description

1 Golden Flowstone (Dry)

RM6 RM2.50 40 min 9am-4pm Easy and exciting

2 Top of the World (dry)

RM9 RM4.50 I Hr 40 mins 9am-3pm Slightly strenuous

3* Top of the World & short River Adventure (wet)

RM11 RM6 2 Hrs 30 mins 9am-12 noon Exciting & Challenging

4* Grand Tour (wet)

RM22 RM11 3Hrs 30 mins 9am-11am Challenging & Strenuous

* Package 3 & 4 – Minimum 4 persons

THINGS TO BRING & WEARWear proper clothing and sport shoesTorch light, towel, change of clothes, plastic bag to wrap electric, gadgets like mobile & camera

KELLIE’S CASTLE [ BATU GAJAH ]

ABOUT KELLIE’S CASTLEKellie's Castle is located in Batu Gajah and was built by a Scottish planter, William Kellie Smith, who arrived in Malaya in 1890 and made his fortune in tin and rubber. With cash in his pocket he returned home to marry his sweetheart Agnes and brought her over to Malaya in 1903. They had a daughter called Helen the following year. William Smith really wanted an heir to take over his empire and Agnes finally gave birth to a son called Anthony in 1915. To celebrate the birth, Smith started planning for a huge castle which he wanted to call Kellas House, after his hometown in Scotland. Several tragedies struck after the construction of the Kellas House and it was never completed.

William Kellie Smith himself died of pneumonia during a short trip to Portugal in 1926. His wife decided to pack up and return home to Scotland and sold the estate and Kellie's Castle.

Despite more than eighty years of neglect the house was refurbished in 2000 and it is now a tourist attraction. It was even used as a setting in the 1999 film, 'Anna and the King'.

Documentary “Rahsia Kellie’s Castle” : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeMTcC-qn0A

GETTING THEREIf you are coming for Kuala Lumpur, head for PLUS North South Expressway and exit the Gopeng Toll Plaza. From here, take a right turn towards Gopeng town. After passing Gopeng town, you will see a sign that directs you to turn left towards Kellies Castle. Keep going along this this Gopeng-Batu Gajah road and you will see the mansion to your left. Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort is also located within the vicinity of this place

KM. 5.5, Jalan Gopeng, Batu Gajah, PerakTel: 05-365 1336

OPERATING HOURS

Daily, 9.00am to 6.00pm

ADMISSION FEEAdult : RM4.00Children: RM3.00 (above 12 yrs), RM2.00 (12 yrs and below)

TIN DREDGE HERITAGE [ WARISAN KAPAL KOREK TIMAH, BATU GAJAH ]

ABOUT TIN DREDGETin Dredge T.T. No 5, one of the last great reminders of the time when the Kinta Valley was the world’s richest tin producing area, was built in 1938 by W.F. Payne & Sons for Pernas Chartered Management Sdn Bhd. Once belonging to Southern Malayan Tin Dredging (M) Sdn Bhd, the dredge had scoured for tin ore in the Kinta Valley for 44 years. Operations stopped in 1983 due to the collapse of the tin mining industry. Since then, it has lain in a man-made pond at

Desa Perlombongan, about 10km from Batu Gajah, Perak. At one time, the dredge would run on electricity for 24 hours in two shifts with 20 workers per shift. In 1997, Pernas Chartered Management Sdn Bhd donated the three-storey high dredge to the state, which had spent over half a million ringgit to develop it into an attraction. Among other things, the company was planning to showcase other methods of tin mining to visitors.

GETTING THEREFrom Kellie’s Castle, head North towards Jalan Gopeng, turn left at Jalan Gopeng, turn right at Jalan Pejabat Pos, continue onto Jalan Pusing, look for the “Warisan Kapal Korek Bijih Timah” signboards and follow the directions.

ENQUIRIESCentury Mission Sdn. Bhd9th Mile, Jalan Tanjong Tualang31000 Batu Gajah, PerakTel: 05-370 2253 / 012-517 1260

OPERATING HOURSDaily, 8.30am to 7.00pm including weekends and public holidays(Lunch break: 12.00-1.00pm)

ADMISSION FEEAdults: RM5.00Children: RM3.00

TANJUNG TUALANG

ABOUT TANJUNG TUALANGTanjung Tualang nicknamed “Fresh Water Prawn Town” is a small town on the southern part of the Kinta district in Perak. The town was the centre of tin mining activities in the early 20th century. As a result, the town is pockmarked with mining pools that today are given a new life as freshwater prawn breeding farms.

GETTING THERE

TANJUNG TUALANG RECOMMENDED SEAFOOD RESTAURANTSNote: Please call to make reservation in advance to avoid long waiting time and disappointment

Sun Mee Foong Seafood Restaurant5, Jalan Besar, 31800 Tanjung TualangTel: 05-3609 321, 016 532 6426 (Sharon)Check: http://blog.axian788.com/?p=1584

Lung Seng,Seafood Restaurant10 Jalan Besar, 31800 Tanjung Tualang,Tel: 05-360.0735 (Call for reservation)Open daily from 11.30 a.m. – 9.00 p.m.Check: http://cumidanciki.com/2010/02/lung-seng-seafood-restaurant-tanjung-tualang-perak/

Yew Kei Seafood Restaurant1, Jalan Pasar, 31800, Tanjung Tualang,Tel : 605-360 6686.Business hours : 11.30am – 9.00pm.Check: http://www.j2kfm.com/tanjung-tualang-seafood-yew-kei-restaurant/

Luen Fong Seafood Restaurant19, Jalan Pasar,, 31800 Tanjung Tualang,Tel : 05-360 9276, 012-533 6166, 016-590 0038Check: http://www.j2kfm.com/tanjung-tualang-prawn-luen-fong/