Agacia Town in Kampar, Perak
Abandoned towns often bring to mind images of derelict buildings and overgrown weeds. One spot in Kampar, Perak, however, has retained most of its original charm despite being somewhat of a ghost town: Agacia Town.
Once dubbed as Malaysia’s very own ‘Disneyland’, the town comprises quaint buildings reminiscent of those seen at Disneyland parks. Though the fairytale castle planned for the town’s landmark is nowhere to be seen, and the buildings remain largely unoccupied, locals and road-trippers often make a stop at this forgotten town for photos.
A forgotten Disney-inspired town in Perak
Malaysia has plenty of theme parks with eye-catching attractions that we can head to come the weekends. But one park that has yet to grace our shores is Disneyland – or so it seems.
Image adapted from: @bartdrul
Agacia Town, or Bandar Agacia in Kampar houses rows of 57 pastel-coloured buildings with brick walls and European-style doors and windows. Fun fact, each one of them has a unique facade.
With how charming the whole thing looks, the town is often compared to Main Street U.S.A., an attraction at Disneyland parks featuring early-20th Century American buildings inspired by Walt Disney’s hometown.
Agacia’s striking similarities to the Disney attraction makes it hard to believe that most of the 3-storey buildings you’ll see here are unoccupied. Unfortunately, this is indeed the case.
Image adapted from: @dkcmb6d
Once upon a time, the town was home to several Disney-themed cafes. Nasi Lemak Disney and Maleficent Fruits & Dessert were notable ones – but both are now permanently closed. Charming cafes like Cafe Alice used to attract visitors too, but this spot closed in January 2021 leaving only its signboard behind.
Image credit: @dkcmb6d
What remains of the town are its vibrant buildings, with just a handful of tenants still operating. A preloved clothing boutique and a local cafe called Cafe Awesome of Art are just some of them.
Image adapted from: @syeimaaismail and @siang_chua
Nonetheless, oddities such as street signs that reads “Disney Avenue” and “Castle Avenue”, as well as a replica of the ubiquitous red London telephone booth can still be found here. Besides the quaint buildings, these features serve as popular photo backdrops at Agacia Town.
Image adapted from: Kok Wai
A local attraction with a castle in Kampar
Image credit: AgaciaLand
Before it was left forgotten, Agacia Town was set to be a popular local tourist attraction and student hub in the town of Kampar. A RM1.8 billion redevelopment plan was proposed to turn a former ex-tin mining tract into Bandar Acacia, also often called The University Square, with Disney-inspired retail spaces that would house gift shops, eateries, convenience stores, and boutique hotels.
The town would cater to residents and students in the area, as well as tourists looking to explore local attractions beyond Ipoh, a 45-minute drive away.
Image credit: AgaciaLand
Apart from the colourful buildings of Agacia Town, a 24-storey serviced apartment and hotel called Champs-Elysees is also part of the town’s landscape. The Gothic-architecture building is modelled after buildings that front the famous and captivating avenue of the same name in Paris.
The serviced apartment was set to welcome residents and hotel guests, as well as students, with commercial spaces in the building designated for Agacia College.
In 2015, it was reported by The Edge Markets that “more than half of the total units in Champs-Elysees have been sold” with the building also said to be the “first and only 5-star property in Kampar”. Today, home-stays and Airbnbs operate from the building.
Image credit: AgaciaLand
Also planned for the town is Agacia Castle – a fairytale-like castle and iconic landmark. According to the town’s developer, Agacia Land Sdn Bhd, the castle would feature “soaring spires, ornate turrets and regal royal-blue rooftops” to replicate real castles and those seen in Disney animations – all with photo ops in mind.
The castle would include hotel suites within, and be completed in the third phase of the town’s developments. However, it is noticeably missing from its planned location between Champs-Elysees and the Disney-inspired buildings in 2022.
Agacia Town with Disney-inspired buildings in Perak
Charming Western-style buildings often leave us captivated, which is why we’re always excited to see replicas of them in our own country. So it’s sad to see places such as Agacia Town left largely forgotten and unoccupied, and at risk of being abandoned.
Nonetheless, a handful of tenants are still operating here, so visitors can still come by for photos of this town’s unique buildings and to support local businesses.
Read more here:
- Papan, Perak: an abandoned row of heritage buildings
- There’s still an old Pos Malaysia housed in a Rumah Kampung
- Mysterious tiny huts found in JB
Cover image adapted from: Kok Wai