The campus of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) is the principal landmark of Sintok and an unexpectedly pleasant place to spend a few hours. Set in rolling hills above a reservoir, the campus grounds are green and well-maintained, with a distinctly different atmosphere from the dense tropical heat of the lowlands. The university's central lake is the focal point — students cycle along its banks in the early morning and late afternoon, and the views across the water to the forested hills are calming.
The campus architecture mixes modernist blocks with more decorative Islamic-influenced rooflines. For visitors passing through en route to the Thai border, the campus provides a good and cool lunch stop; the university food courts offer cheap and reliable Malaysian canteen food.