2019 - Bukit Tinggi & Janda Baik Adventure

2 Days Bukit Tinggi & Janda Baik Adventure

24 - 25 Oct 2019

A group of seniors and would be seniors from Kuantan Chapel went on a 2D1N trip to Berjaya Hills from 24 - 25 Oct 2019. The highlights of the trip was the visit to Fig Farm Malaysia in Janda Baik and the farm house of a friend in Berjaya Hills, besides the usual attractions in Colmar Resort like the Japanese Garden and Botanical Garden.

Day 1 - 24 Oct 2019

Our meeting point was the Hutan Lipur Lentang or Lentang Forest Recreational Park, with two cars coming from Kuantan and two coming from KL. Lentang Forest Recreational Park is located along the Karak Highway about 4km after the turn-off to Berjaya Hills Resort from Kuala Lumpur, or 12km south of Bentong. 

Lentang Forest Recreational Park is a recreational forest reserve at Bukit Tinggi. The Sungai Benus river feeds into the rainforest landscape, providing pools, cascades and even a waterfall at the distant edge of this nature park. A popular place for visitors on weekends, the area is served by a wide range of facilities including hawker stalls, public bathrooms, camping sites, gazebos and paved footpaths. But like other recreation parks in Malaysia, the park was not well maintained and a bit run down.

We spent an hour walking around the park and take in the fresh air in the rainforest.

Early morning sun rays penetrating through the rainforest

Group photo beside the flowing stream

There is a stream in the Lentang Forest Recreational Park in which you can enjoy yourself by dipping into the cool water of the stream while enjoying the calmness of the environment and listening to the chirping of the birds. 

Mini water falls along the stream

Later we departed to the Bukit Tinggi Village for an early lunch. We had lunch at the Garden View Restaurant where we sampled some of the famous dishes well known in the area.

After lunch we visited the Fig Farm Malaysia in Janda Baik. The farm is about 11 km from Bukit Tinggi Village, which is 20 minutes drive away. Located next to Sungai Benus, the farm is home to more than 300 types of fig species, carefully researched and planted by Fig Farm Malaysia founder and owner Datuk Syed Elias Syed Ahmad.

The 1.2ha farm, which was set up in 2017, is one of the largest exporters of figs in Southeast Asia. It produces up to 40kg of figs every day. According to the farm assistant who briefed us on fig agriculture we have the perfect weather to allow the plant to bear fruits all year long, unlike countries that have several seasons, since fig plants need hot weather to grow. We learnt that fig trees can be cultivated by cutting the mature branches and planting them much like the way we plant tapioca. Some of us bought some fig plants  for RM50 each. We hope to taste some fresh figs in a few months time and maybe multiply into many more fig trees!

We get to sample some fresh figs that are sold here at RM20 and RM30 for a pack of 4, depending on the size.

Some ripe figs burst open due to too much water content

We then departed for Berjaya Hills for our stay at the Meranti Park Suites which we booked through Berjaya Vacation Club. There was some confusion when we arrived at the apartment. The guard at the entrance told us the apartment is the staff's quarters and directed us towards the Berjaya Hills Golf and Country Club. When we inquired at the club we were told the apartment where we came from is actually the Meranti Part Suites! Since we were running late we decided to enter the Colmar Tropicale Resort and visit the Japanese Village before we check into the apartment.

The father gibbon

While we were at the Club a family of gibbons came looking for food. According to the staff there  the gibbons have been coming regularly for food. They are very tame and mingled freely with staff. 

Me and the junior gibbon

The mother gibbon breast feeding her baby

We then proceeded to Colmar Tropicale where we needed to purchase the entrance ticket at RM16 each. However, since we stayed in Meranti Park Suites under Berjaya Vacation Club we can claim back the entrance fee when we check out tomorrow. The entrance fee entitled us to enter Colmar Tropicale, Japanese Village and the rabbit park.

The Japanese Village is a series of Japan-themed attractions, spread across a garden landscape on a hill top at Berjaya Hills. Located five minutes away by car from Colmar Tropicale Resort, the village also comprises the Japanese Tea House, Botanical Garden, Tatami Spa, Ume Tatami Suite and Ryo Zan Tei Restaurant.

Here, visitors can explore rock pools, koi ponds, flower gardens and a Japanese tea house, which conducts a traditional tea ceremony several times daily. Surrounded by lush rainforest, the village is also a popular spot for bird watching, with views of the valley from strategic points along the gravel trails.

We first visited the Japanese Garden, which according to the faded sign board is home to the world's first Japanese Tea House in the Tropical Forest.

After climbing some stairs it's time to take a breather before walking further!

Typical Japanese Garden set up

Koi fish swimming in the clear and shallow pond

After the tour of the Japanese Garden we then visited the Botanical Garden which is just opposite the Japanese Garden.

At the entrance to the Japanese Garden on the left and the Botanical Garden on the right

View of the surrounding hills from the Japanese Village

Later we drove to Colmar Tropicale and spent an hour walking around the resort before we had our dinner at one of the restaurants in the resort. We last stayed here 12 years ago. Nothing much have changed in the short walking street in the resort, except the buildings need better maintenance. 

Entrance to Colmar Tropicale

You can leave your love message here till it fades away!



12 years ago we saw a white swan here. Not sure this is the same one or a replacement!

After dinner we drove to the Meranti Park Suites amidst heavy rain and almost total darkness at some points of the 30 minutes journey.  We booked 6 units of one-bedroom apartment and one unit of two-bedroom apartment for 16 of us. The apartment is spacious and comes with a bedroom and living room. It has a small kitchenette for us to make our drinks and light cooking. I was told that Berjaya Vacation Club has done some renovation to the apartments not too long ago.

Day 2 - 25 Oct 2019

Some of us woke up early and have our morning walk outside the apartments. Since it is a weekday the place was quiet. We enjoyed the fresh and cool air during our walk.

Group photo in front of the apartment

We checked out at 8;30am to visit the farm house that belongs to a friend of brother Kai Ping. The owners Moses Lim and his wife Chooi Lin hosted a very healthy breakfast for us that consisted of sweet potatoes, tapioca, tempeh and blue flowers and holy basil tea. All these are harvested from their farm that they have tended for 8 years.

Beautiful scenery form the farm house

Exploring the spacious compound of the farm house

A vast varieties of fruit trees and vegetables were planted in the farm. Fruits trees like lemons, avocado, papaya, coconuts, passion fruits, soursops, figs and soon to be durians, are being planted. Various herbs and vegetables like brinjals and ladies fingers were planted. 

These two chickens are temporary housed here before they end up in the cooking pot!

Two of the large lemons

A type of gourd

Ribena flowers

Ladies fingers flower

Soursop

Large avocado variety

Coffee flowers

We enjoyed our breakfast at the large outdoor terrace of the house while enjoying the cool air and nice scenery

Group photo with Moses Lim (Back 4th from the left) and Chooi Lin(Front 4th from the left)

Our last stop was the rabbit park. Unfortunately a lot of the rabbits have died. Only a few are left to roam around the small park. Many are caged up with some suffering from various diseases.

Some of the caged rabbits

We had our lunch at Restaurant Foon Lock, which is one of the oldest restaurants in Bukit Tinggi Village. We had the signature rice wine ginger chicken meehoon, crispy pork noodle and the Cantonese fried koay teow and meehoon. After lunch some of us did some shopping at the nearby stalls for Bentong ginger, vegetables and fruits before departing back to Kuantan 

Our sumptuous lunch

Overall it was a very fun and educational trip. We learnt a bit of agricultural techniques for cultivating figs and ideas for making our own Japanese garden! Some of the ladies even learnt a recipe or two from Chooi Lin, our hostess in Berjaya Hills!