A FRUITFUL VISIT TO AN ORCHARD

Being a country wellknown for her diversity, Malaysia offers not only an interesting and colourful blend of different races, religions, cultures, traditions, and food; blessed with a tropical climate, she is also home to an amazing collection of exotic flora and fauna.

The country's climate is also suitable to grow various tropical and subtropical fruits found in countries that share similar climate. Some 370 species of edible fruits, including rare and exotic ones are grown here.

It is indeed an extremely refreshing and interesting experience if we are able to witness some rarely seen or never before seen exotic fruits from South East Asia and places like Central and South America, Central Africa, India, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands, all in one destination.

If you have a penchant for fruits, you must definitely make a trip to Tropical Fruit Farm, at Teluk Bahang in Penang, Malaysia.

Located at about 800 feet above sea level on the hilly terrain of Teluk Bahang, Tropical Fruit Farm (above) is an ideal location for cultivating many types of tropical and subtropical fruit trees. The orchard, which was developed in 1993, covers 25 acres.

According to its owner, Mr. Quah Ewe Kheng, Tropical Fruit Farm is a ‘conservation farm'. It is meant to conserve the rare and exotic fruit trees and to educate visitors, on the gift that our land is blessed with.

Amid the intensive development in our state's rural areas, Tropical Fruit Farm also aimed to make a positive role towards agriculture and eco/agro tourism by preserving our green heritage.

Over the years, the orchard has acquired many rare and exotic fruit trees from the region as well as from farflung corners of the globe such as South East Asia, Central and South America, Central Africa, India, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands.

Today, the orchard boasts a collection of over 200 different species and the list is still growing.

Besides having familiar fruit like avocado, bananas, jackfruit, lemon, longan, lychee, nutmeg, papaya, pomegranate, sugar apple, sour sop, star fruit, dragon fruit and peaches, there are also some unknown species like the miracle fruit, lemba, jambu ara, fig,delicious monster, tampang, and nam nam.

Most people probably have not heard of any of these species in their entire life, so the only way to know how they look and taste like is to visit Tropical Fruit Farm.

While there, look out for a tiny red colour fruit called "miracle fruit". The juice of the fruit when squeezed in the mouth will make every sour fruit that we eat tastes sweet!

Mr. Quah said most of these exotic fruits would grow in abundance during the hot season, especially around April to May.

Visitors have to pay around RM15 - RM20, for a guided tour around the farm and a fruit plate at the end of the tour.

Visitors can also choose to purchase their many choices of refreshing juices like starfruit, jackfruit, guava, mango and durian, that are being sold from RM3 to RM5.

Their dessert, Fruit Ice (top), is highly recommended. It has a variety of fruits at the bottom covered by ice with jackfruit as topping. It serves as an energy booster after a long sweaty walk up the hilly terrain.

The orchard also prepares a hefty BBQ buffet spread on weekends and public holidays, as well as during weekdays under special request where there are at least 30 pax visiting the orchard.

Tropical Fruit Farm provides its own bus service to bring visitors from hotels located along Batu Feringghi and Teluk Bahang to the orchard. Visitors are advised to check with Tropical Fruit Farm for the pickup time.

Whether you're young or old, a visit to Tropical Fruit Farm is both enjoyable and educational. Just make sure that you are there when most of the fruit are in season.

So why not head for the Tropical Fruit Farm to relish the variety of fruits that thrive in Malaysia's climate and to discover the fascinating miracle fruit.

Tropical Fruit Farm
18 Miles, Jalan Teluk Bahang
Penang

Correspondence Address:
32, Kelawai Road
10250 Penang
Tel: 04-2276223
Fax: 04-229 0179
Email: info@tropicalfruits.com.my

ISSUED BY: Communications Division, Tourism Malaysia
DATE: June 18, 2003
For further information, please contact
Daryl Yep at (603)-2693 5188 or email:
daryl@tourism.gov.my