Along the Batu Gajah-Tanjung Tualang-Kubu Gajah arterial road is a plethora of delightful must-visit attractions. The list includes the iconic Kellie’s Castle, the one and only standing tin dredge, Tanjung Tualang’s seafood restaurants and the latest addition, the glorious Perak Agrotourism Resort.
Located about 5km from Tanjung Tualang the resort is owned and managed by the Perak State Agriculture Development Corporation. It is located on a sprawling 600-acre disused mining land with a pristine landscape as its backdrop. The resort consists of 12 tastefully-built villas and a Rumah Kutai (traditional Malay house) to boot. It can comfortably accommodate about 28 guests at any one time.
The villas and the traditional house overlook a man-made lake, constructed from what was once a mining pool. The setting offers guests a wonderful view of the surroundings. Cool breezes flutter the wide expanse of water and coupled with the sight of birds in flight, the panorama is well worth savouring.
“Believe me, the serenity here is overwhelming,” said resort general manager, Azhar Radzi a Kedahan by origin.
Some of us may be familiar with the word “glamping”, a gorgeous mix of glamour and camping. Have you seen a tent that comes with bedding, air-conditioning and other amenities? It is glamour plus comfort, all rolled into one. A dedicated site for glamping and camping will be established soon to cater for this latest holidaying trend.
There are four types of villas – small, medium, semi-detached and the traditional house (Rumah Kutai). The traditional house comes with a bedroom, a living room and a dining room. Its external bathroom is equipped with a Jacuzzi hot-water tub. Rates range from RM350 to RM1200, inclusive of breakfast.
“We lack appreciation of our own culture and this is worrying. We want our guests, especially outsiders, to enjoy an experience rather than just another stay at a resort,” said Azhar to this scribe.
“What we want to promote here is the Perak Tengah (Central) culture, something that is not adequately portrayed. When the restaurant is up and running, I want the chef to be familiar with Perak Tengah’s dishes. We’ll entertain our guests with Perak Tengah’s traditional dances like tarian gabus and bubu,” he added.
Recreational activities available include tour of a mango orchard, stingless honey bees, herbal garden, salted-eggs processing, mini-petting zoo, water and jet-skiing, canoeing, all-terrain vehicle rides, mountain biking, archery and paintball game, to name a few. Visitors are allowed to pluck mangoes either to eat or to bring home. Freshwater fish and prawns caught in the lake can be cooked at the restaurant.
“These are the things we want to promote. We’re not here to stake claims over the largest conference hall, largest room, etc. We’re here to encourage our guests to appreciate nature,” exclaimed Azhar.
Works on the resort began in December 2014 and are expected to be completed in early 2019.
Perak Agrotourism Resort will be operational beginning September this year. Inquiries and bookings can be made via its website www.destinationperak.travel or through its Facebook page: PERAK Agrotourism Resort.
Khaleeja
