By Mei Kuan
Nestled against a natural backdrop of limestone hills, Hugh Low Valley Teahouse at Hugh Low Valley in Ulu Piah is an open-door farm offering a variety of family-friendly fun. Newly launched on the first day of this year, the 2.5-acre spot offers free entry to all.
More than just a farm, Ipoh Echo spoke to Winson Lee, the owner of Hugh Low Valley Teahouse to learn more.
“When I found this place, I fell in love with the scenery and limestone hills among others. My initial intention was to plant durians for my own consumption. Then, I realised that a beautiful setting like this should be shared as many farms here are closed-door ones. Thus, I decided to open up the place and enable everyone to enjoy the view and to instill appreciation for our limestone hills,” explained the Ipoh boy who finds farming a lot of fun.
Hugh Low Valley Teahouse is one of the first farms in Ipoh to rent out small garden plots where families with children can do farming or gardening together for their own consumption—be it vegetable, fruit or flower! Ideal for the busy adults caught up in work, as an in-house gardener is ever-ready to take care of the plants in your absence. Plus, the minimal fee is set at just RM10 per month for a plot of 4 feet times 10 feet in size.
Not to be missed is the experience of picking in-season fruits. For instance, the rose apple, which is also known as wax apple, is available at the moment at only RM0.50 per fruit!
Meanwhile, the teahouse offers pork-free dishes for dine-in with the ingredients partially sourced from the farm itself. By pre-order only, its menu changes from time to time.
Another favourite activity here is to have a picnic by bringing your own food (pork-free only). To add on to the fun, visitors may rent a hammock for the day at RM10.
Nature lovers and photography enthusiasts, if fortunate, may also chance upon wildlife in their natural habitat. While we were there, the Ipoh Echo team was in luck as we sighted a flock of egrets wading in water and a very adorable otter basking in the morning sun on our first visit!
“People, especially nature lovers, find this a relaxing place to be. Old folks and retirees really like to unwind here with tea. On most weekends, the place is fully booked,” the ever amiable Winson enthused.
“We have planted a variety of durians which will bear fruits in about 5 years, namely red-fleshed durian, orange-fleshed durian, yellow-fleshed durian and white-fleshed durian. One unique variety is the rainbow-fleshed durian from Borneo. In the near future, we will offer camping complete with camping gear. We will also convert an existing hut into a private space for small or family events. One of the long-term plans is to do a hanging bridge or a flying fox zipline across the valley to explore the cave opposite,” he shared.
The over 3km path leading to the hidden gem is mostly untarred so do expect a slightly bumpy ride—rest assured that there are multiple guiding signboards and the destination is worth the journey.
Hugh Low Valley Teahouse is open on Saturday and Sunday from 8am till 5pm. In light of the CMCO, visits are limited to 10 people at a time by appointment basis.
For more exciting updates, visit its Facebook page. Inquiries can be directed to the number 016 4389501.
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