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The entire country of Malaysia could actually be described as one garden spot. Its countryside is covered with lush tropical forests. Its extensive freeways system allows travelers to drive by scenic hills and fields covered with vegetation and trees. Even the boulevards of cosmopolitan cities like Kuala Lumpur and Penang are lined with age-old trees.
Just before Christmas, the CEO of the Penang-based Kean Beng Lee Industries toured a group of Philippine media practitioners to various farms and gardens located in Penang and nearby destinations. Kean Beng Lee happens to own the Baba brand of gardening products, which are distributed in the Philippines by Tasman Co.
One of the major destinations the group visited was a mountainous region called the Cameron Highlands. A few towns are located in this region, which Kean Beng Lee’s CEO Jvhwen Leong describes as Malaysia’s version of Baguio City. Like Baguio, the highlands serve as a mountain resort. Happily, the place is more rustic and it doesn’t have the traffic and crowds that have long been associated with our own summer capital. The towns remain quiet and quaint as opposed to Malaysia’s other mountain resort, the Genting Highlands, which is dominated by huge hotel complexes, casinos and theme parks.
Cameron Highlands is 214 kilometers north of Kuala Lumpur, which is roughly the same distance of Manila and Baguio. But the drive to the Highlands takes only three hours, or half the time it takes us to drive to Baguio. The faster drive is largely attributed to the wide and smoothly paved freeways of Malaysia. It also helps that a lot of Malaysians drive at an average speed of 140 kph. And like Baguio, the Highlands are located 5, 000 feet above sea level, which makes it perfect for plants that require cooler climates to grow and bloom.
The highlands were named after a British colonial governor, William Cameron. Reportedly, it was the British who discovered that the mountains were fertile enough to plant tea. Hence, there are numerous tea plantations in the area. The place still retains much of its European heritage, especially in the architecture of some of the buildings. Farmers still use the Land Rovers of 1960s vintage to transport their products. The ubiquitous vehicles were shipped in by the British and most of them are still running. Ditto with the well-preserved Mercedes Benz 200s of 1970s vintage. The cars are used as taxicabs.
The big tourist attractions of the Cameron Highlands are the farms and plant nurseries. Obviously, most of these nurseries make use of the garden products of Baba, most especially the plastic pots the company manufactures. Apparently, numerous Malaysians have embraced the advantages of using plastic pots as opposed to clay pots. They’re lighter to handle and they offer several features that make life more comfortable and easier for both the plant and the planter.
One nursery for ornamental plants uses hundreds of these plastic pots for hundreds of flowers, most of which are exported to other countries. As it turns out, the use of plastic pots for nurseries is more efficient and saves a lot of money. Another major customer of Baba is the Big Red Strawberry Farm, which is not only a farm but a major agro tourism destination. Busloads of tourists visit the farm to tour the nurseries and shop for strawberries and other products like candy and drinks containing strawberry ingredients.
One unforgettable destination is the BOH Tea Farm located in the Blue Valley of the Highlands, which covers hundreds of hectares of hills all covered with tea plants. It’s also a tourist-friendly farm as the hills are a sight to behold. Almost every space of the mountains is covered with tea plants which make them resemble the picturesque vineyards of Tuscany. A viewing deck is located on the highest hill and it offers a panoramic view of the farm.
Tourists, however, are advised to see the place in the early afternoon, before the fog covers the entire place. It also takes a lot of stamina to make the climb but the view is well worth it.
While Cameron Highlands isn’t a happening place like Baguio or Genting Highlands, the place offers a real respite. The gardens and farms are tranquil and it’s a haven for anyone who loves plants and gardening.
SOURCE: MANILA BULLETIN
WWW.MB.COM.PH
By DENNIS LADAW
Just before Christmas, the CEO of the Penang-based Kean Beng Lee Industries toured a group of Philippine media practitioners to various farms and gardens located in Penang and nearby destinations. Kean Beng Lee happens to own the Baba brand of gardening products, which are distributed in the Philippines by Tasman Co.
One of the major destinations the group visited was a mountainous region called the Cameron Highlands. A few towns are located in this region, which Kean Beng Lee’s CEO Jvhwen Leong describes as Malaysia’s version of Baguio City. Like Baguio, the highlands serve as a mountain resort. Happily, the place is more rustic and it doesn’t have the traffic and crowds that have long been associated with our own summer capital. The towns remain quiet and quaint as opposed to Malaysia’s other mountain resort, the Genting Highlands, which is dominated by huge hotel complexes, casinos and theme parks.
Cameron Highlands is 214 kilometers north of Kuala Lumpur, which is roughly the same distance of Manila and Baguio. But the drive to the Highlands takes only three hours, or half the time it takes us to drive to Baguio. The faster drive is largely attributed to the wide and smoothly paved freeways of Malaysia. It also helps that a lot of Malaysians drive at an average speed of 140 kph. And like Baguio, the Highlands are located 5, 000 feet above sea level, which makes it perfect for plants that require cooler climates to grow and bloom.
The highlands were named after a British colonial governor, William Cameron. Reportedly, it was the British who discovered that the mountains were fertile enough to plant tea. Hence, there are numerous tea plantations in the area. The place still retains much of its European heritage, especially in the architecture of some of the buildings. Farmers still use the Land Rovers of 1960s vintage to transport their products. The ubiquitous vehicles were shipped in by the British and most of them are still running. Ditto with the well-preserved Mercedes Benz 200s of 1970s vintage. The cars are used as taxicabs.
The big tourist attractions of the Cameron Highlands are the farms and plant nurseries. Obviously, most of these nurseries make use of the garden products of Baba, most especially the plastic pots the company manufactures. Apparently, numerous Malaysians have embraced the advantages of using plastic pots as opposed to clay pots. They’re lighter to handle and they offer several features that make life more comfortable and easier for both the plant and the planter.
One nursery for ornamental plants uses hundreds of these plastic pots for hundreds of flowers, most of which are exported to other countries. As it turns out, the use of plastic pots for nurseries is more efficient and saves a lot of money. Another major customer of Baba is the Big Red Strawberry Farm, which is not only a farm but a major agro tourism destination. Busloads of tourists visit the farm to tour the nurseries and shop for strawberries and other products like candy and drinks containing strawberry ingredients.
One unforgettable destination is the BOH Tea Farm located in the Blue Valley of the Highlands, which covers hundreds of hectares of hills all covered with tea plants. It’s also a tourist-friendly farm as the hills are a sight to behold. Almost every space of the mountains is covered with tea plants which make them resemble the picturesque vineyards of Tuscany. A viewing deck is located on the highest hill and it offers a panoramic view of the farm.
Tourists, however, are advised to see the place in the early afternoon, before the fog covers the entire place. It also takes a lot of stamina to make the climb but the view is well worth it.
While Cameron Highlands isn’t a happening place like Baguio or Genting Highlands, the place offers a real respite. The gardens and farms are tranquil and it’s a haven for anyone who loves plants and gardening.
SOURCE: MANILA BULLETIN
WWW.MB.COM.PH
By DENNIS LADAW
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