Story and photos by Nik Naizi Husin
Thursday February 25, 2010
Bentong: Genting Highlands has new attractions for the droves of tourists who visit its theme parks and casino. It is now also home to strawberry and orchid farms.
Genting Strawberry Leisure Farms chief executive K.C. Chung said his farm was conceptualised a year ago to diversify the tourism products in Genting Highlands.
“Cameron Highlands is famous for its strawberries and people travel there to visit its many big farms.
Getting ripe: Chung showing the unplucked strawberries at his farm in Genting Highlands recently.
“Although our farm is just a little over 2ha, we optimised the use of space with the help of friends who are experts in farming besides my own experience.
“The local tourism industry can keep growing if the players are creative in coming up with new ideas,” he said.
Full blossoms: Genting Highlands in Pahang is not just known for its theme park and casino as it is attracting tourists to an orchid farm and a strawberry farm in its locality.
He said that Genting Highlands appealed to visitors for its cool climate and theme park and now the strawberry farm as well.
“At my farm, visitors can pick strawberries, vegetables and mushrooms by themselves,” he said.
There are several types of mushrooms growing at the farm.
Chung said the farm was crowded during school holidays as admission was free.
For leisure: An attraction at the farm is this bamboo hut.
Some 3km up the road leading to Awana Genting is an orchid farm.
It is a little hidden and many visitors are unaware of it, but orchid lovers have known about The World of Phalaenopsis for years.
Some 50 species thrive on the 0.4ha there.
It was established by Y.K. Yap, who started collecting and growing orchids as a hobby until he realised he had enough of them to start a small farm. -- The StarMetro
Optimum land use; The rows of the strawberry plants at the farm.
Footnote: I think I saw their farm on the way down from First World Hotel. Maybe next time might give it a visit and look see. Something nearer to KL folks rather than travel so far to Cameron Highlands to see strawberry farm. Then again, Cameron Highlands is more soothing with all the greenery than Genting Highlands, eh? - Jan.
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