Agrotourism is not only about growing fruits and vegetables, or raising cows.
A LOT has happened this year. After two years of being plagued by Covid-19 worries, Malaysia has finally transitioned to the endemic phase in April.
As the world slowly adapts to the virus and borders begin to reopen, many have vowed to carry out "revenge travelling", which is great!
The travel industry is quickly rebounding, as seen in the pricey flight tickets and hotel charges at year end.
Moving forward with the revenge travel phase almost over, 2023 looks to be a year of real travelling for travellers, and not tourists.
Travel experts project that next year is all about reconnecting with oneself, family and friends, besides communities and nature.
Travellers the world over are expected to plan their journeys responsibly and sustainably.
A travelling trend that is expected to gain traction next year is agrotourism.
According to a report by Future Market Insight, there will be a significant rise in the demand for agrotourism in the next few decades, with market value rising from US$213.9 billion in 2019 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 11.3 per cent.
And Malaysia has many worthy agrotourism attractions that offer exciting (and affordable) packages!
URBAN ZOOS
Lessons on sustainable living should begin at an early age and urban farms are a good place to start.
One of the well-known spots is Farm In The City in Seri Kembangan, Selangor. The nature park with an edutainment exposition offers visitors opportunities to interact with farm animals and learn about farming.
Having been in operation for more than 10 years, the farm has won numerous awards and recognitions for being one of the best attractions for kids.
Today, it has more than 100 species of tame and exotic animals for visitors to pet, as well as more than 300 birds from around the globe.
Set in a village setting, visitors can look forward to exploring all 18 stations, which include the ostrich farm, the "Longevity Village" that houses rare and exotic tortoises and turtles, the free-flight aviary, the reptile cavern, a pet village, a longkang fishing pond and a vegetable farm, besides an orchard with more than 60 tropical fruit trees.
The urban farm is also actively doing research and conservation to improve the wellbeing of its animals and plant life, as well as offers wildlife and environmental education programmes.
Besides Farm In The City, Selangor has a new farm attraction that offers a comparable experience.
Located in one of Malaysia's largest malls, the IOI City Farm spans more than 1,600 square metres on two levels with an indoor garden and a mini zoo.
It is the country's first indoor farm park, which makes it a one-of-the-kind attraction that provides comfort to visitors, especially families with young children.
It's an interesting space where one can learn about agriculture, especially the use of aquaponics.
Kids can learn the different types of plants and herbs growing in its terrariums. There's also trivia at every corner for them to read.
The farm-in-a-mall also features exotic animals in glass enclosures and zones that allow visitors to pet cuddly chicks and small animals.
There's also a zone called the Freshwater World. Why did IOI City Farm choose to culture freshwater fish? It is because they are ideal for aquaponic systems that can sustain each other with nutrients.
Want to know more? Experts like zoologists, botanists and aquarists are on-hand to answer your questions.
Other urban farms in Malaysia are the G2G Animal Garden in Serdang and the KL Tower Mini Zoo in Kuala Lumpur.
DAIRY FARMS
When it comes to agrotourism, many dairy farms are integrating the concept into their core industry; a sustainable move for the business.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Desa Cattle Dairy Farm at the foot of Gunung Kinabalu in Kundasang was one of the top attractions in Sabah.
Dubbed the "Little New Zealand", the 199-hectare farm is owned by Desa Cattle Sdn Bhd, the main dairy product company in Borneo that was established in 1980.
It's a breathtaking destination with highland landscapes, fresh cool air and foggy surroundings.
Although visitors come here purely for the scenery, there are plenty of activities to do, such as calf and goat feeding, sampling of desserts made from fresh milk, and educational tours like barn viewing.
Visitors can also visit the milking parlour to observe how the cows are milked, besides the processing and packaging process.
The cows in the farm comprise the Holstein Friesian breed, which is famous for its high milk production capability, which can hit around 900,00 litres annually.
Offering only three visits per day (for up to 1,200 visitors per session), visitors have to book in advance.
For a more affordable experience, "moo" over to Ladang Farm Fresh in Serdang, Selangor; another brand new "cattle farm" attraction to have fun and learn about the natural goodness of milk.
Farm Fresh produces a variety of products and at the farm, visitors will be able to observe sustainable farming practices.
Through its educational guided tours, visitors will be shown how the cows are handled, learn about milking and how the industry keeps milk fresh through pasteurisation.
Among the sustainable initiatives at the farm include rainwater harvesting and recycling cow manure into fertiliser using composting worms.
Besides the dairy farm, Ladang Farm Fresh also features agrotourism products like the greenhouse for visitors to see how it grows fresh produce using aquaponic and hydroponic systems. Visitors can take home a seedling and start their own garden.
The farm also has a petting zoo, a koi pond, as well as a kitchen that offers farm-to-table cuisine, serving Italian and Asian favourites!
FRUIT ORCHARD
Fruit orchards are also one of the main attractions that support the agrotourism sector. An established fruit farm that has made its name is Desaru Fruit Farm in Kota Tinggi, Johor.
The 30-year-old award-winning farm has expanded its offerings, to include a one-stop service centre for educational tours on fruits, plants and petting animals.
It was recognised as Malaysia's Best Agrotourism site in 2006 and also categorised as the most Innovative Tourism Attraction — Agrotourism Conservation under the Malaysia Tourism Awards four years later.
With over 70 hectares of tropical fruit land, visitors can learn about good agricultural practices and integrated pest management, besides visiting herbal and vegetable gardens.
It also has an apiary where visitors can sit-in through an educational talk on beekeeping.
The country's other exciting agrotourism attraction is the Selangor Fruit Valley in Kuala Selangor, which offers amazing family-friendly experiences.
It has plenty of attractions for kids, including tram rides, a petting zoo, fruit harvesting sessions and tours of its herbal garden.
However, a unique experience is the rubber tapping sessions that let visitors get a hands-on experience of tapping rubber.
Another fun activity involves making salted eggs at the preservation centre, where you can take back your eggs to eat at home.
TEA PLANTATION
One of the most recognisable agrotourism attractions that has gained recognition internationally for many years is the tea plantation. It's likely one of the main reasons people drive up to Cameron Highlands, Pahang.
Situated more than 1,524 metres above sea level on the Titiwangsa mountain range of Peninsular Malaysia, Cameron Highlands offers unspoilt natural landscapes, panoramic views and a pleasant weather.
The Sungai Palas Tea Garden and Boh Tea Garden — both owned by Boh, an established tea plantation company in Malaysia — were opened in 2007 to expand agrotourism in the highlands.
Visitors will be able to go on a tea factory tour to see how the company crafts its teas, go for tea tasting, try out some great food and beverages, as well as souvenir shopping.
Besides tea, Cameron Highlands is also famous for its fruits and vegetables farms, including strawberries.
Meanwhile, a more underrated tea plantation that is also offering agritourism for visitors is the Gaharu Tea Valley in Gopeng, Perak.
The plantation takes pride in being the first organic and sustainable gaharu plantation in the country with more than 200,000 trees, some of which are up to 25 years old.
Founded in 1992, the company produces holistic gaharu herbal tea using the ancient recipe that was extensively researched and formulated to ensure the highest effectiveness while maintaining its unique aroma and flavour.
Of course, this special tea has been touted to have health benefits, besides helping to improve sleep.
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