Exploring the Tranquility of Karak

Tired of the hustle and bustle of city life...traffic jams, lack of parking space and flashfloods after a heavy downpour? Why not take a break and go back to nature, enjoy the fresh mountain air and scenic views....just within a stone's throw of Kuala Lumpur.

Directions to Orchard Heights

I am talking about a sleepy town called Karak which is less than an hour's drive from Gombak Toll. Today, five of us golfing kakis (addicts) and two of their partners decided to take a break from city life and headed for Orchard Heights, Karak. The purpose was twofold - to feast on local fruits in a dusun (orchard) and to view plots of land available for sale. The project is owned by a group of entrepreneurs who are committed to country style living in a safe, healthy and environmentally-friendly surroundings. On hand to greet us was one of the partners, Major (R) Ng Chun Hoo, who is RMC-schooled and a close friend of Encik Bakar Sulaiman, Audie's partner.


At the temporary clubhouse, we were given a briefing on the project by Major Ng. The total area of Orchard Heights is 187 acres. The area has been divided into plots ranging in size from 44,000 to 65,000 sq. ft. that are suitable for a weekend retreat or even permanent homes. Orchard Heights is ideal for those who want to live in idyllic surroundings in the hills and yet, is near enough to get to Kuala Lumpur. Land owners get to enjoy common facilities such as a matured orchard, boating lake and a haven for anglers. Infrastructure is well in place and security is provided by perimeter fencing.

Temporary Clubhouse

Project Briefing By Major Ng

Prior to arrival, Major Ng had made arrangements for a fruitfest for us to enjoy. There was a heap of durians of various varieties with exotic names such as musang king (fox king), kucing tidur (sleeping cat), udang merah (red prawn), the well-known "D24" strain and even the rather rude bulu bawah (hair in the lower extremities). Major Ng could not explain to us the origin of this rude name and how it is connected to the King of Fruits! Perhaps any durian lover reading this blog can help out here.

Durians galore..."yum ley sek" (all you can eat)

Woman Power!

Kucing Tidur (Sleeping Cat)

King of Fruits in all its glory!

This is the life....Irene after the "durianfest"

There were also heaps of rambutan (rambut = hair) and pulasan (pulas = twist). Pulasan is almost similar to rambutan except that the skin is not hairy and the flesh is thicker . Major Ng assured us that they do not use pesticides to grow the fruit trees; hence the fruits are safe to eat.

Rambutan (rambut = hair)

Pulasan (pulas = twist)

Pisang Raja (King of Bananas!)

After eating to our hearts' content, we all jumped onto Major Ng's four-wheel-drive vehicle for the tour.

"Minah Kebun" (female orchard laborers) chilling out after a hard day's work! (from left: Audie, Irene, Torah and Adrenaline Junkie)

We were first taken to the viewing tower for a panoramic view of the area, with mist-covered mountain tops in the distance. Oh! the tranquility of country living....with fresh air and picturesque views! This would be a perfect place to recharge, meditate, write or even read the books that you have never found the time to read.

Tranquility.....

The fruit trees and surroundings reminded me of my childhood days in a small town called Selama, about 30 miles north of Taiping in the state of Perak. We had a house on a 2-acre rubber plantation and my cousins and I spent many happy days running around the plantation collecting biji getah (rubber seeds) which are used for a traditional game called congkak...more of that in another posting.

Durians on a tree

Sour Sop

....and pretty flowers

A tree laden with birds' nests

Major Ng then showed us his home and then we proceeded to visit the home of Madam Jeswant Kaur, who, by the way, lives alone and commutes to Kuala Lumpur every fortnight or so. She is looking forward to having like-minded neighbors to enjoy healthy and stress-free living in Orchard Heights.

Major Ng's home.....perched on a hillock

Jeswant's home is designed in the style of Australian homes but as it rained when we arrived, I could not snap a photo of the house from the outside. Her bedroom has a panoramic view of the mountains beyond and there is a fish pond facing the patio. The only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of grass-cutting machines as the Nepalese workers were doing maintenance work. Otherwise, it was peace and quiet. We promised Jeswant that we would return one day and have a pot-luck style picnic and perhaps spend a few days to experience actually living there.

The view from Jeswant's bedroom

Fish Pond facing the patio

The gracious hostess with her guests (Sitting: Datin Rahmah, Jeswant. Standing [L to R]: Major Ng, Torah, Audie, Bakar, Irene, Dato' Syed Salleh)

Since we could not eat all the fruits that were gathered for us, we took home the rest with happy memories of a "fruitful" afternoon in Karak. Before leaving, Major Ng extended a kind invitation for us to return anytime, even if we decide not to purchase a plot, for, in his words, "at this age, even if you cannot make money, you can still make friends".

True indeed, Major! Thank you for your gracious hospitality and we will certainly return.

(Author's note: some photographs have been reproduced with Major Ng's permission)