A Visit To Gaharu Tea Valley, Gopeng.

Last Saturday, hubby and I accompanied our friends to Gopeng for a half day tour. We started our journey at about 8.30 am. Hubby was the driver for the day. First, we started with Gopeng's authentic "Lai Fun" noodle for breakfast at a new food court in Taman Gopeng Jaya. The breakfast post will be scheduled for a later date. Our next destination after breakfast was the Gaharu Tea Valley. From the food court, we saw road sign directing us to Gaharu Tea Valley and we were game to try out this new route. It took us straight to Kampung Sungai Itek without having to pass through Gopeng town. (Kampung is village in Malay.) There was less traffic and no traffic lights on this route.

Gaharu Tea Plantation.

Upon seeing this signboard, we knew we were on the right route.

Hardly any traffic on the road at 9.55 am on a Saturday morning.

Main entrance to Gaharu Tea Valley, Gopeng, surrounded by a 3 m high wall.

Here is an excerpt taken from Wikipedia:

The resin embedded wood is commonly called gaharu, jinko, aloeswood, agarwood, or oud (not to be confused with bukhoor) and is valued in many cultures for its distinctive fragrance, and thus is used for incense and perfumes.

Red plastic lanterns at the gate to welcome visitors.

Visiting hours: Mon to Sun, from 9 am - 6 pm.

Opens on public holidays.

The gaharu wood has long played a significant role in Arabian and Chinese cultures. It is considered to be nature's most valuable wood not only because it is an essential oil but because of it health benefits. So high was it regarded that this natural forest treasure is known as the "wood of gods".

(excerpt from Gaharu Tea Valley's brochure)

Those joining the organized tours for visitors will be taken to the above places at a fee.

Photos on the walls next to the ticket counter.

Colourful umbrellas hanging from the ceiling.

Tour vans to ferry visitors on the organized tours.

Beautiful sculptures.

Concrete fence,

Great wall of Gopeng resembling the Great Wall of China.

More on Gaharu in tomorrow's post.

Passing through the gate.

There were many other visitors besides us.

On our way out after our visit, a busload of tourists was on the way in.

We passed by many Malay kampung (village) houses.

Can you see the white fence?

Neat wooden fence.

Selamat Jalan is Goodbye in Malay.

Passing under an overhead bridge road.

Entering Gopeng town.

Linking to Good Fences.

If a town welcomes you, follow these two rules:

(1) Eat whatever is set before you.

(2) Heal the sick; and as you heal them, say,

'The Kingdom of God is very near you now.'

(Luke 10:8-9, The Living Bible-TLB)