GAHARU TEA VALLEY GOPENG
Photographs courtesy of Gaharu Tea Valley Gopeng
The Gaharu Tea Valley Gopeng
is not only a place rich in producing tea leaves and herbs, but has recently
turned into a tourism attraction in the state (Perak).
Go
straight to the Gaharu Tea Valley Gopeng that covers an area of 300 acre
planted with 200,000 Gaharu (agarwood) trees on terrace slopes, here.
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| A BEAUTIFUL SCENERY AT GAHARU TEA VALLEY GOPENG |
The
Gaharu wood has 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 its health benefits.
So
high was it regarded that this natural forest treasure is known as the “Wood of
Gods”.
The Gaharu trees are being listed in the
Malaysia Book of Records for achieving the first organic mono crop Gaharu
plantation, and also listed as an endangered species by the Convention on
International trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna known as
CITES.
Initially,
the tea plantation only focuses on producing the scented gaharu wood which is
much sought-after for its medicinal value and fragrance from the resinous
heartwood used for incense and perfume before it ventures into tourism.
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| TEA MAKING |
Its
founder David Ho was motivated by a story told to him during his school days on
how the Chinese emperors sent voyages of people around Asia to look for Gaharu
as an ingredient for health, strength and longevity, and how the people never
return as the story ended.
In
1992, Ho was destined to have met a Japanese Sensei from the generation of
imperial doctors who then introduced 200 Gaharu seedlings to him and from the
recollection of his childhood stories, he continued the legacy of preserving
the Gaharu trees in Gopeng.
The
trees took him fifteen years to be matured enough to produce high quality
planting stock for a sustainable cultivation of gaharu material to further be
produced into holistically healthy products for the mass.
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| GAHARU GREEN PARK |
According
to Ho, Gaharu tree are able not only to produce good yield of essential oil
used for worship or smearing on instruments for protection, it also produce
tea, beads or carved statutes, incense for worship and a collection of wood
chip as personal treasure.
“Due
to its uniqueness, this special species of all Gaharu has been aptly coined as
HOGA (Holistic Gaharu). It is holistic in its quality as its benefits can be
extracted from every part of the tree.
“Products
made from gaharu by Gaharu Technologies Sdn Bhd include cookies, nougat, ice
cream, instant noodles, chicken soup mix, tea bags and Chi Kut Teh soup mix.
“It
is believed that extracts from gaharu contain anti-carcinogen, anti-oxidant,
anti-aging, and anti-diabetic agents,” said Ho who is also the chairman of
Gaharu Tea Valley Gopeng.
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| TEA LEAVES FACTORY |
Ho
added that apart from promoting the good use of Gaharu products, we want to
create awareness of the importance of preserving and cultivate these trees in a
sustainable way through allowing free entrance to Gaharu Tea Valley Gopeng as
an educational destination for Gaharu trees.
“Tourists
need only to pay a fee for an optional guided tour with van ride around the
plantation.
“The
detour includes a stop made at the three stations – viewing stage, Hugging
Park, Lover’s park and Valentine’s Love Lock Park.
TOURIST ATTRACTION
To
start off the journey, tourists will stop by the viewing stage to take
photographs with some 3D photo gallery, available at this station.
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| TOURISTS POSING AT 3-D PHOTO GALLERY |
Here,
one can have an awesome view of the tea valley as well as sunrise set view if
one can stay on to 6pm.
Next,
is the Hugging Park where visitors can enjoy the fresh air of negative ions.
The negative ions are released by the plants and help to remove fatigue,
stimulate the nervous system and stabilize emotion.
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| HUGGING PARK |
It
is believed that hugging a Gaharu tree is auspicious and has been practiced in
Middle Eastern cultures since 600 AD.
At
the Lover’s Park, visitors can have a closer look at an intertwining pair of
trees embraces each other like lovers. As the branches connected together and
are inseparable, the locals here named them the Lover’s Tree.
According
to legendary tales, with the love oath made by lovers under this Lover’s Tree,
the lovers will be blessed with everlasting romance and not be separated from
each other forever.
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| A NEWLY WED COUPLE POSING AT LOVERS' PARK |
Lastly,
the visit will be incomplete without taking photographs with the well protected
fortress surrounding the plantation named “Great Wall of Gopeng” – a replica of
the Great Wall of China, at its entrance.
The
3m (meter) high wall with 6m walkway width was built to keep the plantation
safe from any intrusions especially wild animals in its vicinity.
MOVIE PRODUCTION
Interestingly,
the plantation has also attracted some eight movie production companies locally
and foreign who choose this site for a part for shooting their movie or
advertisement.
One
of the more popular one was “Hello Babies” a Hong Kong Chinese New Year movie
(2014) and “Ninja” a local movie (2015).
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| A CAST FROM "NINJA" FILMING AT GAHARU TEA VALLEY |
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