I am always searching for new getaway locations. Hence, I was delighted to hear of one nearby, Tadom Hill Resort.
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| Refreshing Dip |
Tadom Hill Resort is approximately 50KM
from where I stay and the one-hour drive to this resort is a pleasant one. Along the way, you’d see many palm oil plantations and several small lakes. I used Waze as a guide to drive there and, surprisingly, I did not miss any turns like I usually do.
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| Finding Tadom |
Tadom Hill Resort is an eco-friendly
resort nested among the limestone hills and sits
on the orang asli (indigenous peoples of Malaysia) Temuan’s land. The resort uses, and heavily promotes the use of, green bamboos. According to Wikipedia, bamboo is a natural composite material with high strength-to-weight ratio useful for structures. Most of the external structure and
furniture at the resort are bamboo-based. I felt that this natural setting releases
positive endorphins to create a peaceful atmosphere. Visitors can opt for
either a day trip or an overnight visit. If you decide to stay overnight, you
get a chance to experience sleeping in
the magic of the bamboo (catchy tagline yes, I got that from Tadom Hill
Resorts website). There are a few
types of accommodation to choose from - basic eco-tents, hammocks, small bamboo
huts and larger chalets. There are also two restaurants serving a variety of
food and local coffee. If you prefer to show off your culinary skills, there
are 2 BBQ pits.
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| Bamboo Excellence |
Visitors to the resort are of diverse
groups - individuals (locals and foreigners) and corporates for their company
team-building events. During my visit, I saw many local and foreign college students
and local families with young children,
all having fun in the sun.
The biggest slice of the cake here
is the lake itself where most of the action and activities are centred. There is a 5-meter diving platform for the
visitors to challenge themselves and see if they have what it takes to be the
next Pandelela Rinong, or as Dato Lai delicately put it, to get that fear of the
unknown out of their system.
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| Do I See Another Pandelela? |
Other water activities include relaxing on the
bamboo water swing, floating on the bamboo rafts, swimming and kayaking. Safety
is important here, so anyone engaging in water activities needs to have a life
jacket on. There are also non-water activities - environment awareness and
knowledge sharing, ATV, board games, volley ball, etc. The surrounding nature
is very calming, so one could also enjoy the relaxing atmosphere while listening
to the in-house live band (on weekends) with a cold drink. The lake itself is a
natural spring water lake with a mix of rain water. When the lake starts to
fill up, the lake gates are opened, and water is released to the Langat River
so that it doesn’t overflow and flood the area.
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| Around Tadom Hill Resort |
I spent a very informative afternoon
with Dato Lai Yeng Fock, a well-known property developer in Malaysia and the owner
of the Tadom Hill Resort, understanding the importance of bamboo to the eco-system and his plans for the environment and surrounding communities.
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| An Informative Afternoon |
Below is sneak preview of the new
round-shaped building, the
next extension to the resort, also using bamboo as a base
structure. It is the first of
its kind in Malaysia and its inspiration is drawn from the Chinese Fujian
Tulou earthen house concept. Once ready, this two-storey building can accommodate up to 150 guests. The centre of the
building is an open space for common activities. This extension is suitable for everyone and more so
for family gatherings and corporate team building groups. It is near completion
and will be ready for occupancy in May. The resort accepts bookings now.
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| Sneak Preview |
At Tadom Hill Resort, there is no bamboo
wastage. Unused bamboos are recycled by first
cutting them into smaller pieces, drying them, and burning them in retorts until
they become ash. Once cooled, the bamboo ashes are mixed together with soil and
used as organic fertiliser in
their nursery, where
passion fruit, chilies, local vegetables and durians are farmed. Do you remember the charcoal pills that we
take when we have food poisoning and those popular
charcoal bun burgers? Activated bamboo charcoal is used as the food ingredient in
them.
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| No Bamboo Goes to Waste |
I had earlier mentioned the Temuans. They are one of the largest orang asli
ethnic groups in peninsular Malaysia. Dato Lai informed that this land, where the resort is located, originally
belonged to the Temuans and just as any indigenous groups, they are becoming
extinct and it is important to ensure that they are protected and given
opportunities to sustain. Today, he includes their welfare and interests in his
continuous improvement plans for the area. The Temuans are part of his strong
staff force at the resort. They
are highly skilled in hunting and these skills are showcased at the resort to tourists,
during cultural show events.
They are also trained
in new skills so that they can adapt and integrate with
others.
In the next picture, you would notice a large bamboo building. This is a school that the management is setting
up for the Temuan community and visitors. Here, one can learn about local arts and craft including the skills of
the Temuans. It is also a place for Temuan children to acquire new
skills. The school will
be opened very soon, so stay tuned for their exciting learning packages. Today, there are also opportunities for foreign
visitors/volunteers to teach the Temuan children basic language skills. This boosts up the children’s self-confidence when they interact
with strangers.
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| Just Perfect |
Bukit Tadom started as an idea in
2014 and was first set up as a camping-style resort in 2015. It has grown since
and is still growing in its features and facilities. More importantly, it is marking
its significance to the Temuan community who live in the neighbourhood. After a
cup of nice hot Kampong-style coffee
(a local coffee bought from China Town), we left Bukit Tadom with a smile and with
the memories of the postcard-perfect surroundings. Enjoy your cuppa and have a
great week. 💗💙💚💛💜💗
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| Kampong Style Coffee |
Disclosure : Certain products/services mentioned in this post are affiliate links which I may have earned a small commission for my effort to publish this post. This will not incur additional cost to you.
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