Malaysia Agro-Tourism

Malaysia began its post-Independence economy with an agrarian base, which has prepared it well to develop agricultural and commodities-based tourism, the hottest niche in eco-tourism today.
Recognizing that agro-tourism holds a fascination for both Malaysians and visitors alike, organizers of excursions these days include tours to rubber and oil palm estates, as well as pepper farms, fish farms, flower nurseries and fruit orchards. Fruit orchards have proven especially popular with visitors, not least because they get to enjoy the delicious exotic fruits they are there to learn about!
Visits are structured around a tour offering insight into the cultivation, care, processing and manufacturing of these commodities for sale or export. The industry includes crops such as maize, cocoa, rubber, rice, fruits, oil palm and a variety of other products from which many Malaysians still earn a living.
Many locals and some adventurous visitors invariably seek out orchards dedicated to the famous and sometimes detested king of all fruits, the durian. Sometimes described as 'hell on the outside and heaven on the inside', the durian has few ambivalent fans, as you either tend to thoroughly enjoy it or not!
Visitors to durian farms can sample a range of these spiky, custard-like fruits with pulpy flesh that runs an entire gamut of textures and tastes from sweet to tart and more!
But durians are obviously not the only choice. In tropical Malaysia, an amazing array of exotic fruits awaits the fruit aficionado all year around. Among the many choices are the rambutan, langsat, mangosteen, jackfruit, pineapple and mango. Visits to these fruit farms often involve tucking into ready-to-eat freshly picked fruits.
Visitors to the highlands must pay a visit to the tea estates which grace their slopes. A number of these have been established since the early part of the last century, and harvesting and processing methods have changed little since.
Cameron Highlands, with its gentle slopes surrounded by loftier hills, is especially noted for its long-established estates. Most have excellent visitor facilities and provide guided tours of the tea factories.
On rubber estates, visitors have the opportunity to experience first-hand how to tap a rubber tree and witness how latex is processed - from coagulation to pressing and smoking. Malaysia is among the world's largest producers of this extremely valuable and versatile product.
Another of the country's largest export commodities is palm oil. Today, Malaysia is a world leader in the research and development of this multi-purpose fruit. The clusters of orange-red fruits produce refined cooking oil and other palm-olein products for use in the cosmetic and chemical industries.
In the northern regions of Peninsular Malaysia, a number of spice and herb farms dot the countryside. Nutmeg is especially abundant. While over in East Malaysia, visitors to pepper farms in Sarawak will be fascinated to know that black and white pepper come from the same tree! The difference is achieved in the processing of the corns. White pepper is more mature, having been soaked and had its outer skin removed before drying, while black pepper is dried in its original state.
A number of these destinations have stay-over facilities with a wide range of non-agricultural activities to enjoy as well, including fishing, kayaking and nature walks. In many cases, full room and board packages are available, meaning that guests get to indulge in local home-cooking as well.
Agro-tourism has a number of attractions, both to the visitor and the host. While it provides for interesting visits and discovery, many of these centers also serve as research and development hubs for the perpetuation and improvement of the agricultural industry in the country.