GUIDED FARM TOURS

  The visit to the farm area was educational and interesting. Having lived in the tropics before, I was familiar with a lot of the fruits trees and yet I did... read more learn about a few new ones. Most people from the West would find the education well worth their visit. Obviously, the fruit flowering and fruit production on trees is season dependent. Unfortunately, we were there in February and not much fruit production was seen and that was a disappointing. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and fluent in English and easy to understand and did not rush through the tour.

To put this into context, It is not a plantation for sales or export as such but rather a small area with limited number of each of the species of plants and trees on a beautiful and steep hillside. To be honest, we were done in 30 mins.

Suggestions for Management in my humble opinion:
1) Depending on the seasonality of fruit production and tourist’s visual education, the pricing of the tickets should be tiered just like resorts do pricing tiers during different seasons. This way, people do not feel during low season being reaped off. I say this with utmost humility.

2) The main building ( Entry Point) where the tickets are purchased shows a variety of the sample fruits laid out beautifully ( pictures attached) and management should encourage the tour guides to start imparting knowledge from there as they may not get to see some of those non-seasonal fruits on the farm. if imparting knowledge, appreciation and sensitization is their aim, you will have lost an opportunity by not doing so.
Secondly, Taste testing the fruits up on the farm- quality and presentation- Very average- Cut up Fruits looked dried up and would be better served at the Entry Point At the end of the tour. Why do I say that? Here, one should be allow to see the fruits being peeled fresh in front of them and provide them an amazing experience of reminding them them the name of the fruit, how it is prepared for eating and what not to eat of the fruit!. Indulge them to open the fruits themselves and experience the enjoyment of their own learning. Additionally, you could include a sales area for fruits/proteins on a small scale and provide a secondary profit making area.

In any case, it was an interesting visit.

  We did a tour on the fruit farm. At the end of the tour they bring you into their supermarket were you can taste different liquors end honey. The... read more honey that I tasted was good so I decided to buy one. Now, back at home I wanted to eat that honey. That honey that I bought isn't honey. It's just syrup. I would have checked it in the supermarket. The flow behavior isn’t similar to that of honey - it’s more liquid. That’s a fraud. The tour was okey, but anyway I'm very disappointed about getting scammed.

  Our guide was very enthusiastic and informative. Didn’t catch his name unfortunately. It’s about 30 minutes or so for a tour and another 30 minutes for tasting and so forth.... read more Time of year determines what fruit is in season

  The fruit garden is truly amazing. A unique opportunity to sample nature and see up close what your food looks like and where it comes from.

With over... read more 150 species growing in the beautiful hill top farm. A guided tour explains (with expert advice) about the different types of fruit and how long they grow, their origins etc.

A tour is a very worthwhile addition to your Penang holiday experience. My wife and I truly loved it and would highly recommend. We combined it the trip to the nearby Butterfly farm and made it a double date.

After the tour you get a fruit drink and an opportunity to sample the organic produce of the farm.

The farm also sells their own products such as organic coffees, cosmetics, honeys and teas etc. Truly awesome.

A nature with some 'extra nature' date was just perfect.

Thanks.