At the Bagas Zakariah orchard lodge, Rohiman Haroon is reminded of his surroundings growing up
SITTING pretty on the hills, cumulus clouds brush away the morning mists that seem to be sharing the same space on the limestone hilly region as we pass Kampar with Lata Kinjang in full view. The azure sky quickly disappears behind the thick puffy clouds with bits of rain coming down.
Exiting Gopeng toll plaza, we make a left turn-off on the slip road and after barely 300 metres, my family and I reach the property, and are welcomed by our host Azmin Abdul Aziz.
The property is called Bagas Zakariah, a five-acre orchard lodge that showcases three Malay traditional houses in Kampung Lawan Kuda in Gopeng, a tin mining town of yesteryear.
Driving into the front yard of Bagas Zakariah, I see this beautiful traditional modular-built Malay yellow house with steep Dutch-influenced bumbung limas (rafter roofs) with renderings of ornate trusses, wide leaf-windows adorned with balustrades and well-defined lattices.
This 100-year-old house is Rumah Kuning or Yellow Planter’s House, one of 30 archetypal traditional Perak Malay houses left in Perak. Built by the patriarch of the family, the late Zakariah Malim Sulaiman, it was home for three generations but later abandoned for umpteen years.
It was then restored by grandson Azim Abdul Aziz, an architect, who rebuilt the house “with a modern version of tropical vernacular house and retreat to complement the old and the new.”
Adjacent to it, there’s this rustic-looking Malay house built on stilts with diamond-shaped arch lattices that aesthetically hang from the roof. This one is called Rumah Lenggong, once a dilapidated house relocated from the deep recesses of Lenggong to this village some years ago and rebuilt to the finest detailing.
Standing nearby is another bucolic house called Rumah Lawan Kuda, painted in vivid deep red, with bold white stilts and full-height wooden framed leaf-windows. Like the two other houses, this lodge has steep roof with a pointed final joint on the roof called Tunjuk Langit that suggests the status of the owner, probably befitting a village chieftain.
PERFECT ESCAPADE
The three traditional bagas (Mandailing dialect for house), are indeed pleasant and commodious for city folks who want to experience a serene and peaceful kampung life. It is a perfect escape from the hurried life, or from the glut of steel-clad skyscrapers and from the city’s incessant cacophony.
Rich green foliage covers the whole swathe of the five-acre orchard. Sweet-smelling fruit trees and herbal plants stand amidst the hardwood houses. These lodgings are interconnected to each other by symmetrically-run footpaths slightly above the soggy grounds.
Fruiting durian trees add charm to the place. Instead of the welcoming drinks you get in five-star hotels upon arrival, here you are served with durians.
What makes the orchard astoundingly charming is the crystal-clear stream meandering across the orchard. Take a stroll, barefoot around the orchard, to absorb its serenity. Here, you listen to nature at her most benevolent the peace and nature’s orchestra. You’ll see birds flying at great speed across the orchard, especially in the mornings when they begin to career through the air in matinal excitement. You’ll see gnats and bees buzzing around frangipani flowers and centipedes or garden snails crossing the expansive grounds. You’ll hear trees rustling and watch trees inclining irregularly as though craning their necks to catch a better angle of the sun.
At night, you’ll hear a profusion of sounds from the surroundings — crickets serenading, moans of unrecognisable nocturnal creatures, even the clicking of house lizards, as if agreeing to the human conversations, as the old Malay beliefs hold. It is just beautiful.
It’s my childhood once again — my kampung in Penang back in the 1970s. A warm feeling emerges from the depths of my heart whispering “I’m renewed, I’m rejuvenated”. It may be cliche but the orchard lodge feels like home away from home.
THREE LARGE HOUSES
The three bagas may look somewhat antiquated from the outside, but you’d be pleasantly surprised they are equipped with modern amenities, from comfortable queen-sized beds and fluffy pillows in white linen to a fully-equipped kitchenette, clean bathrooms with body and hair shampoo dispensers, and a large flat-screen TV plus WiFi. There’s even a barbecue pit outside of each house.
The furniture, coat-hangers and even the light switches are retro but they fit in nicely with the ambience of the interior. Family photos of the late Zakariah, his son the late Tan Sri Abdul Aziz and their extended families that adorn the walls exude the feeling that you’re snugly at home.
All three lodges can accommodate between eight and 10 people — they have large spaces in between the Rumah Ibu (the centre of the house) and the extended compartment. The space is so large that you and the children can gleefully roll from one end to another.
Rumah Kuning, for instance, has four bedrooms and it can accommodate at least 10 guests. The only snag you’ll face, if you’re in the company of 10, is that there is only one bathroom to share.
What I love most about these houses is the ventilation. They don’t have air-conditioning but are equipped with ceiling or wall fans. Even without the fans, crisp fresh air comes in through the lattices and leaf-windows, and surprisingly, from under the floor and roof of the house too.
On the outset of Rumah Lenggong, the wooden walls have different textures and hues as if they are work of cubism movement artists who love collages and mix-and-match designs. The walls are originally coloured, planked up from the remnants of the house. This house looks rustic and quaint but surprises with its awesome interior and panoramic view of the orchard through the full-height slatted glass windows with wooden-framed glass door. Naked bulbs light up the entire house at night, creating a profusion of images that are both wild and exciting.
From the sitting area, a wooden step with iron railing trails down to be met by a long-stretch of creepers on a bamboo trellis on a rugged pathway. The pathway, a 100m walk, leads to a gazebo-of-sorts that functions as a wedding dais, a durian hut and a spot to have sumptuous lunch, which my family and I savour on our second day of stay.
OUT AND ABOUT
There are loads of exhilarating activities like white-water rafting, canyoneering, water-tubing, jungle trekking and cave exploration at the nearby Bukit Batu Putih, Ulu Geruntum or Gua Tempurung.
Bukit Batu Putih is essentially the starting point for water rafting activity. Be prepared to go on a maddening eight-kilometre journey down the river, spiralling from Bukit Batu Putih down to Kampung Jahang, two hours of adrenaline rush.
If you’re into less strenuous activities, go for a nature walk photographing wild butterflies or take a dip at a nice picnic site in Kuala Jelengat, or even a four-wheel drive ride along the narrow road up to Bukit Batu Putih.
On the hills of Batu Putih, everything whispers. In the eerie acoustics of misty forests, sound is camouflaged. A raging river mutters violently and forest decay muffles our footsteps.
In Ulu Geruntum village, you’ll see Orang Asli settlements with dwellings made of bertam wood. They still believe in animistic spirits guarding their sanctuary.
I like my walkabout at the Tuesday’s morning market buying fresh vegetables produce, poultry and sea food, among others. Durians are in abundance this time of the year and they’re cheap, ranging from RM6 to RM8 per kilogramme.
FOOD AND DELICACY
While still in Gopeng, challenge yourself to the masak lemak pedas (spicy coconut milk gravy), a typical food served in eateries in Gopeng.
Masak lemak pedas daging salai (smoked beef in spicy coconut milk) or masak lemak pucuk ubi kayu (tapioca shoots) to masak lemak pisang muda (young banana flesh) and masak lemak pucuk paku (ferns) are among the coconut gravy dishes you’ll find here.
Cili padi (bird’s eye chilli) and turmeric are vital ingredients in this delicacy. Tempoyak (fermented durian) is added to lift up the dish to another level. Relish your choice of masak lemak dish with warm rice, accompanied by either zingy sambal tumis petai cili api with anchovies or sambal tempoyak.
Kelemai, a traditional Rawa food similar to lemang but made of rough, ground glutinous rice, liquid brown sugar and cooked coconut oil residue, is a savoury that you should not miss while in Gopeng. The savoury is usually on high demand during festive seasons but of late, enterprising villagers are selling them on a daily basis online and by the roadside.
FAST FACTS
BAGAS ZAKARIAH ORCHARD LODGE
No. 65, Lot 32804 Jalan Besar, Kampung Lawan Kuda, 31600 Gopeng, Perak
TEL 017-552 1920
EMAIL info@bagaszakariah.com
WEBSITE bagaszakariah.com
IG bagas.zakariah
FB bagaszakariah