Kampung Sungai Melayu, an eco-tourism village in Johor, has attractions that cater to people from all walks of life and diverse interests, writes Alan Teh Leam Seng
THE lonely road, flanked by mature shady rubber trees, appears to be unending. The thought of being lost crosses my mind many times, but the prospect of exploring a 150-year-old traditional village located just a stone's throw away from Johor's ultramodern administrative centre steels my resolve to soldier on.
Much to my utter elation, several kampung houses soon come into view and the gradually widening road quickly leads up to Kampung Sungai Melayu, a quaint Malay settlement that has managed to withstand the temptations of modernity and successfully retained the old-world charm.
It's been said that the kampung located in the southern part of Johor is very much favoured by folks from the nearby Johor Baru and Iskandar Puteri to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.
Almost immediately upon arrival, I can sense the overwhelming serenity of the surroundings and am warmly welcomed with brief wave of hands and genuinely warm smiles as the kampung folk go about their daily life. Most of them head towards the sea to earn a living, in very much the same manner as the first settlers more than a century ago.
The unmistakable salty air serves as a gentle reminder that the kampung gains its allure first and foremost as a pristine fishing village that gives its guests the rare opportunity to step into the shoes of the local fishermen and experience first-hand time-tested techniques in securing the most irresistible bait as well as determining the best places to cast lines while ensuring bountiful returns.
AN INDUSTRIOUS VILLAGE
Receiving travellers to their humble village has become second nature to the people here ever since the Johor government began designating and promoting this precious hidden gem as an eco-tourism village in 2013.
These include the various ongoing strategic initiatives put in place by the combined efforts of Tourism Johor, Johor Economic Planning Unit (UPEN), Johor Heritage Foundation (YWJ) and Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA).
Since then, numerous exciting tourist-friendly packages have sprung up to give this flourishing mangrove-ringed area, located just a stone's throw away from Kota Iskandar, an added allure.
Apart from getting a first-hand look at various traditional marine-based small and medium industries, like making shrimp paste, salted fish and fish crackers, visitors get to participate in more modern endeavours involving sustainable aquaculture projects, such as fish and mussel farming on floating pontoons in the well-sheltered estuary.
The overwhelming success of these ventures has led to various spin-offs and downstream production efforts. A great case in point is the bountiful mussel harvests.
Unable to find sufficient takers for the more than plentiful pickings and unwilling to let their hard work go to waste, the villagers put their ingenuity to the test and came up with a novel method to turn the excesses into mussel crackers.
Today, that novel idea has put Kampung Sungai Melayu on the national map as the only place in the country producing this tasty and much sought-after product.
Other well-known attractions are its rich Malay traditional handicrafts — quaint, functional items made using wood harvested sustainably from nearby forests.
There is a ready market among culture-conscious visitors who eagerly snap up these precious keepsakes, which are sold at more than reasonable prices.
A BOUNTIFUL MANGROVE
Apart from holidaymakers, Kampung Sungai Melayu serves as a magnet for researchers, both local and foreign, who are keen to put on film and study the many aspects of migratory birds from the Siberian plains that are on their journey to warmer regions in the southern hemisphere from October to March each year.
The locals are more than willing to take these bird enthusiasts to more secluded areas in the estuary to gain further insight into their research subjects.
In return, the villagers get to expand knowledge on the rich flora and fauna diversity found within the vicinity of their abodes. This successful know-how transfer is most evident when weather-beaten fishermen effortlessly rattle off names like whimbrel, godwit, sandpipper and plover while explaining each individual feeding habit and morphology in detail.
After a truly fun-filled and educational morning, I head back to the car with bags filled with savoury snacks and seafood products. While pulling out from the spacious parking area, I cannot help but cast longing eyes at this amazing place that holds such great potential for future growth.
The sight of the northern Singapore coastline just across the Johor Straits calls to mind the Japanese Imperial Army soldiers amassing along Kampung Sungai Melayu's dense mangrove swamps while waiting for daylight to ebb before launching their final onslaught on the British bastion during World War 2.
This thought cements my belief that this wonderful corner of Johor caters to people from all walks of life and diverse interests.
A PARK OF BETEL
While making my way back to my hotel, Pinetree Marina Resort in Puteri Harbour, for a well-earned rest, I take time to make a quick stopover at Sireh Park. Located near Horizon Hills and Taman Nusa Idaman, the park serves to enhance the living standards of the various local communities who call Iskandar Puteri home.
When established in 2017, the name sireh was specially chosen to remind visitors of the traditional Malay and Peranakan culture of offering betel leaf to honoured guests during important social occasions.
In similar reflection, Sireh Park was also designed as a low-impact and ecologically sustainable development with the same sense of respect for the environment.
Coincidentally, the name also serves as an acronym for this expansive 343 acres of gentle undulating hills that is a truly Sustainable, Intuitive, Recreation and Educational Haven for all.
With limited time available, I make do by just exploring only the first of Sireh Park's four interesting zones while making a mental note to venture further afield when the next opportunity presents itself.
Covering approximately a fifth of the total area, the Tropical Floral Park marks the beginning of an overall landscape concept that transitions from a highly intense landscaped area to a more naturally conserved woodland.
Designed to promote the understanding and appreciation of nature, this section, closest to the main entrance, boasts inviting waterbodies and rich plant life biodiversity that cater to all ages, abilities and recreational needs.
Apart from the colourful display garden teeming with vibrant orchid blooms, visitors can seek out little hidden nooks and crannies along the main path that highlight pertinent reminders of Johor's best known tourism products.
These metal and concrete structures, with some resembling pineapples and batik printing moulds, were built by the 14 Johor local government bodies that took part in a competition to commemorate Sireh Park's official opening, which coincided with the Johor Landscape Day in November 2017.
The structures most popular with visitors were Pengerang's rendition of ocean waves and marine life, Muar's stunning traditional Malay house on stilts and Pontian's replica of the gigantic globe found at Tanjung Piai, mainland Asia's southernmost point. At the same time, children had a whale of a time racing through the carriages of Kluang's replica of a train used in the early 20th century.
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