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Coffea liberica

Location: Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park, Precinct 16, Malaysia
Date: 6th May 2010 (Thursday), 12:44 p.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100

Coffea liberica is a species of coffee that originated in Liberia, West Africa.

According to Tradewindsfruit, coffee fruits contain little flesh and are usually discarded, the seed however undergoes a processing procedure that yields the coffee bean of commerce.

Dragon fruit

Location: Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park, Precinct 16, Malaysia
Date: 6th May 2010 (Thursday), 12:55 p.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/7.1, ISO Equiv.: 100

A ripening pinkish red dragonfruit. Honestly, I wanted to yank out this fruit, peeled it and eat it straightaway. The park management needs to introduce 'eat on the spot' promotion! I cannot 'tahan' (English: stand) seeing these delicious fruits!

Black palm fruit

Location: Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park, Precinct 16, Malaysia
Date: 6th May 2010 (Thursday), 12:15 p.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/5.0, ISO Equiv.: 360

Looks like a bunch of rotten grapes :)

Palm oil is extracted from the pulp of the fruit, while palm kernel oil is derived from the kernel (seed) of the oil palm. They should not be confused with coconut oil, which is derived from the kernel of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). Palm oil is naturally reddish because it contains a high amount of beta-carotene (though boiling palm oil destroys the beta-carotene, rendering the oil colourless).

In 2008, Malaysia produced 17.7 million tonnes of palm oil on 4.5 million hectares of land, and was the second largest producer of palm oil, employing more than 570,000 people. Malaysia is the largest exporter of palm oil in the world. About 60% of palm oil exports from Malaysia are shipped to China, the European Union, Pakistan, United States and India. They are mostly made into cooking oil, margarine, specialty fats and oleochemicals. Source: Wikipedia

What is this?

Location: Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park, Precinct 16, Malaysia
Date: 6th May 2010 (Thursday), 12:00 p.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/7.1, ISO Equiv.: 100

Try to guess the name of this fruit. Here's a hint - sticky yellow colored fruit. Answer in Picture 8.

Papa pomelo

Location: Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park, Precinct 16, Malaysia
Date: 6th May 2010 (Thursday), 12:09 p.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/6.3, ISO Equiv.: 100

Holding a bigger pomelo.

Baby Pomelos

Location: Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park, Precinct 16, Malaysia
Date: 6th May 2010 (Thursday), 12:11 p.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/6.3, ISO Equiv.: 100

Holding four baby pomelos. The green skin feels hairy and soft - really nice :)

The pomelo (Citrus maxima or Citrus grandis) is a citrus fruit native to South East Asia. It is usually pale green to yellow when ripe, with sweet white (or, more rarely, pink or red) flesh and very thick pudgy rind. It is the largest citrus fruit, 15–25 cm in diameter, and usually weighing 1–2 kg.

The pomelo tastes like a sweet, mild grapefruit, though the typical pomelo is much larger in size than the grapefruit. It has very little, or none, of the common grapefruit's bitterness, but the enveloping membranous material around the segments is bitter, considered inedible, and thus usually discarded.

The peel is sometimes used to make marmalade, or candied, then (sometimes) dipped in chocolate. The peel of the pomelo is also used in Chinese cooking. In general, citrus peel is often used in southern Chinese cuisine for flavouring, especially in sweet soup desserts. Source: Wikipedia

Water Apples

Location: Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park, Precinct 16, Malaysia
Date: 6th May 2010 (Thursday), 11:42 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100

During my first visit, a Bangladeshi worker yanked out a bunch of water apples and asked me to eat it on the spot. I was reluctant at first (visitors are not allowed to do that). Anyway, I decided to taste it (curi-curi makan). It was sweet, crunchy, juicy and delicious!

Young rambutans

Location: Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park, Precinct 16, Malaysia
Date: 6th May 2010 (Thursday), 12:26 p.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100

Holding a young rambutan. Matured rambutans are either red or yellow colored. One of my favorite fruit.

Rambutan in Indonesian, Filipino and Malay literally means hairy caused by the 'hair' that covers this fruit. The outer skin is peeled exposing the fleshy fruit inside which is then eaten. It is sweet, sour and slightly grape like to the taste. Source: Wikipedia

It's a jackfruit!

Location: Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park, Precinct 16, Malaysia
Date: 6th May 2010 (Thursday), 11:55 a.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/6.3, ISO Equiv.: 100

This is pretty interesting! One of the jackfruit was wrapped with a transparent plastic bag, another with a weaved leaf.

The jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus or A. heterophylla) is a species of tree in the mulberry family (Moraceae), which is native to parts of Southern and Southeast Asia. It is the national fruit of Bangladesh.

It is well suited to tropical lowlands. Its fruit is the largest tree borne fruit in the world, Reaching 80 pounds in weight and up to 36 inches long and 20 inches in diameter. Source: Wikipedia

Rubber seed

Location: Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park, Precinct 16, Malaysia
Date: 6th May 2010 (Thursday), 1:51 p.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/8.0, ISO Equiv.: 100

The fruits are capsules of three lobes, each containing a hard and shiny seed. Rubber seeds are dispersed with a loud explosion of the capsules.

Harvest of latex

Location: Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park, Precinct 16, Malaysia
Date: 6th May 2010 (Thursday), 2:10 p.m.
Camera: Nikon D60 with Aperture: f/5.6, ISO Equiv.: 200

The latex smells like typical white colored art glue. Quite sticky.

Once the trees are 5–6 years old, harvesting can begin: incisions are made orthogonally to the latex vessels, just deep enough to tap the vessels without harming the tree's growth, and the sap is collected in small buckets. This process is known as rubber tapping. Older trees yield more latex. Source: Wikipedia


This is my second trip to Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park (Malay: Taman Warisan Pertanian Putrajaya). Currently, I'm stuck in Kuala Lumpur (KL) and Selangor. So here I am...back to this intelligent city - the federal administrative centre of Malaysia.

It was a smooth drive all the way. Unfortunately, I lost my way and ended up in Deputy Prime Minister's (DPM) official residence! At first, I was worried sick. Armed policemen were alerted upon seeing my car approaching the DPM's majestic gates. I was scared like hell! These law enforcement officers were armed with automatic weapons.

I did a casual U-turn back to the main road. Note: I drove slowly to avoid suspicion. I do not want to be mistaken as a suicide bomber crashing his car laden with lethal explosives nor do I want to be shot into a pulp. I've got a major phobia whenever I see a local policeman. Recently, I had a nightmarish experience during a roadblock in the city.

After awhile, I finally arrived at Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park. Entrance fee is RM 2 per adult. I tried to hide my camera bag. Photography in the park cost a whooping RM 100 per hour! What an asshole policy! Luckily the cashier didn't say anything. It reminds me of a US policy "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT). LOL!

It was a damn hot afternoon. I was sweating like a pig! Looking back, I rather use vulgar words to describe the extreme weather. It was F***ING HOT!

This agriculture park is pretty much the same as yesterday. Over 100 ++ tropical fruit trees. During my latest visit, I've seen honey jackfruit, pomelo, bananas, longan 龙眼, pineapple, dragon fruit, cocoa, rubber, China ruby pears, mangoes, rambutans, spices and many more. It's impossible to explore the entire place in one afternoon. You'll need one whole day to truly explore this place. It is HUGE! You may hire a buggy. But I prefer to walk.

Overall, this is the BEST place in Putrajaya. A hidden gem. This is an A-list tourist destination. Sadly, few visitors knew the existence of this place. What a waste!

Nonetheless, there is always room for improvement. I was tempted to yank out some fruits and taste them on the spot. Foreign workers even encouraged me to do so. The management should have promoted 'eat on the spot' activity in this park. I don't mind paying a fee (less than RM50) to taste these delicious tropical goodies. I wonder what happened when the fruits are ripened. Throw it away or share among the workers??? The entire experience is incomplete without the tasting session.

By the way, I've embedded a full length Youtube Video from Nova PBS (Public Broadcasting Service). All about The Lost Treasures of Tibet. This is an exotic and beautiful video about Himalayan Kingdom of Mustang. I was impressed with the restoration work to preserve the Tibetan culture. A MUST - SEE video for all travellers!!! This is one of the many places to see before I die. Check out the video at the bottom of the page.

Last updated 9th May 2010 (11:58 p.m.)

A MUST-SEE documentary for travelers like us! Right click to watch in YouTube.

Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park - Download Brochures & Map:
  1. Brochure 1 (English, 324kb, PDF file, 1 page)
  2. Brochure 2 (Malay, 1.2MB, PDF file, 2 pages)
  3. Brochure 3 (Malay, 2.4MB, PDF file, 4 pages)
  4. Map (711kb, PDF file, 1 page)

Note: Files are hosted in MediaFire.

Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park - Contact Details:

The park opens from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.
Visitors complex opens from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Taman Warisan Pertanian Putrajaya (Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park),
No 7, Jalan P16,
Presint 16,
62150 Putrajaya.

Tel 03-8887 7772
Faks 03-8887 5038

Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park - 2010 Agro Bazaar:

  1. (26th - 30th May 2010, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.)
  2. (23rd - 27th June 2010, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.)
  3. (21st - 25th July 2010, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.)
  4. (22nd - 26th September 2010, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.)
  5. (27th - 31st October 2010, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.)
  6. (24th - 28th November 2010, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.)

Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park - Getting There:

By plane

The nearest airport is Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). A coupon or metered budget taxi to or from KLIA will take 30 minutes and cost around RM60. Alternatively, you can take the KLIA Transit from the airport to Putrajaya station and transfer to a taxi. Official portal of KLIA http://www.klia.com.my/

By train

For public transport the fastest choice is the KLIA Transit connecting Kuala Lumpur's Sentral train station to its airport, which stops halfway in between at Putrajaya. Trains run every 30 minutes, take 20 minutes and the list price is RM 9.50 one-way, but the RM15 Putrajaya return ticket (valid for one month) is better value. Official portal of KLIA Ekspress:http://www.kliaekspres.com/

Note: KLIA Ekspres services do not stop at Putrajaya.

By taxi

Coupon taxis from Kuala Lumpur's KL Sentral cost a fixed RM35, but otherwise you'll have to try out your bargaining skills - figure on RM30-50, and expect to pay more at night.

By Bus

1) Take Rapid KL bus number U82 from KL Sentral to Bandar Utama
2) From Bandar Utama, change to Bus U43 to Putrajaya Sentral.

Putrajaya Sentral is the main public tranportation hub of Putrajaya.

Two major bus companies are operating in Putrajaya Sentral - both Rapid KL and Nadi Putra. Rapid KL take passengers from outside of Putrajaya from places such as Bandar Utama, Serdang and Cyberjaya whereas Nadi Putra routes are confined to within Putrajaya.

By Taxis

Coupon taxis from KL Sentral to Putrajaya cost a fixed RM35

For more information, please refer to the following link:

Putrajaya Wikitravel:

Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park - Google Maps:


Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park - Things To Do/See:

  1. Rubber Plot & Processing Gallery
  2. Fruit Orchard
  3. Agriculture Farms
  4. Herbs and Spices Track
  5. Observation Deck/Platform
  6. Eco Learning Activities
Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park - Read More/Useful Links:

a) http://tinyurl.com/ylsla8v (Official Webpage of Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park)
b) http://www.ppj.gov.my/ (Official Portal of Putrajaya)
c) http://tinyurl.com/ykcgbp3 (My first trip to Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park)

5 comments

  1. fufu Says:
  2. wow rm50?? erm i think i gotta visit the park for the tropical fruits once i got my first salary =p though i miss tropical fruits very much since last oct :p

    erm well what a nice agricultural park!!! i havent seen a park that have such wide range of fruits tree... an amazing orchard :) yeah i would love to spend one whole day exploring this park :)

    WTH they charge for camera?? i remember i didnt pay for it when i was visiting the temple in thailand and cambodia... it's ridiculous!! i cant accept it!! ><

    baby pomelos are cute :) lol

     
  3. micki Says:
  4. Tropical fruits are the best! I have never seen and tasted the rambutans fruit. It looks so interesting! Water Apple is one of my favorites. I also like guava. Wow, the cost of taking photos in the park is unbelivable! Thanks for showing an excellent and educational video!

     
  5. lechua Says:
  6. good to see u back in blogging! RM100 an hour for photography? gosh! i haven't heard of anywhere that charges for photography.. and this is a tourism place some more... so i'm guessing u wander around urself once u go in? is there some kind of trail?

     
  7. Anonymous Says:
  8. Recently, I just finished a series of BBC programme about Tibet. Something "A Year In Tibet", I think. Tibet is truly an amazing place.

    Two days ago I went to see a free exhibition about paradise-like places of worship in the world. I think I am falling in love with Bhutan as well.

    Why would they charge your for taking pictures of pisang, rambutan?

     
  9. shloke Says:
  10. fufu

    No lah! I was hoping to pay RM50 or less for the eating session (if any). But there is none :(

    This park is really fascinating for fruits and nature lovers. But the heat from the sun was really too much to bear.

    Funny right? RM100 for photography!

    Micki

    Ooooh...rambutan has sweet and tangy taste with crunchy white colored flash. Really sweet and delicious!!!

    Glad you liked the video. You can check out this website for more free documentaries:
    http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/

    Lechua

    Thanks for your wonderful support!

    You need to pay for photography for most places of interest in Putrajaya. Usually, I reasoned with them saying that my photography is not for commercial purpose. So they let me in after some lengthy explanation. LOL!

    This Putrajaya Agriculture Heritage Park has well marked trails. Just get a piece of map from the cashier counter to navigate your way :)

    londoncaller

    I have to agree with you. Tibet is a travelers' paradise!!!

    Bhutan is also an amazing place. But a bit commercialized :)

    I also dunno why paying for fruity pictures. Perhaps the developer Perbadanan Putrajaya wanna earn some side income.

    Cheers to all!

     
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shloke
Traveling & photography are the most rewarding & enriching experiences in my life. Photography is all about discovery, enjoying myself, having adventure, learning people & nature. The greatest experience for me is the connection I felt with NATURE. If you haven’t seen Malaysia, you haven’t seen the world! My photography works are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported.
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