Our modern life is attached to one of the many things that the corporate world economy deems necessary: the need for our constant availability online. Often this is taxing on us because humans are not programmed to socialize in such a manner. There is usually a time that we see our friends and peers enjoy more of their time traveling overseas or focusing on a new hobby because it provides the necessary break away from the chaos of the working environment. The same goes for me; I tried my best to escape from the mundane office whenever given a chance.
My best escape exercise is to wander the street with a camera in hand. It’s a simple method that allowed me to be fully immersed in my surrounding, blending in with the people as I carefully observed the scenery for that exciting moment. But this could often lead to a stale outcome that might force us to consider an alternative. Changing our environment is a good start.
A good friend informed me of a treehouse retreat at Cameron Highland that he went to for the weekend. It has a tranquil environment surrounded by greenery, where the scheduled activities allow them to get closer to nature. It was located deep inside the mountain range of Cameron Highland. The experience, as he said, was a great escape from the city. With no telephone line and cold temperate weather, the place seems worthy of a stay.
The treehouse is in Cameron Highland, Pahang, a 1.5-hour drive from Ipoh, Perak. I took a direct flight from Singapore to Ipoh, which just took me about an hour. Ipoh was one of the earliest established cities in Malaysia during the peak of the tin mining era. For this reason, the government has laid the infrastructure to cater to the local tourism industry, making navigating the city easy for most people.
I arrived at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in the evening and stayed overnight before driving to Cameron Highland the following morning. The journey was fascinating, and the scenery changed as we went higher up to the hillside area. From the limestone hill to the row of conifer trees, you will realize that you have arrived at Cameron Highland after seeing several large-scale farming lands on both sides of the road.
To reach the treehouse, we must take a 4WD truck deep into the mountain area, as the road is inaccessible for regular cars. The streets were narrow and steep, which proved to be difficult given our small mini hatchback. We left our car at the foot of the mountain before heading to our accommodation at the back of the truck.
Unlike most hospitality retreats around the area, Terra Treehouse has arranged a series of activities during our stay. Based on the past review, many visitors commented that the Terra Treehouse activities were great and relaxing. Our caretaker has planned all the activities before our visit, including jungle hiking with a series of relaxing meditation sessions.
Upon entering the compound, they asked us to go through the small gate at the side of a hill. It was cleverly hidden under lush tall vegetation, with only a wooden door made from nearby timber and signage with the letter ‘Terra Treehouse’ to indicate the actual entrance. After passing through the gate, they forced us to hike up to the event hall, where the sight of the treehouse along the trail welcomed us.
Terra Treehouse has at least seven different types of accommodation, ranging from an actual treehouse to a landed-type unit. The difference is rather apparent in terms of the construction material used. Still, each house has basic amenities like a hot shower and electricity. Some units even have a hot tub with a view of the jungle. We selected a rather authentic treehouse with a living tree going through the floor and roof. It is one of the earliest designs by Terra Treehouse, and they took great effort to maintain it.
Built by the local orang asli of Cameron Highland, many construction styles and processes were done based on their knowledge of the forest. Although our caretaker didn’t explain the architecture of each treehouse, each house has its unique characteristic.
Our first activity upon arrival was barefoot hiking to the nearby waterfall. Although the waterfall was nearby, the steep and slippery trail was difficult for many of us. The barefoot experience was unique, making us feel more connected to the jungle as our soles touched the forest floor directly. Our caretaker explains that this is their ‘ritual’ to inform the spirit of the mountain of our visit to the area.
Our first night at the treehouse dining hall was splendid. As the sun slowly sets, the temperature cools as the sound of the crickets from the forest chirping in, as if to signal that we are now in a different phase of the day. Our dinner consists of only food made from locally sourced vegetables and fruits. It was the best vegetable dish that I ever had. The atmosphere was great, and everyone enjoyed mingling around the dining hall, perhaps to rest their tired leg from the barefoot hiking we had done earlier.
The site relied on a small hydroelectric generator from a nearby river for power sources. At night, it uses a diesel engine generator to light up the light along the trail and the surrounding accommodation. By 10:30 pm, the generator would be turned off, allowing us to embrace the cold night with only the clear starry night sky to gaze upon. We spent the late night hanging out on the balcony discussing life and career.
We woke up around 5:30am to catch the early sunrise with some friends. It was a difficult task as the warm, comfortable bed forced us to consider our reasoning for waking up so early against the cold morning. As expected, the morning sun was lovely, and the surrounding landscape slowly glowed as the sun rose higher over the hill.
Our second hiking session for the following day was hiking to the water source up on the mountaintop. They use an intricate water piping connection throughout the site to distribute the water collected from the water source. Past visitors often commented that their water has excellent health benefits as it contains all the necessary minerals lacking in the regular water supply. We could feel the difference as the drinking water tasted lovely. Our hair was smooth and soft after showering, even though we didn’t use shampoo or conditioner.
Hiking to the water source was our caretaker’s way of teaching us to appreciate the resource mother nature gave us. This basic principle is often forgotten by us who live far too long in urban areas.
The final day hiking session was the most interesting of all hikes. We woke up as early as 4 am to gather at the dining hall by 4:30 am. The forest was still dark and cold during that time, as we were accompanied only by the sound of the crickets and night critters. Throughout the hike, we did stop a few times to rest and meditate in total darkness, where you can feel as if the forest were part of you. The goal of the early morning hike was to reach the summit of the closest mountain top to view the sunrise. The peak has one of the best views of the entire Cameron highland. The panoramic view from the top includes a panoramic view of the largest farms in the area, together with a series of mountainscapes in the foreground.
On the final day, before heading down to our parked car, we gathered around for our last breakfast with the entire guest (20 people, including us). Throughout our stay, we managed to get to know one another and made new friends along the way. Everyone was friendly and considerate with one another, which made the trip enjoyable. We also created new friends along the way and bonded more with our existing friendship.
On a good note, I also proposed to my longtime partner during our stay at Terra Treehouse. Everything went well thanks to the caretaker’s hospitality for allowing my friends to set up the surprise. Indeed, the stay at Terra Treehouse was memorable. Still, I am okay coming there again to experience the serenity of nature.
Kelvin Ah Kian | A blog 