Ba Kelalan Apple Fiesta

“Lati’ Ba’, Bas-Suling Band and the Rich Heritage of Ba Kelalan : The Living Museum”

Apple Fiesta in Sarawak Northern Highlands? Unbelievable? It’s TRUE! From the 27^th March 2008 Ba Kelalan in Northen Sarawak will hold its second Ba Kelalan Apple Fiesta.

            Ba Kelalan, nestled in the heart of Borneo’s world renowned and oldest tropical rainforests is blessed with sub-tropical all day cool and amazingly fresh weather. Day temperature hovers between 25 – 32º celcius while night temperature drops to around 15º Celsius on some days. The lowest recorded for Ba Kelalan is 10º Celsius. Ba Kelalan valley is situated around 1500 M above sea level and is reachable either by Maswings Twin Otter regular weekly flights from Lawas or by driving. Driving by 4 X 4WD from Lawas is through a timber road which passes through Lun Bawang mountain villages and winding through hills, mountains and valleys and idyllic cool mountain surroundings.

            Blessed with such a weather, it is no wonder that Ba Kelalan is home to Malaysia’s only apple orchard. The first apple cutting was brought from Malang highlands in Central Java in the mid 70’s. Since then, what started as a pilot project is now a successful venture that will brand Ba Kelalan as an apple growing highland region in the country. The apple fiesta is a celebration of sorts for this amazing discovery.

            Ba Kelalan as recorded by Tom Harrison & Hudson Southwell is the origin of wet paddy farming, and in times past, had been extended to Bario, Long Semadoh and beyond. This unique “adan” rice or popularly known as Bario Rice is found only in the highlands of Ba Kelalan, Long Semadoh, Bario and Krayan villages of East Kalimantan.

            Ba Kelalan is not only home to its unique ‘adan’ rice or ‘pade dari’, and apples but also its Ba Kelalan medicinal rock salt. Its has three operating salt springs providing mountain salt that contains high iodine content and other minerals. Several exotic fruits are grown such as Abiu, Ice Cream Bean, Christina, Passion fruits, Avocados, Strawberries and others. Ba Kelalan is also famed for its water buffaloes that are used in the paddy fields, for hauling fire wood and for their meat.

            What also makes Ba Kelalan unique is its truly beautiful scenery, much like the mountain village in the Swiss Alps. The mountains, valleys, rivers, flora and fauna and wildlife are pretty unspoilt and had been so for generations. The people inhabiting the area are likewise unique in their culture and traditions. It’s a land  of the friendly smiles from the young and the old. The people makes you feel you are truly at home and is one of them. This sets Ba Kelalan apart from the rest. The sights and sounds of Ba Kelalan are there to beckon. Please come and have a treat of a life time at the Apple Fiesta.

Borneo Jungle Safari

210303-V / KKKPL 2346

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