As an eco resort, The Haven Resort Ipoh is as pristine as it gets, surrounded by 280-million year old hills and jungle, while embracing the best in sustainable practices.
Text by Jan Yong
Waking up to the serene surroundings of a 280 million-year old jungle is not something that you can experience just anywhere. It’s a unique feeling that you want to preserve in your memory for a long time – knowing that you have touched nature at its most ancient and sacred. You have breathed in air that is so fresh from the pristine area that even your lungs feel like it has been thoroughly cleansed and detoxed.
This sanctuary of respite, The Haven, is set at the edge of a virgin forest amidst the fauna and flora of a prehistoric site in the Paleozoic period. It is home to hundreds of natural, beautiful and unique plants and wild life including the world’s fastest eagle, the Peregrine Falcon and the world’s smallest eagle, the black-thighed Falconet.
Staying here is akin to being in the middle of a jungle yet having access to all the conveniences of a modern condominium.
From the balcony of my suite, I could survey the entire picturesque development including a natural lake, a 280-million year old limestone outcrop rising up to 14 storeys high, and a swimming pool with a patented design of a seahorse complete with Jacuzzi seats.
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Other facilities of the 5-star resort include a gymnasium with views of the swimming pool and limestone outcrop, a 600-metre natural jogging track around the lake, a spa, tennis and squash courts, and charging points for electric cars. A brisk walk along the track is literally a breath of fresh air as I inhaled deeply the oxygen from the diverse plants along the pathway.
The award-winning resort also exceeds expectations when it comes to sustainable practices. Amongst others, it uses solar panels on the roofs of its car parks, LED lighting, wind turbine, rainwater harvesting, use of decompose-pit and best of all, not a single tree was cut down nor any hill blasted during construction.
The onsite restaurant has also clinched the World Luxury Hotel Restaurant Award in 2016 for serving only fresh and wholesome food with no artificial ingredients. Where possible, ingredients are purchased daily with most sourced from local farms as early as 2am when all the produce arrive in Ipoh.
Despite its pristine environment, The Haven is a mere 15-minute drive to Ipoh town centre, a 2-hour drive to Kuala Lumpur, 1 1⁄2 hour drive to Penang and an hour’s flight to Singapore.
ECO FEATURES OF THE HAVEN:
- Solar panels on top of car park roofs with the excess sold to Tenaga to reduce the overall electricity rate.
- Wind turbines are used due to an abundance of wind especially after 5pm which is then harnessed and is partially used for night time lighting.
- No mosquitos despite the abundance of greenery due to the planting of lemongrass trees which act as a mosquito repellent.
- Monkeys are kept at bay by planting fruit trees outside the perimeter fencing. Monkeys are too preoccupied with the fruits outside to bother climbing into the compound of the resort.
- In terms of food, real kampong eggs of the highest quality are offered, no MSG or any chemicals are used by the team of experienced local chefs. The same goes for the chickens served – they are from the kampongs and are freshly supplied everyday.
- The chefs go to the market at 2am everyday to buy the food supplies as they believe in serving the freshest ingredients. No overnight food is served.
- There is a lot of fish in the natural lake; however no fishing or swimming is allowed in order to allow the eco system to thrive naturally including even allowing sea otters to come in to feast on the fishes during certain seasons.
- All suites are designed to allow fresh air access by opening the main and balcony doors while locking the grille gate for security.
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