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www.nst.com Life is generally simple in small villages marked by wooden houses set in lush greenery. Here, the air is fresh, the pace unhurried and mealtimes mean nutritious, home-cooked food.
There are no traffic jams or inconsiderate motorists to get worked up over. Absent too are fast food outlets and bustling shopping complexes.
But therein lies the charm of village life. Believe it or not, more and more people these days are leaving their stressful jobs in the big cities for the simple kampung lifestyle — for a few days, weeks and, for some, even for good.
If it’s temporary respite you seek, joining a homestay programme is a pleasant option that’s gaining popularity among, not only Malaysians, but also foreign tourists including the Japanese, Europeans, Taiwanese, Koreans and even Singaporeans who hanker for a taste of village life.
Such a programme offers them a slice of life in a kampung. They learn how villagers make a living, what they do for entertainment and they share simple meals with their host family. Often, the visitors are so touched by the warm hospitality of the villagers that many end up as ‘adopted’ sons and daughters of their kampung ‘pak’ and ‘mak’.
To find out what the buzz is about in homestay programmes, check these out.
KAMPUNG SUNGAI HAJI DORANI, Kuala Selangor
An hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur, Kampung Sungai Haji Dorani is an award-winning homestay programme. Here, you can stay in kampung houses belonging to hosts of Malay, Javanese and Banjar descent and get a chance to sample the local food as well as learn more about the lifestyle and culture.
The village has lots of fruit farms. Not only can visitors see how honey mangoes are harvested but they can also taste the succulent mangoes plucked straight from the trees.
During the padi planting season, visitors can join farmers in the fields; the experience of transplanting padi and getting dirty in mud is what memories are made of.
In the homes, there’s always something to learn. In the kitchens, the womenfolk will encourage their guests to try making kuih bahulu (small sponge cakes), banana chips, kuih kapit (love letters), kuih loyang and other local delicacies.
Tourists enjoy sitting around the large woks and ovens to learn cooking tricks from their hosts. Before leaving, it’s a must to bring home bags of these goodies and other souvenirs including handicraft.
A 2D/1N stay, inclusive of food, costs RM80. For more details and packages, call/fax 03-3241 0846.
KAMPUNG LONEK, BATU KIKIR, Negri Sembilan
For a taste of ‘kaw’ masak lemak cili padi and thick Pepatih or a dose of Minangkabau culture, head for Negri Sembilan.
Kampung Lonek in Batu Kikir, about two hours’ drive from Seremban, is one of five villages in the State that offer homestay programme.
Surrounded by padi fields and rubber and oil palm plantations, the kampung, with 150 houses, is made of five smaller villages — Tengah, Tebat, Masjid Lonek, Lonek Seberang and Sungai Taling.
Visitors are treated as ‘new family members’. The highlight of the programme is a kampung-style kenduri, where villagers will put up colourful cultural performances like bongai, marhaban and nasyid.
For details, contact Kampung Lonek at 019-341 8190 (Mohamed Ayob Yasin) or 019-287 1410 (Badariah Ahmad).
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