5 things we like about Sinar Eco Resort review

Our Sinar Eco Resort review hopes to share more about family friendly activities. We have heard a lot about Sinar Eco Resort (GPS 1.440437, 103.521374, check Google Map for more resort photos).

The location is deep within Palm Oil Tree Plantation, and Pekan Nanas is the nearest town. If you hike Gunung Pulai (which we hope to do one day), Pekan Nanas is a popular gathering point before/after.


Before we share the Fun part, let us get logistics out of the way first. For some reason, GPS directed us to a dirt track.

Google Map screenshot

Refer above collage of Google Map screenshots.
Top photo is correct, we should turn left after we spot (in sequence) “Public Bank Pekan Nanas-> Petronas petrol station-> Mosque”.

The bottom collage photo was where we landed based on Google Map.
(hey Google, I drive an MPV not ATV)

Navigation

Fortunately, Sinar Eco Resort has shared a navigation guide for us. Set your Google Map to “Public Bank Pekan Nanas” (The pineapple icon).

Sinar Eco Resort map
Sinar Eco Resort map

From Public Bank Pekan Nanas, drive straight for another 500m (passing Petronas and mosque before turning left). It is a 9km drive through Palm Oil Tree plantation.

The big Pineapple infront of Public Bank

Do watch out for potholes and uneven surfaces. The road will converge from 2 lanes into 1 lane as we go deeper. As Mobile signal might be patchy, look out for the blue Sinar Eco signboard.

No wifi. Reality strikes when we check in. Although it is not 1995, but you can rest assure there are plenty of activities in Sinar Eco Resort for 3D2N.

Read on for more Sinar Eco Resort review on the activities.

1.Freedom, be spontaneous
(The farm is safe for kids to explore)

The menu offers Bike, kayak, swim, Atv, tractor, rabbit and chicken, billiard, karaoke, horse riding etc. Try everything 🙂

The menu does not tell you how to relax and do nothing, just lepak and enjoy the peaceful surroundings 🙂

We would recommend getting the bundles for more savings.

Sinar Eco Resort activities
Sinar Eco Resort activities

Before we continue, let us share one of our favorite activities at Sinar Eco Resort, ATV and buggy ride (mud is complimentary but fun!)

 

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Guests would need to check-in at the main block. Our accommodation was at this block, smaller sized families might enjoy the “containers stay” novelty (up to 4pax).

You can check out the accommodation rates and photos on Sinar Eco Resort website.

Sinar Eco Resort
Sinar Eco Resort Containers stay

We stayed in Nature Breeze room for our family of 6 pax. There is a common hall per floor.

What I like about Sinar Eco Resort compound is the abundant green foliage. From our hall, you can see the cafeteria across the carpark.

First activity for visitors would be a tour around Sinar Eco Resort. The friendly hosts will drive you around.

Families will get a flavour of what resort has to offer.

On subsequent days. Adventurous folks can choose to cycle behind. It is just a short 15min ride to cover the resort.

2.Farm animals, big and small

Animals big and small will be spotted all around.

Cowshed has a lot of dung, but kids enjoy feeding the cows.

Johor Family friendly farms
Johor family friendly farms

The goats and horse sheds would be much cleaner 🙂
You can opt to feed the baby goats with milk too.

Johor Farms
Johor Farms

Feeding carrots to the horses, they look majestic and strong. But kids are always wary of the slimy tongues.

johor farm stay
Johor farm stay

Many hungry goats, and there is one huge alpha Billy.

It stands taller than Boon Yee (no3).

Do look out for cute calf too.

Farm Animals johor
Farm Animals johor

Most dogs are caged, but a few will be roaming the compound. Harmless, and they do not fight with the cats or goats.

Most of us urban folks have few opportunities to get close to live poultry in Singapore. The chickens, ducks and geese welcome us to their enclosure.

Sinar Eco Resort
Sinar Eco Resort

I thought chicken coop look like Melbourne’s colourful Bath Houses, but we did not spot newly hatched eggs. Feeding the chicken was fun, if only we can try to catch some of them.

Kampong Family

Cats are the most popular section . Maybe Sinar Eco Resort should let the rabbits out…

Milk for the goats, it is not for human consumption.

Farm animals feeding Johor
Farm animals feeding Johor

3.FOOD, never go hungry 🙂

After feeding the animals, we need to feed the humans too.

..and there are 5 meals per day! All meals will be served at this glass cafeteria.

Delicious and healthy home cooked food, breakfast porridge was my best dish.

You can top up RM20 (per pax) for a BBQ dinner too.

I teased the kids whether the wings are from the same chicken we saw earlier?

Weather was very unpredictable during our stay. We got frequent showers, but there are plenty of inhouse activities to keep us occupied.

4. Plenty of activities!

Kids play billiards every night!

Movie screening and you can buy fireworks too.

But your family (especially the kids) should enjoy the ATV rides.
Dirt and mud is part of the game, so choose some dirty clothes beforehand.

Driver need to be minimum 16 years old. 大舅’s family enjoyed the spins too. 

ATV johor photos
ATV Johor photos

The buggy ride feels like Guards’ Light Strike vehicles.

 

ATV is RM25 and Buggy is RM40 per three rounds. Although the laps are small, go for the novelty thrills!

buggy rides johor
Buggy rides Johor

Coated in MUD!

Wait, there are more activities for your selection. The children pool and train playground for smaller kids.

Sinar Eco Resort review
Sinar Eco Resort review

Swim, jump, hop, cycle. Anything which pleases the kids and families.

       

River cruise happens every evening around 5pm. It is more relaxing than kayaking. Explore the river downstream.

If you run out of ideas, you can get your models to pose for Instagram too :p

5.Family Friendly resort

Beyond the activities, guest can expect top notch servicing and smiles from Sinar Eco Resort staff. Genuine and friendly, they go out of the way to ensure our kids have a wonderful time.

Our kitchen Auntie was super chatty and help us buy jackfruits on her errand trip. By the way, Pekan Nanas is famous for pineapples.

Thank you Sinar Eco Resort for the wonderful hospitality. It was a relaxing 3D2N stay for us. Kids are asking whether we can smuggle the cute kitten home 🙂

Do pop by Cheekiemonkies’ review for more photos.

Our 3D2N Video (YouTube)

More details about Sinar Eco Resort:

-Contact : +6013 757 2434
-Website: https://www.sinarecoresort.com
-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SinarEcoResort
-GPS: 1.440437, 103.521374

-Room rate (per night per pax) : Adult RM 220, child RM 200

Sinar Eco Resort do offer transport shuttle from Singapore too, do give them a call. More photos uploaded to our Facebook album .

 

ps.. our Trip is sponsored by Sinar Eco Resort. In case you wish to explore more attractions nearby, click on Kukup (village life), Legoland and Gelang Petah (Seafood) for your research

Koref farm Johor

Over the Labour Day weekend, I brought Boon Kang over to Johor’s Koref Farm. Koref (Kahang Organic Rice Eco Farm) is a family friendly organic farm in Kluang, Johor.

Boon Kang cannot wait to feed the fish or go rafting everyday!
DCIM103GOPRO

Koref Farm is located in Kahang, Kluang (居銮), and it is about 2 hour drive from Tuas Customs.
Kluang photo

Head East after Ayer Hitam and drive towards Mersing direction. Take note road contains a lot of bends. (From Mersing, coastal road 3.5 hours to Kuantan, or 5 hours to Terengganu).
Koref farm map
(Koref Farm map captured from Google Map)

Great nature, endless rows of palm trees, with mountain ranges in the background.
Koref Kacang Eco Farm1

Yes, we have reached our destination (GPS 2.249098,103.59515).
IMAG4660

This lake greeted us as we drove into Koref Farm compound. Your accommodation might be one of the chalets built over the water.

40% of your activities will be related to water. If kids love swimming, make it 60% 🙂
DCIM103GOPRO

Chalet D house 45 guests and Chalet C (house 35 guests). Chalet C offers only basic configuration.
Urban folks in farm
IMAG4704

Fan, toilet, bed and mattress Checked. We need nothing else for the night. Each chalet D room can house 6 to 8 guests. (“Hotel” rates at this link)
Kahang chalet

Dormitory and A-Frame accommodations.
Farm stay no hot water

If you need something more challenging, try camping. This is normally preferred by students 🙂
camping Koref farm
(Image credit Koref)

When it rains, everyone is cooped indoors but we chose to go paddling and running rounds around the obstacle course.
Collages2

Water depth at the lake is only 60cm, so almost everyone can enjoy water activities. Life jackets are available.
DCIM103GOPRO

Day break.
IMAG4748

I tried jogging on the first morning. At 6am, it was totally dark (cannot-see-fingers-dark). End up I could only pace up and down a 200m dirt track, as I was afraid of falling into drains or bumping into wild dogs or worse spooky banana-trees encounters :p

This is the view from one of the rooms in Chalet D.
Johor Farms

It can be warm during the days but you will need a blanket at night. Be prepared to handle houseflies in the day and “flying-ants” insects (in the thousands!) will swarm light sources in the evenings. Both are harmless.
Koref Kacang Eco Farm19

Cute idioms at every corner, telling guests to relax and enjoy nature.
Koref Kacang Eco Farm2

There were so many activities to keep us entertained.
Who needs TV and IPAD when our daily itinerary shouts FUN!

Obstacle course (Free) and flying fox (RM 10). Rafting is free!
Koref Kacang Eco Farm18

How does feeding the fish (RM 1 per pack) and cycling sounds (RM 7 and above)? You can pedal and get up close to the fish and prawn ponds, or paddy fields. (All the farm activities are listed here)
Family actiivities Koref

Vast paddy fields, clear blue skies and white fluffy clouds.
DCIM103GOPRO

Swings which allow you to “slip” and leap into the lake! (Free)
Farmstay Johor

Common toilets.
Koref farm review

If you cannot live without aircon or must have 5 star buffet breakfast spreads, or you can only swim in turquoise clear water, Koref farm is not for you. But if you and family love the great outdoors and getting back to basics, Koref farm offers you an idyllic kampung lifestyle and loads of opportunities to bond with family.

No TV, no Facebook, no Instagram. Only the farm, animals and fun activities! Smiley faces.
Koref Kacang Eco Farm13

We believe Ah Ben agrees with us 🙂
We had work with him before (Ch8 人气满屋2) and was looking forward to catchup with this friendly host again.
Koref Kacang Eco Farm12

A pond filled with fish and arowanas. Be careful of the territorial male goose, he can be very loud.
Koref Kacang Eco Farm11

In Singapore, AVA is strict and does not allow feeding of poultry, and you cannot even touch the goats in Kranji farms. We must have caught at least half a dozen chicken and chicks in Johor! The arowanas are so used to human-feeding that they sometimes allow you to stroke them (just like a pet!)

Ducks, Goose, Chickens and we even spotted a brood of chicks! What a delight for urban folks to see live chickens running, instead of chilled poultry.
Koref E

Rabbits are fat, no thanks to constant feeding from children. Rabbits stewed or barbequed is not on the menu at Koref :p
Koref Kacang Eco Farm9

Photos of kids, and perhaps colleagues enjoying farming activities.
Koref Kacang Eco Farm7

Simple three meals, seafood prawns and fish are not available for our package. But we felt contented as it was a golden opportunity to teach Boon Kang to treasure every grain of rice. We had earlier witness how farmers toil under the hot sun.
Koref Eco farm meal
Koref Kacang Eco Farm4

Organic produce, we heard Koref is Malaysia’s first organic farm.
Organic farms Malaysia

In our opinion, Koref might score 2 or 3 Stars for meals, but it garners 5 Stars for farming lifestyle!
Truly an unforgettable experience.
boon Kang farmer

Additional tips :
– we cannot share more activities yet, as we want you to wait for Ch 8’s 小农夫 (Fresh farmers) in July. Consisting of 13 episodes, each week a parent-child pair will bring you to one farm (Think 爸爸去哪儿 亲子 variety). 小农夫 (Fresh farmers) hopes children will appreciate the hard work behind farming.

– We first heard of Koref Farm from Cheekiemonkies (their review link), and we were eagerly waiting to enjoy our own Kampung lifestyle.

– These chalets are not for honeymoons, unless you like neighbours to hear your sweet nothings and smooching! Accoustic isolation is non-existent keke 🙂

– GPS for Koref Farm is 2.249098,103.59515

– Visitors can pay RM10 to enter the farm to enjoy the activities without staying overnight

– There is no safe inside the chalets, just lock the door. We felt very safe during our 3D2N stay.

– The other kids are jealous that only Book Kang gets to enjoy the rustic Kampung lifestyle. You can gather more fun facts about Koref Farm on their Website and Fanpage.

Check out some other bonding activities with my kids.
– Boon Kang 3D2N (Farm at Koref), our hiking explorations
Taman Negara with Boon Wee, 2D2N Broga Hill and Sky Mirror with Boon Yee

Kahang Farm photos
* disclaimer Our 3D2N stay is sponsored by the Producer
** Updated 2017Jun – Toggle Ch8 video link, we are Season 1 Episode 10

ps.. Follow our Instagram tag #SengkangBabiesJohor for more JB adventures