To experience French culture, you no longer need to go to France anymore. Colmar Tropicale, a French-themed resort in Pahang, was modelled after a real 16th-century village in Alsace, a city in France, and provides a realistic sense of a French countryside.
French, but a little closer to home
Located some 800 to 1000 metres above sea level at Berjaya Hills (Bukit Tinggi), Bentong District, Pahang, a French-themed resort known as Colmar Tropicale is built amidst the lush green tropical rainforest.
I was introduced to this resort by a tour agency in Kuala Lumpur during my recent trip to Malaya.
It is about an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur City.
The resort is modelled after an actual 16th-century village in Alsace, a city in France.
One of the attractions is the eye-catching main buildings that resemble what we saw in the European fairy tale stories with tall buildings, a clock tower, a drawbridge, and castle-like structures, which is perhaps one of its kind in Malaysia.
It is no doubt a nice place for taking Instagram-worthy photographs.
I also saw a couple taking their pre-wedding photographs here in such a romantic setting.
There are several restaurants and eateries in the park.
I spent a night at the hotel on the second floor of the building. After sunset, the Colmar Square is illuminated with colourful lights, and we dined at one of the sidewalk restaurants, which served both local delicacies and western dishes, as well as Japanese cuisine.
There are altogether nine restaurants and eateries in the resort. The La Cigogne restaurant offers authentic French fine dining. Others include a French bakery, an Italian restaurant, two cafés, and a Japanese restaurant.
Earlier in the afternoon, a few of us boarded the resort’s free shuttle bus, which operates an hourly service to and fro, bringing visitors to the car park on the hill just below the Japanese Village. We then walked up the 88-step staircase and ascending tar-sealed road to reach the village and visited the tranquil, Japanese-style landscape garden with mini waterfalls. The village is located some 1000 metres above sea level.
Along the way up the hill, we were treated to cool fresh air and the nice greenery of the rainforest, with its rich flora and fauna. The mountain range, at a distance, was partially covered by the floating cloud.
Among the facilities in the garden are the Japanese Tea House, the Ryo Zan Tei Japanese Restaurant (only open from Friday to Sunday), a souvenir shop, the Tatami Spa, the UME Tatami Suite, and a botanical garden with a variety of flora and fauna.
Visitors can also rent the Japanese traditional costume, the kimono, for photo ops.
Halfway along the route, before reaching the car park, there is an adventure park. Tourists who love adventurous activities can enjoy the thrill of the Flying Fox, climbing and abseiling the 12-meter-high rock climbing wall, experiencing the High Rope Obstacle, playing the game of Paintball Warfare, or enjoying the fresh air and breath-taking view while threading along the Canopy Bridge.
I was told that other facilities available in the theme park are horseback riding, a swimming pool, an 18-hole golf course, a bowling alley, a tennis court, two ballrooms, and a convention centre that cater for various corporate functions, parties and wedding dinners.
For children, there is a rabbit park where they can feed and play with the rabbits or visit the deer sanctuary.
It is a nice place for relaxation, to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and for family outings.
