Taiwan Leisure Farm is certainly not your typical impression of farm. In fact it’s more like a resort with a history of farming that emphasized on the natural environment and promoting a sustainable and healthy lifestyle.
Fu Wan Villa
Text/Photos: Kelvin Chan
Taiwan Leisure Farm is certainly not your typical impression of farm. In fact it’s more like a resort with a history of farming that emphasized on the natural environment and promoting a sustainable and healthy lifestyle. Some of the farms are still operating their core farming business and as such it’s not surprising that the food they serve is usually made up of produce from their farms. Flowers, fruits and herbs are blended into their cuisines, while poultry and fishes come straight from their own farm. Even wild vegetables are frequently served depending on the season. And during fruits harvest season it’s one of the best time to be there to taste the freshest of fruits as you pluck them straight from the trees.
These farms are unique and cater to different concept of farm stay. Depending on their location they offer visitors a choice of luxurious French inspired chateau to those who want to be close to nature camping under the stars. You can choose from simple organic meal to a full-course of fine dining Chinese cuisines. And if you want to pamper yourself further there are also spa village using their own products that are sourced from the farm’s choice of herbs and flowers. And how about dripping the freshly harvest farm honey into your fruits salad as an appetizer or try to concoct your own special blend of herbs and oil.
Whether you are looking for a relax holiday to enjoy nature’s best or set to explore the mountain peaks, check out these highlights of Taiwan Leisure Farm in this and the next issue of Travelution.
Flower Home Leisure Farm
No.43-3, Xiping, Zhuolan Township, Miaoli County
www.flowerhome.com.tw
A small wooden hut at the entrance almost entirely covered with flowers greets you as you enter. Flowers and herbs plants lined both sides of the small pathway that leads you into the farm passing through a nursery and a display area where you can buy products made from the farm own flowers and herbs. There are various types of flowers blooming in the garden and the scent of fresh flowers and herbs filled the air.
The inconspicuous hotel building is tucked away at a corner of the farm, away from the restaurant and crowd. The spacious rooms come with huge balcony overlooking an orchard of fruit trees. Flower Home guests are also provided with toiletries made from the farm’s own special blend of essential oils for you to soak yourself in your own Jacuzzi in the extra large bathroom.
The farm is quiet and serene early in the morning, while in the background workers attend to the flowers and plants only stopping to greet you as you walked past them. Take a walk in the garden before breakfast to enjoy the fresh morning air filled with a subtle scent of flowers and herbs. During lavender season the field will be covered with a carpet of purple flowers. Flower lovers will have a wonderful time in the garden, especially photo enthusiasts who’ll no doubt be kept busy with their camera.
The restaurant is popular with walk-in diners and houseguests, serving the farm’s own special dishes that are cooked with herbs and flowers from their farm. The colourful flowers are not only beautiful to look at but taste as good too.
Kenting Stony Brook Nature Farm
NO.1-1, Ln. Shihniou, Kenting Road. Pingtung County.
www.ktnature.com
The Italian inspired Tuscany, A French Chateau, has a large field for those who like to sleep under the stars – this is Kenting Stony Brook Nature Farm. And for those who want comfort close to nature, there are the rows of comfortable log cabins to choose from. These cabins open up to a spacious garden with wooden table and benches for those who enjoy outdoor picnic or the cool evening breeze. And you can even bring your furry pet here for just a small fee.
If you like luxurious Italian or French comfort, the rooms of Tuscany and the Chateau will set you into the mood. There is even a bar in the Chateau for you to relax or to take a sip of the house French label wine or to enjoy specialty coffee.
This is a relaxing place, spacious, peaceful and full of greens. The large field is well maintained and suitable for children to roam about. You can even park your car near to the field and pitch your tent at the campsite, which comes with toilet facilities and barbeque pits for your convenience.
Unfortunately Kenting Stony Brook does not provide meal except breakfast, which can be delivered to your room. But there are many food outlets in the nearby Kenting town and especially at the night market where you can find a great number of restaurants and street foods.
Fu Wan
If there is a classification of farm then this must be a 5-star farm. Imagine villa with swimming pool, a modern looking restaurant that serves Chinese fine dining cuisines by an award-winning chef and yes, there is a lounge that keeps you karaoke happy the whole nightlong. The modest row of chalets at the fringe of the garden will surprise you with a luxurious interior. The comforts range from soft comfortable bed linen to a huge wooden bathtub for you to soothe your tired body. The few bigger villas are thoughtfully placed at a quiet area on the other side of the farm.
And true to the reputation of their award-winning chef our lunch and dinner is nothing short of exceptional. The simple seafood rice broth for lunch is unanimously
agreed to be one of the best during our entire trip. Dinner is even more elaborate with an exciting mix of flavour and texture with a selection of raw fish, hot pot and their signature rose shrimp chocolate for dessert.
After a very satisfied dinner and a good night’s rest I woke up early the following morning to explore the rest of the farm, checking out the herbs garden and the fish ponds situated behind the garden chalets. The well-groomed garden is popular for hosting outdoor event and I can see guests are busy setting up for a wedding ceremony with flowers and colourful balloons creating an air of festivities in the garden. And of course we were happily taking photos of the wedding set-up too.
Tien Ma Ma Local Farm Delicacies
蛤仔輝特產中心
No. 428, Wugang Rd, Yunlin County, Taiwan 636
Tel: +886 5 698 4911
These are restaurants that serve authentic local flavour delicacies. This restaurant located near the coastal area specializes in seafood. While the dishes are simple, they are cooked with the freshest seafood that’s available. While the main ingredients may be the same, the flavour is certainly different. Like the fish steam in preserved baby watermelon and the pickled seaweeds. Their fried oysters come in a generous portion that I have not seen in anywhere else before. The oysters wrapped in fried eggs are literally busting out onto the plate.
Duck Village, Tainan Leisure Farm
A member of Tien Ma Ma local farm delicacies, Duck Village spans three generations of the Su family. The farm also conducts educational tours for school children and tourists giving them a firsthand experience into the farm environment. Duck Village also serves meals with their house specialty of duck and duck eggs. The nicely packed preserved century eggs, salted eggs, and 3 flavour eggs are very much in demand with tourists. And the preserved century-egg is a must-try.
