COCOA TREES in Malaysia

The cocoa tree was originated in the Upper Amazon basin. It grows only in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, South America and Central America within 15 degrees of the equator. It grows best in the shade of other trees.

The cocoa tree needs to be shaded from strong tropical sun and sheltered from the wind. It can grow up to 50 feet tall.

It needs constant warmth and rainfall to thrive.


The cocoa trees begin to produce fruits in 3 to 5 years. The fruits are the rugby-shaped pods that contain the seeds that will become cocoa beans.


A typical cocoa rugby-shaped pod.

The dried & partially fermented fatty seeds of the cocoa tree from which chocolate is made.

Chocolate today is a US$60 billion industry worldwide. So, it is interesting to see cocoa trees growing in Malaysia.

Dragon Fruits

We all know that dragon fruits are products of Vietnam.

Do you know how the tree of a Dragon Fruit looks like? Well, on a trip to Ayer Tawar, Perak, Malaysia, I was introduced to the Dragon Fruit Tree.

It turns out to be from a cactus family as you can see from the photo above.

You can see the dragon fruits hanging on the cactus branches.

The flesh of the dragon fruits is white in color with many small black seeds. They are high nutrition fruits and rich in Vitamin C.

A better view of the dragon fruits. Photo taken in the garden of a friend in Ayer Tawar, Perak, Malaysia.

The dragon fruits on sale in the Ben Thanh market in Ho Chi Minh City. The photo was taken on a trip to Ho Chi Minh City recently.


These are the dragon fruits on sale in the Pulau Tikus market, Penang, Malaysia.
Photo was taken during a recent trip to Penang.

Food in Ayer Tawar, Perak, Malaysia

Since we are in AYER TAWAR to buy Mee Suah and Biscuit, we might as well visit some good food for breakfast and lunch in the town. We drop in Kedai Kopi NGA for our breakfast.


There is a WAN TAN Mee stall in this Kedai Kopi NGA which is popular among the locals but I still prefer those in Penang.

The big plate of special fresh noodle in soya sauce like the Wan Tan Mee in Penang.

The wanton soup is good. The texture of the wanton skin is very fine.


For lunch we went to Restoran ING HUA where we had the Rice Red Wine Mee Suah which is famous in AYER TAWAR.

Where to find good Mee Suah ( Vermicelli) in Malaysia

Mee Suah ( Vermicelli) is noodle made from rice flour. It is produced in big bulk with each as long as you can imagine. They are sold in kilograms and cost around MR9 per kilo.


You can get the good Mee Suah in this Kedai Runcit Chop MAN LEE along the main road in AYER TAWAR in Perak, Malaysia. You can buy the wet or the dried type.





The other shop you can find good Mee Suah is Kedai Barang-barang Runcit SAM SENG

The shop is located along the main road in AYER TAWAR along the way to Sitiwan or Lumut in Perak, Malaysia.

If you buy the wet type, you have to re-distribute them into small bundles for drying in the sun before keeping them ready to cook.


There are many dishes using Mee Suah especially the Hawker food in Penang. Examples are Duck Drumstick Mee Suah and Rice Red Wine Mee Suah.

Visit to a Pleated Curly Biscuit cottage factory in Ayer Tawar, Perak, Malaysia

The Pleated Curly Biscuit is sold in a packet of 12 pieces.

DANG TRADING is located at lot 1034, Jalan Ling Sing Hang, 32400 AYER TAWAR, Perak Darul Ridzuan. Tel no : 05-6722012.






The Pleated Curly Biscuit



Leaving Penang, we took a short trip to Ayer Tawar, a small town on the way to Sitiwan or Lumut in Perak, Malaysia. We visited a small cottage factory producing this special pleated curly biscuit which is not so sweet but crunchy.

The company producing this biscuit is DANG TRADING. The owner is Mr Peter Dang tel no : 012-5184323. You should give him a call to reserve your orders before you drive to the town as he could not produce enough to fufill his orders.