Agro Technology Park MARDI Cameron Highlands – All-In-One-Venue

Agro Technology Park MARDI Cameron Highlands (or MARDI for short) is a hidden attraction close to Tanah Rata.

There’s not one highlight here but several. This place is different from parks because it seems to have a little bit of everything. For the admission fee they charge, it’s great value for money.

Don’t understand what we mean by this? Take a look below.

Highlights

British Formal Garden

This is the first place we visited after paying the entrance fees. Since this part of the park is visible from the front, we see that there is more attention paid to the landscaping here.

It is pretty and neat with different flowers and even a central pond with a bridge over it.

Manmade Waterfall

Walk right to the back of the British Formal Garden, and you’ll find yourself at the artificial waterfall feature.

The waterfall is not big by any means. This is just a picture spot. We did notice that there are new attractions coming up on either side of it though.

One of these is a miniature castle, and further up ahead is a hobbit village. These are just for show, and you cannot enter them. Neither of these are particularly impressive in either execution or size.

Nepenthes Garden

Next to the British Formal Garden under some mature trees is a small section dedicated to pitcher plants.

There are no labels for the different species, and we think this is a shame since it is a nice display of plants.

We’re also not experts on pitcher plants but they didn’t strike us as rare specimens since there were many repeats of the same plants.

Note: There are toilets next to this garden

Fruits And Vegetables

The grape vines that extend along the pathway though some overgrown gardens are mostly drying up.

But we did see some large cabbages, tomato plants full of green tomatoes, and poorly strawberry plants (not for self-picking).

It’s not clear at all what happens to these vegetables or who they are harvested for. We saw birds pecking at unguarded vegetables and some vegetables are overripe.

We passed by a fenced-up apple tree section. The kitchen garden (that is what it was called) was particularly quaint. Many different vegetable plants were part of the landscaping here.

And closer to the tea plantation, is a small corn field with no ears to be seen during our visit.

Garden Supply Shop

There are plants for sale in this section as well as more landscaping with benches and a big wooden swing set.

We like how many of the plants are labelled. You can get potted lavender plants, chili plants, or try your hand growing your own grape vines or vanilla beans!

Tea Plantation

In front of the tea plantation is a spacious playground. We saw many kids playing here. The tea plantation itself is a miniature version of established tea plantations in Cameron Highlands.

But it is big enough to have a quick stroll through and snap some photographs.

The tea factory is walking distance from here. And you can also climb to the top of a small hill for some exercise if you want.

Roses

The rose garden section is officially in the front of the Butterfly Garden. But we also saw roses at other parts of the park.

Altogether, they have many different varieties of roses.

But maintenance is lacking, as many of the shrubs are gangly and need pruning.

Butterfly Garden

This garden is small but attractive. Both exits have double doors to prevent the butterflies from escaping.

There is fresh fruit laid out for the butterflies and a variety of flower bushes for them. A small fishpond marks the center of the garden.

Be careful where you step – butterflies don’t have a long lifespan and it’s not uncommon to come across dying ones in your path.

Mini Zoo

We really think this pitiful section ought to be closed but don’t see that happening. Many come to MARDI since they can see a lot without having to pay admission fees to visit several different places.

There is one sheep here, a couple of goats, and some rabbits. The deer and the ducks have the worst of it in our opinion. Their enclosures are dirty and way too small.

We didn’t see any staff on duty here and the place smells very bad.

On-Site Cafes

It looks like there are a few places to sit down and have something to eat and drink in this park.

But during the time of our visit, only the café at the tea factory was operating.

There is another strawberry-themed café close to the vegetable plots, but it was closed during our visit.

Entrance Fees

It costs RM10 per adult to enter the park and kids go in for RM5 per pax. The fees have a notable increase from previous years (from RM6).

But these are very low considering what other newer attractions are charging.

Getting Here

After you pass the big golf course and public park, be on alert for a small sign that will direct you into Agro Technology Park MARDI Cameron Highlands.

It’s not a difficult place to find, and there is plenty of parking.

If you don’t have your own car, you can consider including this place into a flexible and customizable itinerary with Explore Camerons.

Our private tours also include transport from Ipoh to Cameron Highlands on the same day as your tour.

WhatsApp us for more information.

Things To Note

• On-site gift shop looks to be closed from 12 to 2pm.
• There is a surau and multiple toilets in the park – one by the Nepenthes Garden and another by the Mini Zoo section
• A fake hobbit village is under construction as of May 2024
• Car park is bigger than it looks, drive further in for more options

Conclusion

We would not recommend coming to Agro Technology Park MARDI Cameron Highlands if you’re hoping for an educational visit. There are no guided tours.

Furthermore, many places in the park are not well maintained despite the increase in entry fees.

But this place is a great way for families to spend time together outdoors without spending a lot. The kid’s playground is nice. And it doesn’t feel overcrowded here.

Green View Garden

Another low-cost attraction that we recommend is Green View Garden. This place is smaller than Agro Technology Park MARDI Cameron Highlands but reasonably well kept. Plus, they don’t charge any entrance fees. And there are paddle boats that kids can enjoy.