Kota Tinggi Ostrich Farm & Fireflies Trip
28 September, 20091-Day Kota Tinggi Ostrich Farm/ Fireflies Tour
Kota Tinggi is one of Singaporeans’ favorite destination to experience the Christmas tree-like effect of fireflies. Many tour operators offer this popular one-day getaway trip from Singapore. To keep you occupied during the day, they would usually include visits to ostrich farms and some shopping.
Upon immigration clearance, stopover at a coffee shop in Johor Bahru for breakfast. This is then followed by a visit to a Cocoa House Show room where they will demonstrate how chocolate is made. A variety of chocolate mixed with different flavors is also offered here – green tea chocolate, durian chocolate etc.
Ostrich Farm
This is then followed by a 2-hour drive to Desaru/Kota Tinggi area. Here we visited the Ostrich Farm where you can experience the hundreds of ostriches up close and personal and also understand the ostrich breeding process.
We came across a day-old ostrich at the farm – it had just cracked out of its egg shell and would be pecking itself out of it for the next few days. An ostrich egg can withstand a weight of about 250kg and visitors would usually be invited to step on one to test its hardness.
We also learned that every part of an ostrich has many practical usages e.g.
- Ostrich Feathers are used to make dusters suitable for cleaning computer parts, keyboards because they are anti-static and do not trap dust (unlike dusters made from other bird feathers).
- Ostrich Skin are usually tanned into leather and dyed to make bags and pouches.
- Ostrich Fat, the layer just underneath the skin, is used to make ointments. This ointment helps to relieve everything from skin diseases to headaches.
- Ostrich Meat taste like a mixture of chicken and beef – tender and tasty and a lot more healthier.
- Ostrich Bones and Tendons are boiled in soups. They help to relieve conditions such as arthritis and bone weakness.
- Ostrich Eggs, drained of its white and yolk, are used to make attractive lamp shades. A whole collection of beautifully painted ostrich egg-shells could be found at the farm’s souvenir shop (see above picture).
At the ostrich farm, you also get to feed the ostriches or take a short ride on an ostrich (for kids only!). For RM2, visitors are given a small container with some ostrich feed. These ostriches are already pre-programmed to react to this small blue container (see below pictures in my hand) and will all rush towards you if you are holding one.
As you walk along a trail separating 2 groups of ostriches, with the container, you can see the ostriches following you closely and reaching out their long necks to peck at the container in your hand. You can try to be an ostrich conductor, waving your container and seeing how the heads move with you. 🙂
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Ostriches, ostriches, ostriches… To differentiate between a male and female ostrich, look at the color of their feathers. Male ostriches’ feathers are much more darker in color compared to females.
After the ostrich farm visit, we stopped at a local seafood restaurant for a sumptuous 6-course seafood meal. This is then followed by a visit to a fruit farm (we decided to just visit the market outside the farm instead).
Next up on the itinerary was a 1+ hour shopping at a local shopping centre before we proceeded for another seafood dinner.
Fireflies Boat Tour
The highlight of this trip – Fireflies tour!
No pictures of the fireflies though because it is almost impossible to capture one – all you get is pitch darkness. 🙂 The boat tour among the mangroves started at 7pm and lasted for about 45 minutes. The view of the fireflies was very spectacular – thousands of fireflies on the trees – almost like a Christmas tree!
Tour Details
Itinerary: As above
Meals: Lunch and Dinner included
Price per pax: 65 SGD
Minimum pax required: 10
Comments (30)
Jessen
29 September, 2009 at 1:52 pmCool…. I want to watch fireflies too….
mylo
30 September, 2009 at 11:05 pmLook fun to me! I always wanted to visit an ostrich farm. The ostrich babies are CUTE.
Do they serve ostrich satay?
.-= mylo´s last blog ..Thailand Land of Smiles – The BIGGEST PRANG in Wat Arun วัดอรุณ, Temple of The Dawn (Part 2) =-.
Zhiqiang
30 September, 2009 at 11:26 pm@mylo, yes they serve ostrich satay (just outside the farm) – taste pretty much like chicken satay
avontflex
4 October, 2009 at 4:09 pmthe ostrich looks like really smiling with you…the center image
May
13 October, 2009 at 10:25 amjust like to know which tour operator you go with for this trip? 🙂
Zhiqiang
13 October, 2009 at 10:53 amSingatour.com – if interested, pl drop me a mail so I can direct you to the person in charge. 🙂
Cheryl
8 August, 2010 at 11:08 pmhi, kindly provide me with name of contact person for this tour and contact no. much thanks!
Hiro
5 April, 2010 at 3:29 pmThis is cool!!! I wish to take my daughter there. Could you give me the link for the agent and email address?
Thanks!
Zhiqiang
5 April, 2010 at 9:21 pmHi Hiro, We booked with Singatour.com 🙂
maria
6 July, 2010 at 3:34 pmsaya sudah pergi desaru ostrich farm
sgt seronok 🙂
Zhiqiang & Tingyi
6 July, 2010 at 6:13 pmyup its fun 🙂
Joanne
20 August, 2010 at 10:03 pmMin 10 pax to go..
Only my sister and I are going. Wonder if there are enough people to form a group on a weekday to beat the crowd.
Too bad they only have 1-day trip. It would be less tiring if there is 2D1N package.
Colin
19 September, 2010 at 3:35 pmHello ZhiQiang,
Can kindly pass me your contact for singatour.com please. Will like to try organise a 1 day tour for residents at my estate for about 40- 60 people. Thanks alot.
Happy weekend,
Colin
Zhiqiang & Tingyi
19 September, 2010 at 6:07 pmHi Colin – you can email them at email@singatour.com, tell them that PassportChop.com referred you. 🙂
Jalee
26 December, 2015 at 9:51 pmHi, will there be a discount if I tell them that passportchop.com referred me?
Zhiqiang & Tingyi
27 December, 2015 at 8:46 amIts been so long since I went for this trip – I am not sure if still got discount – u can try asking. I dont have any special arrangements with them but I have been referring people to their tours
jalee
31 December, 2015 at 4:15 pmHi again,
I’m going with my friend but they said they only provide tour if I can get a group with a minimum of 10 people…
Was your arrangement in such a manner too ?
Zhiqiang & Tingyi
31 December, 2015 at 5:04 pmyes
robin
1 November, 2010 at 3:17 pmHi people, is there anyone who are willing to go with me and my girlfriend? I’m planning it at 3rd December, but i don’t have people going with me. Do hope i can find 8 people. Have called singatour regarding this. Jus need to fill the numbers now.
robin
1 November, 2010 at 3:22 pmi meant 4th December since they do not have packages that goes on a Friday.
4th December is a saturday, anyone wants to join? please let me know. Thank you!
Zhiqiang & Tingyi
1 November, 2010 at 6:20 pmWill check with my friends for you too 🙂 Will email you directly if there are any good news. but to find 8 ppl quite hard.
josal
1 November, 2010 at 6:34 pmCan I confirm with you by end of this week? Need to check with my 2 other friends (total 3 including me). In fact, we prefer Sunday departure due to personal commitment but have not found any suitable tour agent yet.
josal
17 November, 2010 at 9:01 pmRobin, my friends and I have decided to go on 27 Nov 2010. Already booked thru’ Desaru Fruit Farm Tour & Travel (tel: 65358686) during Travel Fair at Suntec last Sunday . Tour fare $75 before discount of $5 (incl entrance fee to fruit farm, ostrich farm and firefly cruise). Maybe you like to join us instead..
Melissa
7 January, 2011 at 1:53 pmlove your ostrich farm. looks to be a very fun. do you sell ostrich feathers? please let me know. my son and his wife will be traveling to Hong Kong in February, 2011. i have asked them to get me a bunch if possible. if you don’t sell your feathers, maybe you could tell me where my son and his wife can get ostrich wings / ostrich plumes?
thank you so much. this is the first time i’ve ever email out of the USA. this is great!
Zhiqiang & Tingyi
7 January, 2011 at 10:15 pmerm.. this is not our ostrich farm 🙂 we visited this farm in Malaysia. not sure if your son can get ostrich things in Hong Kong, might want to try China.
Marlowe
14 February, 2011 at 10:05 pmTravel deals are up again specially with Natas 2011 travel fair coming closer…Hope to see more cheap airfares too!
iwan
7 March, 2011 at 6:33 pmhow can i reach the farm? any number to be contacted?
regards
Zhiqiang & Tingyi
7 March, 2011 at 9:12 pmWe took a tour there – i dont have the number of the farm – you can contact http://www.singatour.com if you are interested in this tour.
CYQ
6 June, 2011 at 10:06 pmAre the ostrich eggs up for sale? If yes, can you kindly post the address of the farm? Thanks a lot:D
Zhiqiang & Tingyi
7 June, 2011 at 9:12 amI believe they have ostrich eggs for sale or at least empty shells for decoration purpose – unfortunately i dont have the address as we were brought there as part of guided tour.