BY: David Bowden
EVERYONE loves a parade, especially when it is a colourful one focused on beautiful and exotic flowers.
The Malaysia Flora Fest from July 18 to Aug 3 will showcase a vivid display of colourful flowers and plants, with the festival highlight being the Floral Parade in Johor Bahru on July 26.
This is great news for Singaporeans, as once you cross the causeway, Johor Bahru will be awash with bright colourful displays of flowers, and the air will be full of fragrance from all the blooms on display.
The festival actually started in early March with a photographic competition based on the theme, Fauna, Flora And Landscape.
There are several upcoming events that will be of interest to those who appreciate all things flowery:
A Florathon kicks off in Malacca on July 20 in the beautiful setting of Taman Botanikal, Ayer Keroh. To register, visit the festival's website and be at the recreational park at 7am in your most unique attire in line with the festival theme - Colours of Harmony.
Lucrative cash prizes are up for grabs for teams of six who dress in creatively produced costumes made from flowers and plants or with a floral theme.
The emphasis is on fun and the family, as well as enjoying a little exercise along a 3km-long trail through the tranquil forests on the outskirts of the historic city.
Bunga Raya Waiters' Race
Another fun event is the Bunga Raya Waiters' Race, where restaurant waiters have to balance a Bunga Raya mocktail on a tray along the Florathon trail.
Spectators are free to enjoy all the thrills and spills of the friendly competition.
The Floral Parade at Dataran Bandaraya Johor Bahru on the morning of July 26 will include decorated floats from all over Malaysia, marching bands and traditional cultural performances.
This year, floats will also be coming from Macau and China. They will compete with entries from Malaysian states and organisations which will try to outdo one another with flair and creativity for the coveted prizes.
There are six categories of awards based on originality, construction and concept. The organisers are expecting a big turnout to cheer the floats on and to join in the party atmosphere.
All the floats will be on display in an air-conditioned tent for several days after the street parade.
The streets of Johor Bahru will also be decorated, with gardens specially planted with flowering plants during the festival.
Even if you miss the festival, any time is a good time to discover and appreciate Malaysia's native flora.
Malaysia is one of the most diverse floral regions in the world, with Sabah's Unesco World Heritage Site of Mount
Kinabalu being a world centre for floral diversity.
Rare orchids such as Paphiopedilum rothschildianum are only found around the mountain and are one of the most prized and rarest orchids in the world.
There are numerous national parks where flowers bloom in their natural habitat.
Taman Botani (Botanic Garden) in Putrajaya is home to some 700 species of endemic and exotic plants from over 90 countries. Visitors can explore the gardens, walk along the canopy bridge, admire the unusual flowers along the Heliconis Trail and discover the myriad of plants in the Tropical America and African Gardens.
For more information on the Flora Fest, visit www.malaysiaflorafest.com, or call the secretariat on +603-2696-3171 or Tourism Malaysia in Johor Bahru on +607-222-3590.
For details on Taman Botani Putrajaya, call +603-8888-9090.
This article was first published in Life, The Straits Times on July 15, 2008.