Swan Valley

May 5, 2012 (Saturday)

Returned from our Busselton-Margaret River-Augusta awesome trip, The Stooges still in vacation mood. Make a move for another escapade, this time to Swan Valley. A very short trip, but gud enuff to spend a very good weekend and quality time with a very good friends.

We leaving Perth quarter to 10 am, this time no more iMax (I missed that car tho...) but Yaris belong to Wan Hon. Gud enuff for 5 of us... yes 5 of us and not 6. If you realised the number of The Stooges in each trip kept changing... sometime 5, or maybe 6, even 4 depend on availability.

Exit to Swan Valley from Great Eastern Highway.

Swan Valley is not far from my place, after drove for 30 minutes we arrived at our first check point, Margaret River Chocolate Factory. Yes, the same name with the one at Margaret River but this one located at Swan Valley. It’s looked the same as what I saw in my previous visit 3 years ago, except no more huge signboard on top of the factory. The products and environment just like before. Personally I like the one at Margaret River more than this one.

The products.

Then moved our head and legs to Cape Lavender, just behind the chocolate factory. Cape Lavender relocated their main activities from Margaret River to Swan Valley. Their premise in Swan Valley included a small cafe, gift and product shop and facilities to manufacture their products. Not sure if they open their Lavender Farm to public, we not ask either.

Forgot to sample lavender tea.

Under the same roof with Cape Lavender, is Mago Coffee. Mago Coffee sold almost everything related to coffee but their core business of course coffee bean. The aroma just great but been a social coffee drinker, end up with buy nothing from Mago Coffee.

The aroma of bean and red roses, a refreshing environment.

Then having our lunch at Elmar’s German Restaurant. Should be noted that Elmar’s is NON-HALAL restaurant so nothing much we as a muslim can enjoy there. Elmar’s is favourite resto for Wan Hon and Sharon, and maybe for Vina too. The menus almost all contained white wine and pork. The only thing we as a muslim can enjoy here is tuna steak but again the issue might be sensitive for certain individu, since the utensil used to prepare the tuna steak might be used to prepare pork steak!!!! Thinking of that, end up with a cup of hot chocolate and a piece of cake.

Elmar's interior deco, simple but classy.

Our next pit stop was The House of Honey. They sold honey-based product such as honey-choc, honey-sparkling water as well as cute souvenier. Not far from The House of Honey is Mondo Nougat. The concept in Mondo Nougat, similar with choc factory where we can watch nougat been made.

Entrance to The House of Honey, unique signboard.

Unique deco by Mondo Nougat.

Be the last pit stop, we leaved Mondo Nugget around 3ish pm for Perth. Another short trip but memorable by The Stooges. Keep thinking for our next escape, maybe horse riding?