The Best Gelam Honey Available

gelam forest Malaysia

Gelam Honey: Earthy, Bold, and Beautifully Wild

If you ask me what my absolute favorite honey is—it’s Gelam, without a doubt.

The moment we harvest it, the scent of gelam blossoms rises gently into the air, instantly awakening your senses. This wild honey, crafted by the magnificent Apis dorsata bees, comes from the coastal gelam forests where these bees forage primarily on gelam nectar, with hints of wild sea apple trees that grow in between.

These sparse, savannah-like forests—found along the coasts of Terengganu, Pahang, and Johor not only nourish the bees but also play a vital role in protecting wildlife and shielding coastal communities from natural disasters.

What makes Gelam honey special? It’s not overly sweet. Instead, it carries a beautifully balanced profile. Mildly sweet at first, then gently unfolding into a whisper of bitterness and a hint of sourness as it travels down your throat. Let it linger in your mouth for a moment, and you’ll notice a subtle tingle, a tiny bite that leaves you feeling grounded, alive, and deeply connected to the wild

Though upon reaching the coastal line where Gelam forest was, the walk felt like going through dessert like heat, under the hot scorching sun, however, as soon as we enter the forest, it felt like we were trasnported into a a different world entirely more like in a place  where Arwen of The Lord of The Ring and her fellow elves hiding, in a beautiful, serene lush heaven. 

 

Our own journey to the Gelam Forest, I would say a very a breath taking one and an absolutely something to remember. It is no question how beautiful and enchanted the forest is and I am absolutely astonished to be in the midst of no where in the so beautiful and lush green trees. Of course there are some parts which is a bit swampy, nevertheless still it is a beauty!

 

 .


1 3

Untamed by industry. Shaped by forest. Honored by ritual.

Malaysia is home to some of the rarest and most complex honeys in the world and we’re here to help you taste them with intention.

At Eat Honey Pretty, we curate rainforest and native nectars that reflect the rich biodiversity of our ancient trees, coastal flora, and healing traditions. From rock bee honey harvested high in the jungle canopy to stingless bee nectar fermented in miniature forest chambers, each variety we carry tells a deeper story — of place, of season, of resilience.

Our honeys are never blended, diluted, or tamed. They’re raw, traceable, and vibrant — rich in antioxidants, living enzymes, and layered flavor signatures shaped by unspoiled forage and floral terroir.

These aren’t supermarket honeys.
They’re jungle-born, time-honored, and quietly potent.

Each jar is chosen not just for its taste, but for its ritual worth, how it soothes, strengthens, or connects whether taken by spoon, stirred into warm water, or woven into your daily rhythm.

This is the essence of what we call The Wild Standard.
And we’re proud to bring it to your table.

Tualang Honey: The Crown Jewel of the Jungle

Harvested from the canopies of 200-million-year-old rainforests, Tualang honey is the grand cru of the jungle — rare, commanding, and rich with wild layers.

It comes from Apis dorsata, the wild rock bee, whose nests can span over 2 meters wide and hang 80 meters high on the limbs of Tualang trees (Koompassia excelsa) — known locally as pokok tualang, the “skyscrapers” of Southeast Asia.

✧ What Makes It Different:

  • Only harvestable 2–3 times a year due to seasonality and altitude.
  • Harvesters (known as orang lebah) climb barefoot using smoke torches and ropes — a generational skill that is vanishing due to deforestation and risk.
  • The bees’ nectar comes from deep, mixed dipterocarp forests — making every batch wildly multifloral and botanically unique.

✧ Cultural Notes:

  • Used by royal herbalists and bomohs (traditional healers) for wound healing, postpartum care, and virility.
  • Considered an “energetic honey” — grounding, masculine, and used in minyak urut (massage oils) for strength and stamina.

Taste Notes: Deep amber. Woody. Slightly bitter finish — like burnt caramel and forest bark.
Best Used In: Warm water tonics, restorative rituals, ceremonial sips.
Ritual Mood: Protection, grounding, masculine energy, deep reset.

Our Signature Tualang Honey at London Honey Awards 2022
Honey made by kelulut bees 325g - EAST HONEY AND HERB ENTERPRISE

Kelulut Honey : Tiny Bees, Powerful Nectar

Collected by stingless bees (Trigona itama), Kelulut honey is a living nectar — naturally fermented, tangy, and enzymatically alive. It’s thinner, sour, and emotionally vibrant — the champagne vinegar of honeys.

✧ What Makes It Different:

  • Stored in resinous cerumen pods, not honeycomb — which imparts a subtle woody-resin flavor.
  • Because of natural fermentation, it contains gluconic acid, propolis, and beneficial yeasts — ideal for gut health.
  • These bees don’t sting — but they’re extremely selective. The hives are often hosted by traditional farmers in hollow logs.

✧ Cultural Notes:

  • Traditionally gifted to women post-birth to boost immunity and energy.
  • Once believed to bring “angin baik” (good wind) into the body — rebalancing inner temperament.

Taste Notes: Fruity tang. Fermented. Lingers like plum vinegar with floral lift.
Best Used In: Fasting rituals, immunity shots, skincare masks, digestive tonics.
Ritual Mood: Feminine, detoxifying, intuitive, clarifying.

Read more about our Award-Winning Kelulut

Kelulut Honey Tasting – Tangy, Wild & A Little Witchy

Gelam Honey : Medicinal Nectar of the Coastal Forests

Harvested from the wetlands and tidal forests of Malaysia’s east coast, Gelam honey is a medicinal nectar steeped in botanical wisdom. It comes from bees foraging the blossoms of Melaleuca cajuputi, known locally as pokok gelam — a medicinal tree revered for its antibacterial oils, calming fragrance, and centuries-old healing uses.

Where Tualang soars, Gelam roots.
It is close to the earth, to water, to restoration.
The honey is highly fragrant, with an herbaceous lift that catches the nose the moment the bottle is opened — a soft signal of the power within.

✧ What Makes It Different:

  • Foraged from coastal Melaleuca blooms, rich in terpenes and phenolic compounds similar to those in tea tree and eucalyptus.
  • Highly antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and clinically researched for wound healing, liver protection, and immune support.
  • Naturally has a lower glycemic index and a strong antioxidant profile.
  • One of the few Malaysian honeys with a distinct herbal-bitter profile, often favored by those who seek function before sweetness.

✧ Cultural Notes:

  • Traditionally used by coastal and kampung communities for coughs, fever, skin healing, and digestive balance.
  • The Gelam tree itself has long been used for traditional steam therapy, postpartum cleansing, and wound dressing.
  • Seen as a feminine and balancing honey — lighter in color, but rich in healing character.
  • Often blended into herbal tonics, or taken as a natural remedy by the spoon at dawn.

✧ Taste Notes:

Bright amber.
Herbaceous on the nose.
Softly bitter, with a floral-woody finish that lingers on the palate like coastal mist.
Scent-forward, grounding, slightly astringent.

Uncover the bitter-sweet beauty of Gelam honey

With the Bees in Mind: Our Mindful Harvesting Ritual

At Eat Honey Pretty, we believe honey is a sacred gift from the bees, the land, and time itself. That’s why every step of our process is guided by intention, patience, and deep care. Every jar you hold in your hand is the result of harmony between human hands, buzzing wings, and blooming flowers. It’s not just honey. It’s a story of trust, tenderness, and transformation.

  • Mindful Harvest

    We only harvest when the honey is ready. Never rushed, never forced. Our beekeepers observe the rhythm of the hives, waiting until the bees have sealed the combs with wax, their natural signal that the nectar has matured into true honey. We take only what the bees can spare, always leaving enough for their survival, health, and joy.

  • Demure Filtration

    Once harvested, the honey goes through a slow, gentle filtration process just enough to remove debris, while preserving all the pollen, enzymes, and nutrients that make raw honey a living food. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is overheated. Everything is done in a quiet, clean space to respect the honey’s natural beauty.

  • Gentle and Hygienic Handling

    We treat honey as we would a newborn. We handled with clean hands, sterilized tools, and utmost tenderness. From comb to jar, hygiene is our top priority, without ever compromising the integrity of the honey.

  • Delicious Finish, Thoughtful Bottling

    Once settled, the honey is carefully bottled in small batches to retain freshness and character. No two jars are exactly the same, each carries its own seasonal notes, floral depth, and wild charm.

  • Elegant Storage

    We store our honey like you’d store a treasure away from harsh lights, heat, or moisture. It rests in cool, quiet spaces until it's ready to meet you.

Crystallization and storage

If stored and maintained properly, honey will stay good indefinitely. Do not refrigerate. Store at room temperature (70-80 degrees °F) in a dark place to help retain its flavor, aroma, and consistency. Make sure the container remains sealed tightly. Keep clean by using a dry spoon each time you dip into the jar. This premium honey is raw, unprocessed, and unpasteurized. Therefore, it retains all the naturally occurring bioactive properties. It may become cloudy,  but don’t worry!  It’s still good! This is a totally normal process called “crystallization”. The superior quality remains intact and is perfectly safe to consume. If honey consistency becomes hard, don’t microwave it. Simply place jar in warm (not boiling) water and stir to soften.

From Jungle Gold to Everyday Sweet: A Comparative Table

Not all honey is created equal and not all sweetness tells the same story. This table offers a side-by-side comparison of the honeys we carry (Tualang, Kelulut, and Gelam) alongside more widely available commercial and international varieties.
It is designed to help you understand what sets forest-born, biodiverse honeys apart — in taste, origin, medicinal value, and ritual potential.

Here, you’ll discover how floral terroir, bee species, and harvesting traditions create radically different honeys from supermarket blends to rainforest elixirs.

This is not about ranking, but about revealing.
Because when you know what to look for, you taste more intentionally.