There are many things to see and do in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia's largest highland resort. Walks through lovely little villages, visits to the butterfly, strawberry, honey bee farms and sprawling tea plantations or meals at the delightful Tudor-styled country inns, are all pleasurable and relaxing activities to be experienced here. You can't beat the weather up here. A few days out of the sweltering lowland heat will surely recharge your batteries.
One other popular activity in Cameron Highlands, actually more of a tradition, is to have tea and scones. This very English tradition dates back to the days when English colonial officers used this hilly location as a cool getaway from the heat of the lowlands. Bird-watching and trekking are also popular activities here.
Situated 1,500 metres above sea level, Cameron Highlands comprises a series of little townships that include Ringlet, Tanah Rata, Brinchang, Tringkap, Kuala Terla and Kampung Raja. What's more, it's easy to get to. Cameron Highlands lies less than an hour off the main North-South Highway, and is a pleasant, easy 3.5-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur.
The cool, crisp air and lush, green vegetation in Cameron Highlands makes it a popular highland getaway in Malaysia.
Visitors can learn about the natural surroundings, go for walks or simple enjoy the beautiful landscape in this sprawling hill station. In fact, with an area of 71,000ha, Cameron Highlands has a lot offer.
Places to visit in Cameron Highlands:
1. Boh Tea plantation
No Cameron Highlands visit will be complete without a visit to the Boh Tea plantation. The tea company was founded in 1929 and covers three plantations or tea gardens as they are known. These are Fairlie Tea Garden, Habu Tea Garden (which was the first garden) and the Sungai Palas Tea Garden. The travel across these plantations offer views that are breathtaking, as visitors make their way through rolling hills on narrow hillside roads.
Sungai Palas plantation
No Cameron Highlands visit will be complete without a visit to the Boh Tea plantation.
The Sungai Palas Tea Centre offers visitors a chance to learn about how tea is processed and packaged in a guided factory tour, finishing off with a nice pit stop at their cafe to enjoy a variety of teas and cakes.
To enter the Sungai Palas plantation, visitors have to take the lane near the Ee Feng Gu Honey Bee Farm in Brinchang, which is the same route visitors use towards Gunung Brinchang. The tea centre operates from 9am to 4pm and is closed on Mondays.
2. Jungle walks
Nature lovers and walking enthusiasts can take advantage of the hilly terrain and tracks to enjoy Cameron Highland’s natural beauty. This hill station offers walks of varying difficulties, with some being a casual stroll while others are more strenuous. Some of these tracks take you into the jungle and offer views of the misty mountains. The tracks are marked 1 to 10, with a range of difficulties, from climbing Gunung Brinchang or crossing Gunung Beremban.
An easy one is Track 5 or Path 5 where you can walk through the Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institution and head on the road towards Tanah Rata. Visitors are advised to speak to a local guide on the current situation of walking tracks before embarking on a walk alone, as some trails may be close due to bad weather.
Those keen on doing strenuous hikes are also told to bring sufficient equipment like torchlights, warm clothing and water, and to not leave without informing a guide or hotel staff as the tracks may be more difficult to tackle than expected. Locals often talk about the mysterious disappearance of American entrepreneur Jim Thompson during a hike in 1967. Even local guides and Orang Asli trackers – who know the terrain like the back of their hands – failed to find him.
Cameron Highlands
Raju Hill Strawberry Farm in Brinchang, Cameron Highlands.
3. Farms
Cameron Highland’s cool temperatures are conducive to plant a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Farms are located across the highlands’ main towns, starting from Ringlet right up to Brinchang. Visitors are encouraged to head to Tringkap or Kuala Terla to have a look at the larger vegetable farms which grow crops like cabbage, cauliflower and spinach. Cameron Highlands also boasts large strawberry farms, so be sure to stop by the Big Red Strawberry Farm, also known as Taman Agro Tourism Cameron Highlands to hand-pick strawberries or enjoy some freshly made strawberry ice-cream.
This beautiful hill station also offers travellers a chance to explore flower farms, located in the Bertam Valley, Kampung Raja, the Blue Valley and Habu area. Many varieties of daisies, roses and chrysanthemums thrive in this environment.
4. Steamboat cuisine
Although not originally from Cameron Highlands, the Chinese Steamboat has caught on at the hill station and visitors can choose from the dozens of restaurants that offer this cuisine, loosely based on the fondue concept. Patrons get meat, vegetables and noodles to be dipped into a boiling pot filled with stock or spicy Tom Yam soup.
5. Temples
Those who want to learn more about the culture and practices of people living in Cameron Highlands, can opt to stop by the Sam Poh Buddhist Temple, in Brinchang. This temple sits on a hill overlooking Brinchang and offers patrons a good view of the town. It was built in 1972 and houses a large Buddha statue. Another temple is the Sri Thandayuthapani Swamy Temple, a colourful Hindu temple visited often by the tea-picking communities in the highlands.
6. Markets
Markets anywhere in the world are a pleasure to visit. The ones in Cameron Highlands consist of two types, the Pasar Pagi (Morning Market) and the Pasar Malam (Night Market). The morning market is located in the centre of the Kea Farm town and operates daily from 8am. The night market is situated in Brinchang, and sets up at about 3pm till late. Visitors can buy just about anything in these markets, from fruits to gifts and souvenirs.
7. Butterfly farm
Families and nature lovers can enjoy the butterfly farm where several species of this colourful insect live. It is essentially a garden built on a hill slope, and known to be one of the older tourist attractions in the area. The Butterfly Farm is located close to the famous Kea Farm, about 3km from Brinchang. Among the highlights of this farm are free-flying butterflies, a tortoise pen and a mini insectarium. Open daily, tickets are between RM2 and RM5, with a free guided tour when available.
The Rajah Brooke's Birdwing.
8. Bee Farm
A not-too-distant cousin from the butterfly attraction, is the bee farm. There are several farms of this sort in the area, in Ringlet, Tringkap and Kea Farm. Watch how local honey is cultivated and learn to appreciate the role of bees in balancing the ecosystem from the exhibitions at the farms. Don’t forget to sample the various types of honey available.
9. Waterfalls
Beautiful waterfalls are often part and parcel of lush hilly terrains and mountainous regions. There are several waterfalls in the area, one of which is on the way to the highlands, if visitors are travelling from Tapah. This is the Lata Iskandar waterfall, a popular picnic spot and a pit stop for drivers and passengers to stretch their legs and enjoy cool, fresh air. Two other famous waterfalls are the Parit Falls, located off Trail 4, and Robinson Waterfalls which hikers can get to from Trail 9.
10. Cactus Valley
Cactus Valley boasts a large variety of cactuses, some as old as 60 years. Patrons who are curious about the cactus can explore the colourful spiky plants, which come in all shapes and sizes. Located on a hillside area close to Brinchang, the farm also cultivates a range of flowers, apple trees and passion fruit plants.
Cameron Highlands Nightlife
Cameron Highlands nightlife isn't the most buzzing in the world, for the simple reason that most travelers come here to relax and enjoy the coolness and the nature. The various daytime activities mean that by the time pubs and clubs elsewhere would normally open, people are too tired to enjoy them. That said, the main cities Tanah Rata and Brinchang are the places where you can have a good night out, with a bus running between them costing 1.5RM. You can also get a cab which should cost about 6RM.
Non-Alcoholic Delights
Although it doesn't offer much in the way of entertainment, Starbucks does serve its usual great coffee and delicious light snacks and sandwiches. The coffee house is located in the midst of the long stretch of shops in Tanah Rata city centre.
Pubs and Cafes
Given that Islam is the dominant religion in Malaysia, Cameron Highlands nightlife is not predisposed towards alcohol. However, there is one pub in Tana Rata called The Travelers' Bistro and Pub which serves a whole range of drinks, making it a popular visitors' hangout. It's suited for intimate chats with friends. Football - the Malaysian national obsession - is shown on big screens.
Also located in Tana Rata is a great little place called T-Cafe, which serves drinks as well as excellent Asian and Western food into the evening. You can sample their Chinese delicacies such as Hokkien noodles and follow it with a typically English scone with Devonshire cream. Other dishes are a fusion of British, Malay and Chinese recipes.
At the Cameron Highlands Resort is a glorious Japanese bar-restaurant called Sake, whose open plan dining concept features a sake bar - a completely unique experience in Cameron Highlands, not to say Malaysia as a whole.
Fun at the Night Market
On the weekends and during the week while school holidays are taking place, the best in Cameron Highlands nightlife is to be found at Brinchang's night market. There is a truly stunning range of souvenirs, clothes and foodstuffs on sale and travelers would be remiss not to try the excellent locally-produced honey that has made this place famous. It is perfectly safe to walk around the market and incidences of crime are very low. For some extra colour added to your Cameron Highlands trip, this place is a must-see.
Asian women
Most Asian women have the perfectly colored skin which Westerners described as “cooked right”. The medium skin tone of Asian women tends to make them more physically attractive than the fair skinned or dark skinned women. This makes the Asian women to be able to fit in perfectly in any color scheme or design of clothes. Asian women tend to be very pragmatic and practical. Most of the Asian countries have faced a lot of poverty issues, thereby implanting practically and love for more important issues in their mindset. Asian women are not known to be materialistic but rather more appreciative of what they have. This truth has an impact in how they will treat their Western partner. The man can sleep soundly knowing that an Asian woman is never a high maintenance, spoiled brat princess.
