Cameron Highlands

Cameron Highlands is a highland region located about 20 km east of Ipoh and about 150 km north of Kuala Lumpur, in Pahang, Malaysia. At 5,000 ft (1,500 m) above sea level it is the highest area on the mainland, and enjoys a cool climate, with temperatures no higher than 25 °C and rarely falling below 12 °C year round. Actually, Cameron Highlands is a district in the state of Pahang Darul Makmur although the road entrance is via Tapah and Simpang Pulai in the state of Perak Darul Ridzuan. The size of the whole Cameron Highlands district is roughly as big as two and a quarter Singapore.

Background

The Highlands were named after William Cameron, a British colonial government surveyor who discovered the plateau during a mapping expedition in 1885. The fame of Cameron Highlands then grew during the colonial era when British planters realised the potential of its fertile mountain slopes for growing tea, then a prized commodity. The Cameron Highlands are still home to many tea plantations, being Malaysia's largest tea-producing region. The area is also known as a major supplier of legumes and vegetables to both Malaysia and Singapore with its many farms, and is one of Malaysia's prime tourist destinations.

Key Attractions

Apart from the cool weather, key attractions in Cameron Highlands include:

Cactus Point
butterfly farm.
strawberry farms.
rose gardens.
Brinchang Hindu Temples
Sam Poh Chinese Mahayana Buddhist Temple.
Cactus Valley.
Vegetable gardens
BOH Tea Plantation.
Market Square.
Kampung Taman Sedia Homestay, Tanah Rata
The Smokehouse Hotel
Cameron Highlands Time Tunnel Galeria (nearby Kea Farm)

Townships

There are nine towns in the Cameron Highlands. Among others, Brinchang, Kea Farm, Tringkap, Ringlet, Tanah Rata, Bertam Valley, Kuala Terla, Kampung Raja and Blue Valley.

How to go there

From North-South Expressway, exit the expressway at Tapah Interchange and then proceed via Federal route 59 FT 59 straight along the way to the highlands. You are estimated to reach the first town of south End Ringlet in 1 hour 30 minutes.

Alternatively, you can exit the expressway at Simpang Pulai Interchange, Ipoh and proceed via a new Federal route 145 FT 145 to Cameron Highlands along the way to the top. You can expect to reach the first town at the northern end, Kampung Raja, in approximately 1 hour.