Best Tourist Attractions- Cameron Highlands

The Cameron Highlands is a highland situated at about 150 kilometers North of Kuala Lumpur, and about 20 km. east of the city Ipoh. Because of its high location it is cooler (about 25 C, but sometimes below 20 C) than the rest of Malaysia. The highlands are named after William Cameron, a British expedition leader. He discovered the location during an expedition in 1885. From that moment onward the Cameron Highlands got increasingly interesting for the British. Because of the perfect climate it was very suitable for cultivating tea, and the Cameron Highlands soon grew out to be the biggest tea region of Malaysia.In past times English colonists settled at the Cameron Highlands mainly because the climate resembled the English climate better. Because of this hotels around Cameron Highlands often have colonial characteristics. They soon discovered the area was great for cultivating tea, which is why tea plantations dominate the scenery. The highlands are quite popular among tourists that want to see yet another side of Malaysia; a side where you can walk for hours in the cool climate. Attractions in Cameron Highlands The region is characterized by extensive tea plantations. People mostly come to Cameron Highlands to escape the heat and to do some beautiful walks. Besides the tea plantations there are also the following attractions: Mossy Forest, Rafflesia tour, strawberry farm, rose gardens, a Chinese temple, a cactus valley and vegetable gardens. Please avoid places where insects or animals are kept; as they are often in pretty bad shape (for example the butterflies at the Butterfly Farm are kept in poor conditions). At weekends you can visit the night market in the evenings. Here locals buy their ingredients, fresh meat, fish and also vegetables and fruit. Tourists can enjoy one of the popular local snacks. In the surrounding area of the Cameron Highlands there are also a large number of Orang Asli villages, which you can visit. Here you can see the original inhabitants of Malaysia in their authentic community. The easiest way to visit the attractions is by organized tour. We found this really cheap compared to similar tours at other areas in Malaysia. For a half day tour we paid RM50 per person. The locations that you visit can be driven yourself if you have your own (rental) car, but they are pretty steep at certain points. Some parts of the tour you are better off in a sturdy 4x4.