Cameron Highlands



The Cameron Highlands are in Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia. It is approximately 85 km from Ipoh or about 200 km from Kuala Lumpur. The retreat has a diverse population of more than 43,000 people.

Understand
The Cameron Highlands is one of Malaysia's most extensive hill stations. It covers an area of 712 km², about the size of Singapore, At 5,000 ft (1,500 m) above sea level it is also the highest point in Malaysia accessible by road. The British surveyor, Sir William Cameron, was credited with "discovering" the highlands during a mapping expedition of the Pahang-Perak border area in 1885. The area developed starting in the 1920s when it was confirmed that many varieties of fruits and vegetables, including tea, can be grown. Tea was the main reason for the development of this area by the British. Additionally, many British settlers came to this area as a "retreat" from the hot, humid climate of the rest of Malaysia. After years of extensive work in difficult conditions, a road was built linking Tapah and Tanah Rata, allowing the settlement of the highlands. Following this, tea planters and vegetable growers who found the climate suitable for their crops moved in the highlands. Today, there are four main roads into the area: two to the west, to Ipoh and to Tapah; and two to the east, to Gua Musang and Kuala Lipis.

Climate is extremely mild for Malaysian standards: the mean annual temperature is 18 °C. During the day, the temperature seldom rises above 25 °C; at night, it can drop to as low as 12 °C.

Overall, much of the retreat is still forested (estimated at 71 percent) and hosts a rich ecosystem. Please refer to for more information on the wildlife in the Cameron Highlands. There are eight mountains at the retreat. They are Mount (Malay: Gunung) Batu Brinchang (2,031 m), Mount Berembun (1,840 m), Mount Irau (2,091 m), Mount Jasar (1,696 m), Mount Mentigi (1,563 m), Mount Perdah (1,576 m) and Mount Siku (1,916 m). Jungle trails lead visitors to scenic spots, waterfalls and aboriginal villages.

Towns
The towns lie in a string of settlements approximately 25 km long. From north to south these are:


 * - one of the larger towns; close to the roads to Ipoh and Gua Musang
 * - Starting point to Gunung Brinchang (2032 m), Boh tea plantations and numerous farms (strawberries!)
 * - the main town of the Camerons, favorite of backpackers. Starting point to Gunung Beremban (1840 m), Bharat tea plantations, and the majority of the numbered hiking trails
 * - one of the larger towns; close to the roads to Tapah and Kuala Lipis
 * - the main town of the Camerons, favorite of backpackers. Starting point to Gunung Beremban (1840 m), Bharat tea plantations, and the majority of the numbered hiking trails
 * - one of the larger towns; close to the roads to Tapah and Kuala Lipis

Get in
The highlands can be accessed by road from both coasts, though most travellers enter from the west. Ipoh has a road up to the highlands via Simpang Pulai, the other route from the west is further south, via Tapah. The main road from the east passes through Gua Musang; there is also a more circuitous route from Kuala Lipis (both of which are on the Jungle Railway).

Approaching from the west
You can get tickets on https://www.easybook.com/en-my
 * From Ipoh, take an air-conditioned PerakTransit bus service (Stall D2, RM20, 2-3hr, 8:30AM, 10AM 11:30AM, 12:30 PM 3PM, 5PM, 7PM) to Tanah Rata from Ipoh's Amanajaya bus terminal (10 km from the city center). You can get there from Medan Kidd bus terminal near the train station, by taking either the T30a, T30b or 116 bus (1.80 RM every 30min). The buses to the highlands travel via Simpang Pulai and stop at towns such as Kampong Raja and Brinchang. Be sure to let the driver know if you need one of these towns.
 * From Kuala Lumpur, buses to Tanah Rata leave from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (RM30-RM39, 4½ hr, 8:30AM–3:30PM though mainly in the morning). Some buses can be booked online.
 * From Penang, Unititi Express bus picks up passengers from Prangin Mall in Georgetown to Tanah Rata for RM35 (7:15AM and 1:30PM). However, the bus from Tanah Rata to Penang (RM32, 8AM and 2:30PM) will stop at Sungai Nibong and you might need to take a local bus or a taxi to Georgetown.
 * From Singapore, overnight VIP buses operated by Grassland and Fivestar leave from the Golden Mile tower/complex (SG$55-SG$65, 10 hr). Buses stop at Ringlet, Lakehouse, Brinchang Hotel, Equatorial Hotel, Heritage Hotel and Tanah Rata.

Approaching from the east
From Taman Negara: It is actually possible to go to Cameron Highlands from Taman Negara using only local buses. The best option is to leave the National Park with the first bus going to Jerantut and ask the driver/ticket seller the way to Cameron Highland. But the journey is pretty much :

Kuala Tahn to Jerantut RM7; 10AM. Jerantut to Benta RM7; Benta to Raub RM5.25. Raub to Tanah Rata RM12 (Cameron Highlands). You will be in Cameron Highlands by the end of day.
 * As of in December 2019, the Jerantut to Benta bus has been cancelled. Take a taxi to Raub to catch the 3PM bus, or a taxi to Kuala Lipis to catch the 1PM bus from there to Raub.

This is a long journey with several connections but could suit some travellers as the total price of the journey is around RM30, compared to the RM90 asked by private mini-van companies.

By car
From North-South Expressway, exit the expressway at Tapah and then proceed via route 59 straight to the highlands. It takes about 1 hr 30 min to reach the first town of Ringlet.

Alternatively, you can exit the expressway at Simpang Pulai, Ipoh and proceed via route 145 to Cameron Highlands. It takes about 1 hr to reach the first town, Kampung Raja. Condition of this route is significantly better than Route 59 from Tapah.

By shuttle mini van
You can also use mini van transfer to get to Cameron Highlands:


 * From Kuala Lumpur-pick up at Swiss Inn, Jl. Sultan, Chinatown. Noon daily RM35, duration: 4½ hr
 * From Penang-pick up at Georgetown, 8AM daily RM50, duration: 4½ hr
 * From Taman Negara-pick up at Kuala Tembeling Jetty. RM85, duration: 5½ hr
 * For reservation:

By taxi
Tyeere is a taxi station about 100 m east of the bus station along Jalan Besar road. Taxi fares are subject to negotiation as most of the taxi drivers are notorious for not using the meters. Be prepared to negotiate hard.

Get around
The resort is made up of eight neighbourhoods. The three townships are Ringlet, Tanah Rata and Brinchang. The five settlements are the Bertam Valley, Kea Farm, Tringkap, Kuala Terla and Kampung Raja. All are separated from one another by a considerable distance. The most popular towns of the retreat are Tanah Rata and Brinchang. They are about 4 km apart.

Walking
One of the best ways to see the area is to walk. Each town is easily walkable, and many of the trailheads are easily reached by walking from Tanah Rata. It should be possible to walk from town to town too if you have a lot of time on your hands. Do bring along an umbrella or rain poncho, because it rains frequently here, and when it rains, it pours.

By bus
The bus station is at Tanah Rata. Local buses in the highlands have stopped but have been replaced by company-owned tourist buses running every two hours between Tanah Rata and Kampung Raja. It stops in Brinchang, Kea Farm, Tringkap and Kuala Terla but you can ask the driver to drop you where you want along the main road. From Tanah Rata, departures are from 6:30AM to 6:30PM. Returns from Kampung Raja are scheduled from 7:30AM to 7:30PM. The fare is about RM2-5 depending on the distance.

By car
The resort has a good network of roads. If you are planning to get off the beaten track, renting a car may be a good option.

By motorcycle
Motorcycles can be rented at some of the guest houses and in Tanah Rata city centre. You must have a licence to ride a motorcycle. Be extra careful while driving: e.g., when taking a blind corner don't assume some lunatic won't be in your lane overtaking someone.

By taxi
Taxis can be rented by the hour mostly from Tanah Rata. As at July 2022, the rate is rm30 per hour.

By van charter
You can plan an itinerary of your own by hiring a 10-seater van. Make sure you confirm the charges before making any decisions.

Nature and wildlife


The Cameron Highlands are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. It is estimated that more than 700 species of plants grow here. During trekking to one of the local mount (or Gunung in Malay) you will observe the vegetation change with the elevation. The most famous plant in the highland is without doubt the Rafflesia which is native to the Cameron Highlands. The plant has no stems, leaves or true roots. It is noted for producing the largest individual flower on earth. These attract a lot of tourists and remember to be very careful around these flowers as all of the known species of Rafflesia are threatened or endangered. In addition to the vegetation, the highlands is the habitat to a large number of animals, birds, insects and reptiles. If you are lucky you may even see some monkeys (White-thighed langurs can be spotted on trail 7).







Do
Several tour operators have offices on or near the main road in Tanah Rata. The packages (jungle trekking, farm adventure, go to Ipoh to see Kellie's Castle, etc.) and prices are all very similar, but ask about extra charges like admission to the museums and to see the Rafflesia. Morning and afternoon tours are very popular. Night tours are listed by most operators but are not popular so don't expect them to be available unless you're in a group of 4 people (or 3 at some).

Trekking


Trekking is one of the main activities in Cameron Highlands. Trail maps are available from the tourist information centers (free and non-free). None of the available maps are exactly correct, but the trails are well marked and a guide is by no means necessary. The most accurate map is the one on OpenStreetMap (free offline map). You can download it and use a GPS device (your smartphone) to see where you are. Most of the trails have yellow signages with annotations from fellow trekkers (see photo) and the path is usually marked with plastic tape. Information on jungle trekking and each trail can be found here and there. See for tips before trekking.



Tea
Available at the tea plantations, convenience stores and sundry shops, tea is widely sold at the Cameron Highlands. As local demand for Malaysian tea is high, not much of it gets exported overseas, so it is best to buy it while in the country.

Eat
Food is not a problem at the Cameron Highlands. There are many Malay, Western, Indian and Chinese restaurants to pick and choose from. While you are here, do try the steamboat, a pot of boiling soup where you can cook your own meat and vegetables.

Drink
The drink of choice in the Highlands is the local Boh tea, best sampled directly at the Boh plantations.

Connect
Internet facilities are readily available.

Stay safe
Before starting trekking, remember to notify your hotel or guesthouse of which trail you attempt and when you plan to come back. Make sure you bring along:
 * 1) Water. Bring sufficient amount. Minimum 1L per person and more on hot days or challenging trails.
 * 2) Food & snacks.
 * 3) Mobile phone fully charged. Don't forget to bring hotel number and local emergency numbers. A smartphone can be used as GPS to follow the trails on OpenStreetMap.
 * 4) First Aid Kit.
 * 5) Torches or headlamp. Sunset is around 19:30 in Malaysia and after that it's dark!

Water refill stations are available in Tanah Rata - 1L for 10 cents (May 2017).
 * The only working station is in front of Netasha Holiday Inn. Use the coin slots on the right as the left is broken.
 * The station in front of Lord's cafe may be missing.
 * The station next to Vintage Bistro is broken.

There have been reports from 2016 to 2019 of hikers on Trail 9 being bitten by dogs belonging to a grumpy man people meet on the trail. Also, be careful of poison ivy.

Go next

 * Ipoh is the capital of the State of Perak and known for its good local food and colonial architecture. 1 hr away by road. From Tanah Rata's bus station there are buses that go to Ipoh. The cost is RM20 for the bus in the early morning and RM21.30 for the other bus during the day.