There's more to see and do in Cameron Highlands than just hiking


The Lavender Garden had tons of beautiful flowers blooming when the writer visited the place.

Write to us
We can finally travel again! We would love to hear about your travels and adventures. If you don’t feel like travelling yet, that’s OK, as you can always tell us about your past holidays instead. Your story – experiences, tips, advice – should be 700 to 800 words long in Word or Text format. Please attach some photos (1MB, captioned) in a separate email. There is no payment for submissions, and we reserve the right to edit all submissions. Email star2travel@thestar.com.my with the subject “Readers Share”.

Recently, a friend invited me on a trip to Cameron Highlands in Pahang. I was reluctant to join at first because I had been to the place a couple of times recently and the drive there was pretty long and tiring for me.

However, my previous visits were solely for hiking purposes; I had never actually been to any of the other nearby attractions. Also, my friend had never been to Cameron Highlands so I thought it would be nice to go on a short break after all.

Since I knew the area better, I made all the arrangements and bookings. I booked a hotel near Brinchang, which was where I stayed previously. We left Klang Valley on a Saturday and arrived at Cameron Highlands at around 6.30pm, where we immediately made our way to the Golden Hills Weekend Night Market, supposedly a “must-visit” attraction for visitors to the area.

The traffic was at a standstill en route to the night market, so we parked the car by the roadside and walked over instead. It was pretty crowded, but it seemed like any other night market in the Klang Valley. You can also find vendors selling various kinds of fresh produce, local delicacies and highland fruits like strawberries.

We had dinner at a Thai restaurant that another friend had recommended, and just hung around for a bit to enjoy the cool weather. Unfortunately, it got a little too chilly for me as I had forgotten to bring my jacket.

The view at the Cameron Valley Tea House KT was spectacular. — Photos: KOH KAR SIONGThe view at the Cameron Valley Tea House KT was spectacular. — Photos: KOH KAR SIONG

After that, we went to Centrum Mall for a cup of coffee, and stayed at the coffee until closing time at 11pm.

The next day, we woke up early for breakfast at Gerai Makan Kea Farm, which was delicious. We visited the farm’s market area to buy some fresh produce before heading to the BOH Sungai Palas Tea Centre near Brinchang.

As expected, it was really crowded on the famous tea plantation. So, we just took a few photos before proceeding to next destination, which was the Lavender Garden. It had various kinds of flowers and was a very nice place to do a photoshoot. We proceeded to the Sam Poh Temple near Brinchang, where we prayed for a bit and bought some traditional herbs and oils from a stall right in front of the temple.

After lunch we decided to visit another two tea plantations that other travellers had recommended. One was the Cameron Valley Tea House KT. There was an entrance fee of RM3, but it was worth it as the view from this plantation was just breathtaking.

We also went to the Bharat Tea Plantation, though I don’t really have much to say about this place.

Cameron Highlands is one of the best places for a weekend getaway, or if you just need to go somewhere to unwind. The temperature is cool and the air is fresh. I did not expect the place to have so many other interesting attractions, other than hiking!

The views expressed are entirely the writer’s own.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In Travel

This young Malaysian volunteered to work while on holiday in Terengganu
How young travellers are shaping the future of voluntourism in Malaysia
Get up early! Pre-dawn hikes offer surprising encounters with rare critters
The four most underrated vacation spots in Mexico
Thrill of kelong fishing: The traditional platform is a one-of-a-kind experience
Master the 5Cs of survival: These skills can help you survive in the woods
Give kids fish-catching nets while camping for hours of fun and nature discovery
One man and his bike: Malaysian camper finds peace and solitude on his solo motorbike outings
Malaysia, Thailand boost cross-border tourism with self-drive routes
Bangkok, not Kuala Lumpur, is the top Asian destination for travel this year, according to survey

Others Also Read