Cameron Highlands is situated at the northwestern tip of Pahang, Malaysia, a 2-hour drive from Ipoh or 2.5-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur.

It is known as one of Malaysia’s most extensive hill stations. It equals the size of Singapore or about 712 kilometres square.

There are 3 major ethnics: Malay, Chinese and Indians. Most of the people here are entrepreneurs, service industry employees, farm workers, retirees or government employees.

Cameron Highlands is one of the popular tourist destinations in Malaysia because of the pleasant cool weather, natural scenery and jungle trekking activities. Visiting Cameron Highlands is a good choice if you seek for a serene holiday.

Cameron Highlands major areas

Below is the list of major areas in Cameron Highlands:

Ringlet

Ringlet is one of the main agricultural hubs for the highlands, located at an elevation of 1,200 metres. In Bertam Valleys, you will find numerous flower nurseries and vegetable farms perched along the banks of Bertam River.

Tanah Rata

Tanah Rata is the heart of Cameron Highlands. It is popular among locals and foreign tourists. It has cool weather with daily temperature ranging from 16 to 24 degree Celsius. Tanah Rata is located at an elevation of 1,440 metres and surrounded by hills and mountain peaks.

Brinchang

Brinchang is located five kilometres away from Tanah Rata. It is the second largest township in Cameron Highlands after Tanah Rata. It has a popular night market which attracts a lot of locals and foreign tourists on weekends and public holidays.

Cameron Highlands history

Cameron Highlands was named after Sir William Cameron, a British surveyor who was commissioned by the colonial government. He found this area in an expedition to map out the Pahang-Perak border area in the 1885.

In 1931, the British and the locals moved in to settle on the slopes of the mountain. They were soon followed by tea planters and vegetable growers who found the climate suitable for growing crops.

Today, Cameron Highlands is not only the biggest and best known of Malaysia’s hill stations, it is also the highest point in Peninsular Malaysia accessible by car.

How to go to Cameron Highlands

These are the routes to Cameron Highlands:

By plane

Cameron Highlands has no airport, the nearest airport is located in Ipoh. For example, if you’re traveling from Singapore or Medan, you will land in Ipoh International Airport (IPH). 

Flight duration:

• Singapore - Ipoh: 1 hour 40 minutes. Served by Firefly.
• Medan - Ipoh: 1 hour 15 minutes. Served by Malindo Airlines.

Transportation from/to Cameron Highlands International Airport

There are several transportations from/to Cameron Highlands International Airport, such as:

Airport taxi

Taxi is the fastest way to get to Cameron Highlands from Ipoh International Airport. It would cost approximately between RM100 -200 one way.

By bus

If you’re taking the bus to Cameron Highlands, you can depart from Kuala Lumpur (Puduraya Terminal). There are four bus companies you can find:

• Unititi Express
• Kurnia Bistari
• GT Express
• CS Travel

The fare for one way ticket is around RM35. Duration required for bus from Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands is about 3 hours, depending on traffic condition.

(All prices are subject to change).

Visa to Malaysia

There are 58 countries which do not require a visa to visit Malaysia. Their maximum stay is 90 days. For maximum 30 days, there are 99 countries (including Indonesia) that do not require a visa.

Ivory Coast, Iran, Libya, Sierra Leone and Somalia also do not require a visa to visit Malaysia. However, their maximum stay is only two weeks. Taiwan is the only country which do not require a visa to visit Malaysia for maximum 15 days.

Public transportations in Cameron Highlands

Below is the list of public transportations in Cameron Highlands:

Minivan

If you travel by group, you can arrange and rent a minivan to travel around Cameron Highlands. Some hotels provide a minivan rental.

Taxi

You can find vintage-looking taxis here. Quality of car ranges, with old Mercedes Benz from the 80’s, and even the 70’s.

The most practical way is to arrange taxi through your hotel and when you find a driver fitting your style, get his mobile number and arrange directly for your next trip.

(All prices are subject to change).

Climate and weather in Cameron Highlands

The weather in Cameron Highlands is cool all year round. The temperature here ranges from a minimum of 14 degrees Celsius to a maximum of 28 degrees Celsius. Rain is common throughout the year although the monsoon season is from November - February. The dry season is from February - April.

Language used in Cameron Highlands

Malay is the official language used in Cameron Highlands. However, some speak English, Tamil and Mandarin for daily conversation.

Tourist attractions in Cameron Highlands

If you’re on a holiday in Cameron Highlands, make sure to visit these travel destinations:

Tea Plantations

No trip to Cameron Highlands is complete without visiting the tea plantations. It is said that this area is the largest tea plantations in Southeast Asia. If you drive through the slope and hill, you will be astonished by the breathaking view.

You can visit the factories to learn about the tea making process and you can also sit down and enjoy a cup of tea at the cafe.

These are the popular tea plantation areas in Cameron Highland:

• Boh Tea Plantation
• Sungai Palas Tea Estate
• Cameron Valley Tea Plantation

Butterfly Garden

There are two butterfly farms in Cameron Highlands and both are located around the Kea Farm area. These gardens has numerous of different species of butterfly even the rare one.

Opening hours:

08:00 - 18:00 daily

Entrance fee:

RM5 for adults

RM2 for children.

Address: 43rd Miles, Kea Farm, 39100 Brinchang

Fragrance Nursery

At Fragrance Nursery, be dazzled with the mix of colors and species of flowers grown here. The common flowers here are roses, carnations, chrysanthemum, dahlia, geranium, fuschia and gladioli.

Cameron Highlands is known as the leading producer of fresh flowers in Malaysia. Most of the flower nurseries are centered around Bertam Valley and all along the way from Brinchang to Kg. Raja.

You can buy cheap flowers at this nursery or any market around the highland.

Opening hours:

08:00 - 18:00 daily

Address: Jalan Kea Farm, Brinchang, 39100, Cameron Highlands, Pahang

Honey Bee Farms

Where there are flowers, there are bees. Being the largest producer of temperate cut flowers in Southeast Asia, it makes good sense to rear bees for the honey.

In Cameron Highlands, there are several bee farms in Habu, Brinchang and Kea Farm with apiaries. The bee farms provide the best quality of honey, bee pollen and royal jelly. You can also enjoy some refreshments at in-house cafes while enjoying the surrounding views.

The popular Honey Bee Farms are :

• Ee Feng Gu Honey Bee Farm (near the Kea Farm area)
• Highland Honey Bee Farm (along the road to the Boh Tea Plantation)
• Cameron Tringkap Bee Farm (Tringkap)

Lavender Gardens

Opened in 2013, Lavender Gardens is the newest attraction in Cameron Highland. This floral themed park offering a dazzle of colours for visitors to admire and photograph.

There are also many types of flowers grown here such as gerberas, camellias, roses, peonies and yellow daisies.

Visitors can self-pick daisies for RM2 per stalk or RM10 for 6 stalks. An apiary and a small gift shop also selling lavender products are among the other offerings while potted lavender plants are sold for RM15 each. 

Opening hours:

Monday - Thursday (09:00 - 18:00)

Friday - Sunday (09:00 - 19:00)

Entrance fee:

RM5 for adults

RM3 for children.

Address: Tringkap, Cameron Highlands, 39100 Pahang, Malaysia

(All prices are subject to change).

Cameron Highlands cultural sights (museums)

Here are cultural attractions in Cameron Highland you must visit:

Time Tunnel Gallery - The Local Museum

In Time Tunnel Gallery, take a peek into Cameron Highlands’s past through the old photographs and stories that many people do not know about. A lot of the photos depicting the past are from personal collections of the locals who’s been here since the pre-war days.

You can also see some of the familiar items from the yesteryears. For those who grew up in the 40′s to 80′s, this will be a walk back in memory lane.

Opening hours:

09:00 - 18:00 daily

Entrance fee:

RM5 for adults

RM3 for children.

Address: Jalan Sungai Burong, 39100 Brinchang. Cameron Highlands.

Nightlife in Cameron Highlands

If you like to hang out at night, consider visiting these places:

Cameron Bar

The Cameron Bar has a vast selection of liquor available from Scotch Whiskey to beer. This bar has the Sports Channel were also available via Cable TV, making this the perfect hang-out place for you to just chill, alone or with a bunch of friends.

Opening Hours: 11:00 – late night daily

Address: 30th Mile Ringlet, 39200 Cameron Highlands,

Cricket Lounge

The Cricket Lounge is one of Cameron Highlands’ most popular bars. The trendy bar usually has sports feeds on its TVs as well as high speed internet access, making it doubly popular with foreign travellers. It serves up a decent selection of drinks as well as reasonably-priced snacks.

Opening Hours:

16:00 – 24:00 Sunday – Friday;

16:00 – 01:00 Saturday & eve of public holidays

Address: At Hotel Equatorial Cameron

Highlander Bar

The posh Highlands Bar is the perfect place for a quiet and intimate after-hour drink. The bar serves up an extensive selection of whisky, cocktails and other beverages. There are also a pianist entertaining you as you enjoy drinks by the fireside.

Address: Cameron Highlands Resort, Tanah Rata

Brinchang’s Night market

At Brinchang's Night Market, you will find the best nightlife in Cameron Highlands. It has a truly stunning range of souvenirs, clothes and foodstuffs on sale. You will be impressed by the excellent locally-produced honey that has made this place famous.

Opening hours:

Friday and Saturday, starting from early evening till late night

Address: Cameron Highlands, 39000 Brinchang, Pahang, Malaysia

Where to eat in Cameron Highlands

If you want to experience the best cuisine in Cameron Highlands, you should visit one of these resto & cafe:

• Singh Chapati Urban Restaurant: No 1, Brij Court, Tanah Rata 39000, Malaysia
• The Lord’s Cafe: Main Road, Tanah Rata, Malaysia
• The Smokehouse Hotel & Restaurant: by the Golf Course, Tanah Rata, Malaysia
• Jasmine Cafe House: 45 Main Road, Tanah Rata, Malaysia

Travel tips in Cameron Highlands

These are some tips which you may consider visiting when traveling in Cameron Highlands:

• To visit Boh Tea Plantation, it is advisable to book a tour from the hotel as the road is quite tricky and treacherous for tourists.
• Use a light jacket during your stay in Cameron Highlands. The temperature can drop in the late evenings or when it rains. Generally it can get very cold at night especially during the rainy season.
• It rains a lot in Cameron Highlands. Therefore, carry an umbrella or get one of those disposable plastic raincoats if you are planning to spend most of your day in the outdoors.
• If you want to enjoy some peace and quiet holiday, book your hotel in Tanah Rata. Generally, Tanah Rata is more quiet and less crowded even during the peak season. Therefore, most backpackers prefer to stay here.