What to do in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia: where wild and tamed nature meet
The Cameron Highlands are one of the most photographed regions of Malaysia, probably right after the Petronas Twin Towers and the Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur. Located north of Kuala Lumpur and east of Ipoh, this region is famous for is lush tea plantations, being compared to other gorgeous tea farmlands such as Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka. The Cameron Highlands have a very particular climate compared to the rest of Malaysia. With a much lower temperature than the rest of the country, rarely over 25ºC and dropping to 9ºC at night, it is a welcome respite from the tropical heat of the rest of the country.
This region is also known for interesting hiking trails that are well kept, making things very easy experts and beginners alike. They are also quite varied, from the Mossy Forest to the peak of the Brinchang mountain. Other activities include visits to different farms, including strawberry farms or garden and lavender gardens. As a visitor, you’ll want to base yourself in one of the two main towns: Tanah Rata and Brinchang. While these towns are not very beautiful, they have a strong Chinese influence, strongly reflected in its cuisine. Let’s dive into this guide to the Cameron Highlands!
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What to do in Cameron Highlands: top 8 activities
1. Have tea at the BOH Sungei Palas
This is kind of included in the next section, but I think it deserves its own section as it is the most quintessential activity you can do in the Cameron Highlands. BOH Tea is the largest manufacturer of black tea in Malaysia and it has the largest tea plantation in the country, located in the Cameron Highlands. Within the BOH estate, you’ll find Sungei Palace, an elevated “tea room” and visitor center with incredible views of the tea plantations around. There, you can sample their delicious variations of tea as well as enjoy some pastries and other treats. They also offer Tea Tasting sessions as well as host exhibitions.
2. Explore the tea plantations
As I mentioned in the introduction, Cameron Highlands are known for their ridiculously good looking tea plantations. Therefore, one of the best activities in the region is to have a leisurely stroll through one (or more) of its tea estates. This is a free activity that will give you some nice soft exercise, incredible views and great photos to show at home!
BOH tea plantation
This estate is the most important and most famous in the country. That being said, while many people visit their tea room, the tea fields are pretty much empty, except surrounding said tea room. That is why I really recommend that you pair your visit to the Sungei Palas with a nice walk through the tea fields. In this case, there is also a small village with quaint houses and a tiny Hindu temple that is worth a visit. You can also visit the southern plantation, located southeast of Tanah Rata, which also offers a Tea House and the company’s first tea factory.
Bharat tea plantation
Another option is to visit the Bharat tea plantation, which produces the renowned Cameron Valley tea. This plantation is located next to the road that goes up to Tanah Rata, so chances are that you’ll see it regardless with the bus on your way up or down the Cameron Highlands. However, nothing beats walking through the tea bushes! There are well kept trails through the plantation and some are even part of the Jungle Trails of the region.
3. Visit the Mossy Forest
There are many hiking trails around the Cameron Highlands, but one of the most popular is the mystical Mossy Forest. The Mossy Forest is the oldest forest in the Cameron Highlands, and it is known for the convoluted trees covered in moss that gives it an enchanted forest look. The paths have been mostly covered by wooden bridges, making it quite an easy trek. However, there are some sections that are only dirt roads, and with humidity it can get quite slippery.
Price: 30RM (6€).
Travel tip: included in the entrance fee of the Mossy Forest you have Mt. Brinchang. Therefore, it is a good idea to pair the two, if you’re up for the hike.
While this is the common Mossy Forest trail, the forest expands into a much bigger area, so there are other trails that you can follow without paying a fee. This will give you a break of the crowds that usually visit the main trail at the Mossy Forest. That being said, other trails do not have the wooden bridges to walk on, so choose based on your hiking skills.
4. Go hiking on one (or more) of the Jungle Trails
In my opinion, one of the best activities in Cameron Highlands is to follow one of its amazing jungle trails. Since the area is bursting with mountains and forests and has very few settlements, you can be surrounded by nature in just a few minutes walking. There are several hiking trails in the area (14 to be precise). They are numbered 1-14 and are generally quite well kept and with signs. The best part is that, even though the Cameron Highlands are quite a touristic place, both internationally and locally, you can be basically alone while following these trails. In fact, we didn’t see a single person in any of the 5 hiking trails we followed!
Travel tip: I suggest that you use the app maps.me to guide you through your hikes in the region. First of all, it is an offline map, which is very helpful since you won’t get signal everywhere. Or anyone to ask for directions anyway. And second, because it has a much more accurate depiction of the trails, which don’t always pop up in Googe Maps.
Trails 10 + 6: Gunung Jasar and Cameron Valley
Many hiking trails run into one another, so it is quite easy to combine 2 or 3 trails into one magical journey. The most popular hiking combo is trail 10 and trail 6. These trails take you to the top of Gunung Jasar, a hill near Tanah Rata, and then bring you down the slope into (and through) Cameron Valley tea plantation in the Bharat tea estate (see section 2). It is basically a combination of the two most important things to do in Cameron Highlands in one single path!
Trails 7, 3 and 2: From Tanah Rata to Brinchang
This was my favourite hiking trail(s). It follows three of the hiking trails, starting in Tanah Rata, up to Gunung Berembun Peak and down towards Brinchang through Sam Poh Temple. The difficulty of this trail is quite high, with not very well marked trails, slippery paths with lots of hidden roots and you have to cross a few brooks. However, you really get to the core of the forest and feel nature in its most powerful state!
Travel tip: if you want to make it a bit easier, skip trail 2 and follow trail 3 to the end at the Arcadia Cottage near the golf club. It is still tough, but you skip one of the hardest parts.
Other jungle trails
I did not stay long enough in the Cameron highlands to try all of its trails. However, I suggest that you check out this post by Pete from Bucketlistly where he describes all the trails one by one (it’s the resource I used when planning my hikes):
A Complete Hiking Guide To Cameron Highlands, Malaysia In 2023
5. Enjoy a warming steamboat dinner and other Chinese treats
The strong Chinese influence at Cameron Highlands has come with some perks. One of them is the steamboat. This dish, or rather, community meal, is basically a Chinese hot pot Malaysian style. And I cannot think of a better way to keep out the cold nights of the Cameron Highlands!
The concept is simple: a central pot where one (or more) soups are boiling and a plethora of ingredients to cook in the broth at your own pace. These include: pork, chicken, fish, meatballs, fishballs, eggs, noodles, mushrooms, vegetables, tofu… you name it! It is such a comforting meal that I count it as one of the top things to do in the Cameron Highlands.
My favourite place serving steamboat (as well as other delicious Chinese treats) is Home Taste Restoran in Brinchang. Also, the couple that own it are adorable (and they picked us up on the road when we were hitch hiking!).
If you want simple but delicious dishes for lunch, I suggest you make a stop at Restaurant Chef Kim. This restaurant is run by Chef Kim himself, which we had the pleasure to have a chat with since we were the only customers at the time. He moved to the Cameron highlands many years ago and specializes in simple Chinese homemade dishes, although he also offers Western dishes. Some recommendations are the lemongrass chicken or the pork chop.
6. Have some fresh strawberries at a strawberry farm
While the Cameron Highlands are mostly known for producing tea, its climate allows for growing many more things! Doesn’t it sound fun to pluck your own strawberries? Over the year many farms have popped up growing many different things, including delicious strawberries! There are quite a few strawberry farms in the region, but many of them are concentrated around Brinchang.
One of the most popular farms is Raaju’s Hill Strawberry Farm, a big indoors farm where you can try the fresh strawberries or strawberry-based treats in the cafeteria. Another option, especially if you’re into organic farming, is EQ Strawberry Farm. Here they grow pesticide-free strawberries with background Dharma chanting. Very relaxing! BigRed Strawberry Farm has made a name of its own with its hydroponic grown strawberries, as well as other stuff such as flowers or cacti. Their café is well known for its strawberry-themed desserts!
Other farms
Cameron Highlands is home of many other farms, including roses, lavender, cacti, decorative flowers as well as honey bees and butterflies and even a sheep sanctuary! Explore the region’s diverse agriculture in their interactive farms.
Travel tip: take into account that if they let you visit, probably it’s aimed at tourists and therefore it will not be the most authentic experience. That is not to say that it is not fun to visit, but just keep it in mind!
7. Find serenity at the Sam Poh Temple
Nestled in the midst of the Cameron Highland’s picturesque landscapes you’ll find Sam Poh Temple. Located in the outskirts of Brinchang, this Buddhist temple is an oasis of tranquility. You can visit the temple for free and explore its grounds! While not as spectacular in its architecture as other temples in the country, it is a very interesting place, holding statues to many deities of different religions.
Price: free; Schedule: 7am – 7pm.
8. Travel back in time at the Time Tunnel
This is one of the quirkiest museums you’ll see. I don’t know if museum is a word that suits this place, actually. It’s more like a collection of trinkets and memorabilia revolving around the Cameron Highland’s history and culture. You can find dioramas showing how life in the Highlands was in the past, vintage photographs, household items, historical documents and a representation of a traditional Kopitiam (Malaysian coffee shop). While it is by no means a must stop in your Cameron Highlands itinerary, it is a nice side activity to understand life in the Malaysian highlands.
How to get to Cameron Highlands
To get to Cameron Highlands you’ll first have to get to one of the major airports around. The main one is unsurprisingly Kuala Lumpur, which has many inbound flights from destinations all over the world. Another option is to fly to Ipoh, which is closer, although it only receives domestic flights. In my opinion, it is not worth the hassle, since KL has a good connection to the Cameron Highlands:
Cameron Highlands is easily accessible by car or bus from Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and other major cities in Malaysia. If traveling from Kuala Lumpur, the journey takes approximately 3-4 hours by road. From Ipoh it is only 2h. Check out the schedules on the search box below:
We made the mistake to take the train from Melaka to Kampar, close to Ipoh. While the train was excellent, we didn’t account that there was no way to get from Kampar to Cameron Highlands, and no taxis would take us after 10 pm. In the end we ended up paying an exorbitant amount of money for the ride, but we made it safely. Stick to the bus!
If you want things made simple, you can always join a tour from KL!
How to move around in Cameron Highlands
By foot
Moving around in the Cameron Highlands is perhaps the most important part of this post. Since most of the best attractions in the area are natural trails or the tea plantations, the best way to move around is hiking! (it is also my favourite). However, some of the attractions may be too far away to walk.
By scooter
The best option in that case is to rent a scooter. As far as I know there are no scooter rental companies in Brinchang, so you’ll have to go to Tanah Rata to rent one. The price will be around RM50-80 (10-16€), which is not extremely cheap compared to other places in SEA, but still quite an affordable option.
Organized tours
If you don’t want to drive yourself or worry about your itinerary, there are plenty of day tours leaving from Tanah Rata and Brinchang to most of the attractions around, including the tea plantations, the Mossy Forest and some of the farms. This will also include a guide, which will give you a deeper perspective of the places you visit.
Hitch hiking
A very common practice in the Cameron Highlands is hitch hiking. The roads are good and the locals are very welcoming, making it relatively easy to hop into a car on the road and get a lift to some of the main spots (or nearby). We were very lucky in that aspect, but take into account that not everyone will stop and you may need to spend some time finding a ride. That being said, it is a very nice way to get to know some locals and get some amazing tips!
Travel tip: even though hitch hiking is relatively safe in the Cameron Highlands, use common sense and trust your instincts. If you’re not sure, don’t get into a car.
Taxi
This may be my own opinion, but don’t get a taxi in the Cameron Highlands unless absolutely necessary. They have established a monopoly and driven car hailing services like Grab out of the Cameron Highlands. With this power, they run a scam where they wildly overcharge tourists (most visitors to the region). They also seem to be impermeable to negotiation and quite rude.
Where to stay in Cameron Highlands
Areas to stay in Cameron Highlands
Tanah Rata, Brinchang are the two main towns where you should stay during your visit to the Cameron Highlands. They vary in size, accommodation and food options, transportation and crowds, so choose based on your travel style. You can also stay in Ringlet, although it is further away and is less of a travel hub than the other two.
Tanah Rata is the biggest town and the main tourist hub in the region. This is where most of the accommodations can be found, where the intercity buses stop and where most tours start from. Therefore, Tanah Rata is very convenient, especially if you’re staying for a short time. That being said, accommodations are more expensive, the town is more crowded and it feels less authentic, with many Western businesses crowding the space (think Starbucks and such).
Brinchang is a much smaller town, with a main street and a few side streets. It is not a beautiful town as such (as none of the main towns in the Cameron Highlands are). However, it boasts a more local accommodation and restaurant offer. Additionally, it is closer to most things to do and see in the area. We found it more to our taste than Tanah Rata, but transportation was a bit of a problem compared to the bigger town.
If you have your own car, I suggest you look for accommodation outside of the main towns, to have a more natural and enjoyable experience!
Recommendations based on budget
Budget
In Tanah Rata, consider The Backyard Glamping Cameron Highlands, where you can experience the thrill of camping under the stars without sacrificing comfort. For a more traditional homestay experience, Liyana Aaisya Homestay provides cozy and affordable lodging. If you’re a solo traveler looking to make new friends, Bricks Backpackers Hostel and Traveller Bunker Hostel in Tanah Rata are both popular choices, offering dormitory-style accommodations with a social atmosphere. In Brinchang, The Gladiator Homestay is a budget-friendly option that provides a comfortable stay with easy access to local attractions.
Mid-range
In Tanah Rata, The Retreat, Aranda Nova offers cozy and well-appointed rooms, making for a pleasant stay after a day of exploration. For a unique experience with a group, consider Kae Farm Palas Horizon in Brinchang, which offers accommodations amidst the lush highland scenery. For those looking to stay outside the main towns, Muji Homestay is a peaceful retreat with lovely countryside views.
Luxury
In Tanah Rata, The Misty Penthouse, Mountain View Guesthouse, and Secret Garden de Cameron are excellent choices for indulging in opulent surroundings and personalized service. In Brinchang, Cameron Highland KEA FARM. While the rooms are not stellar, the stunning view to the mountains and plantations compensate. If you prefer a more secluded escape, EagleNest at Iris House Resort, located outside of town, provides a private sanctuary surrounded by nature’s beauty. If you want a truly spectacular farmstay without giving up on luxuries, book your stay at The Lakehouse Cameron Highlands in Ringlet.
Closing statement
The Cameron Highlands are the perfect escape from the urban bustle of Kuala Lumpur. The serene landscapes, long treks and cool weather will be like a balm after some tough traveling days. Hiking through some of the jungle trails and watching the endless and sinuous tea plantations are some of the nicest memories of our trip to Malaysia. Also, we found some very welcoming people, especially the owners of Home Taste Restoran, which made our experience much better!
There are more posts about Malaysia coming, but for now, have a look at this one:
Kuala Lumpur: discovering the Malaysian capital
Melaka, Malaysia: a Journey through Cultural Heritage
Langkawi: Malaysia’s adventure island
What to do in Penang, Malaysia: the island of cultural tapestry
Ultimate 3 Weeks Malaysia Itinerary for First Timers
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