Cameron Highlands – Malaysia

That’s right. Malaysia. Not Scotland. Which, is exactly where this name would sound right at home. The two are similar in the sense that Cameron Highlands proved to be a bit nippy and a bit wet. I draw the line of similarity there. It was a breath of fresh air after 6 months of hot (seriously hot) humidity. We missed out on the beautiful scenery of Sa Pa in Vietnam. So, we scheduled a few days among the mountains & tea plantations of Cameron Highlands.

Who knows! I knew absolutely nothing about Malaysia when I booked our flights. It made sense for our route back to Thailand. Plus, we had heard mighty good things along the way about the country. Cameron Highlands popped up as one of the common backpacker stopovers. Its location is quite central to the country. Which, meant it would work perfectly in breaking up our journey from KL to Penang.

It looked to be quite different from anywhere we had ventured. Being ready for an, albeit brief, change in scenery, we booked the 6-hour coach to take us there. We hadn’t met anyone that had mentioned Cameron Highlands specifically. Other than pre-booking a hostel, we found ourselves heading into the unknown with zero expectations.

Disclaimer. If you are the type of person who chooses their trips based on the ability to get absolutely mortal at every given opportunity. This is not the place for you. Well I mean, no one is going to stop you, but you might be a bit lonesome in your quest to forget your own name.

If you enjoy scenery that will blow you away at every turn. A peaceful and I would say, quaint vibe. The availability to trek your feet off. Tea plantations. Tea generally. Strawberries and a cooler climate. This is the place for you. Oh, and let us not forget the banging Indian food.

Just take a look at this photo taken from the street we were staying on. Can you even believe that’s Asia and not Europe?

Before you start booking your flights, this was a stopover for us. We spent 3 nights here and we were ready to leave. We could have spent a few more days for sure had the weather been better. Unfortunately, we had quite a lot of rain (July). The only form of entertainment here is to be out in the elements. So, the rain seriously hinders your ability to have fun. We spent two afternoons in the café of our hostel playing stupid monopoly.

I didn’t win.

The climate was far cooler than anywhere we had been in a long time. I’m talking 20 degrees every day. By this point in the trip, I had left behind any warm clothes I was sick of carrying around. As a result, I felt rather underdressed next to the prepared Europeans armed with hiking boots & exercise gear. But, it wasn’t so bad that I had to rush out and buy a jumper (which was an option – there is a local market).

I cannot reiterate enough how great the views were. It was nice to be standing at the top of Mount / Ganung Brinchang breathing in fresh air and admiring the hectares of the Mossy Forest. We arranged a half day tour with our hostel on the one day that there was no rain forecast. We were taken to a BOH tea plantation. Here, we learnt about its origins (Scottish owned) the workers and the development of tea picking. Then, we were driven to the top of Mount Brinchang where we did a short trail to admire the views. We then drove back down to a strawberry farm and got to sample some of their jams and strawberry shakes.

Other than organised tours, there are a number of trails around the area. Some are considered 8 hour + full day treks. Toby and I ventured on one of the shorter and closer trails during a brief spell of sunlight which was still beautiful.

We stayed at Map Travelodge Hostel. We haven’t stayed in a huge number of hostels by which to compare. But, we were very pleased with the capsule design. Each bed has a privacy curtain which makes life so much easier when you’re shoved in a room with total strangers. Each had a private little USB fan and a reading light. The toilets were clean and well-kept and, the communal area had ample games to help you socialise or while away the hours during rainy spells.

If hostels aren’t your thing, you won’t be short on choice for private accommodation. If you’re looking for something more upmarket, there are a number of resorts that have popped up in the area. I’m sure we even passed a golf course.

We enjoyed our time here. It was recuperation time. We ate, we drank, we watched England beat Sweden (there is a sports pub!), loaded with English folk who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. We went on some nice walks, we played some games. Thanks to the rain, we worked on our laptops whilst taking in the total change in scenery.

Though we were surrounded by a younger crowd by staying in the hostel, I feel like this place would draw in an older crowd. Serious about their walking and looking for something different. But don’t let that put you off.

If you’re making the journey from North of Malaysia to South (or vice versa) Cameron Highlands should be on your list. Even if it’s a 2-night stop over to break up the journey. The tranquillity imposed on you will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to travel on.

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