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The Cameron Highlands
are the largest and most genteel of the hill
resorts in Malaysia. It's located in
Pahang's north-western corner, at an
altitude of 1,829 meters. The Cameron
Highlands were discovered by William Cameron
in 1885. In these days the British planters
realized that those mountains were very
fertile. Because tea was prized commodity
among the colonies, they decided to grow tea
on the slopes of the Cameron
Highlands.British families who were
stationed in Malaysia at the time also took
to hills in a respite from the hot, humid
tin mines and rubber plantations. Some of
the old bungalows, which they left behind
are still being preserved for viewing by
tourist, with a few facilities added for the
conveniences of visitors. So, much of the
character of the Cameron Highlands has
remained unchanged since colonial times.
Since that time the Cameron Highlands has
developed into a favored getaway among
honeymooning couples. The cool, fresh air on
the highlands is also a retreat for city
dwellers who want to retreat temporarily
from the noise and pollution in the city.The
drive time from Kuala Lumpur is about three
and a half hours. It is a 295 km drive. The
quickest route is by the North-South
Expressway turning in near the town of Tapah.
From Tapah you will hit the long winding
road (about 60km) to Cameron Highlands.
Driving up to Cameron Highlands is a
pleasure in itself, as many interesting
stops along the way can be made. You can
take a short break at the Kuala Woh Forest
Recreation Park. There are picnic areas and
a hot spring.There are several tour
companies along the main drag in Tanah Rata.
Most have tours leaving around 9 a.m. and 1
p.m. and include visits to a tea plantation,
where you see the tea-making process; a
strawberry farm; a butterfly farm; a rose
garden; and the Sam Poh Chinese Buddhist
temple. I think they all cost around the
RM15 to 20.January is one of the main
picking months for strawberries. They grow 4
crops a year.There are other more extensive
tours of the region- including ones to an
Orang Asli village. |
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