Doug and Kerry Hudson in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia, South East Asia

World Trip >> Asia >> Malaysia >> Cameron Highlands

The Cameron Highlands have long been a popular stop on the backpacker trail through peninsular Malaysia, providing cool relief from the heat and humidity at the lower altitudes. And yes, as the name suggests, the Cameron Highlands are far above sea level, around 5000 feet in fact.

Following our nightmare boat journey from hell, we next had to endure our nightmare bus journey from hell. There is only one road that goes to the Cameron Highlands, and this windy road twists and turns so many times that on several occasions we were faced head-on with oncoming traffic coming down the hill, including some trucks that looked dangerously out-of-control. We were therefore understandably a bit concerned! We were also quite nauseous by the time we reached Tanah Rata, sickened by the side-to-side lurching and swaying of our bus.

On the way back down a few days later, Doug counted 583 corners in the 40km stretch from Tanah Rata to Tapah at the foot of the hill. He challenges anyone to contradict him!

At the bus station in Tanah Rata, the most laid-back touts we have ever encountered greeted us. The typical line was, "You don’t have to, but come and see the place if you want to. We’ll bring you back here if you don’t like it." We plumped for an ancient WWII Nissen hut at Father’s Guesthouse on the hill overlooking the town, then returned for a delicious meal at a restaurant serving southern Indian food. It came served on a big banana leaf, and tasted great!

The next day we were sufficiently rested to attempt some exercise. We decided to do one of the walking trails for which the Cameron Highlands are so well known. We opted for trail 10, to the "Healthy Strawberry Farm". We joined a couple of Swedish students who were walking the same trail, and between us we managed to avoid the red herring paths that criss-crossed the trail. The trail took us through some dense tropical rainforest, and up some very steep inclines that would have been impossibly slippery had it been wet underfoot. We were very weary when we reached the strawberry farm, so we didn’t feel the slightest twinge of guilt as we indulged ourselves in their delicious fresh strawberries! We returned to the guesthouse by a much flatter route, along a back road. Nevertheless, our feet were screaming with blisters imminent by the time we got there. We consoled our soles with some delicious Satay chicken from the aptly named "Excellent Food Centre" nearby!

Like gluttons for punishment, we were up early the next morning, raring to go for our second hike. We soon set off on trail 9A. This took us through some beautiful jungle scenery, alongside a raging torrent that eventually became Robinson Falls. The variety in the lush greenery was fascinating: vines, tree ferns, banana plants and thick mosses all knotted into a tangled chaos. The trail led out to the Boh Road, and we decided to follow it to the end, to the Boh Tea Plantation. It turned out to be a long way!

The worst bit was when, after having walked for 4km to the plantation and then 1km through it, we arrived at a barrier gate thinking we were nearly there – only to discover we still had 1.2km still to go! Only the odd cube of chocolate, and the promise of a hot cup of tea at our destination, kept us going.

The tea plantation was very beautiful, with rows of thick, tranquil green bushes smothering the hillsides, the pathways between the bushes forming a kind of crazy contour pattern. The cup of tea was well worth it; in fact it was absolutely divine! We learned about the tea production process: picking, withering, rolling, fermentation, drying and sorting. Ask us, and we will tell you in great detail what any of these steps entail! We also had a brief tour of the tea factory and then another cuppa before heading back.

The walk back was pure torture to our sore feet and weary legs, and only compounded by the rain that drizzled onto us. We were very happy to take a taxi the remaining distance back to Tanah Rata, having covered maybe 19km in six hours!

Our poor sore feet could take no more punishment, and besides, we were starting to find it decidedly chilly up there! And so the next day we returned to the blistering heat and humidity. Our next port of call was Kuala Lumpur.

World Trip >> Asia >> Malaysia >> Cameron Highlands

Last updated: Sunday August 27, 2006