1 Hike

The best activity in my opinion in the Highlands is to go hiking. The scenery is beautiful, refreshing after many sweaty days in the hot lowland areas, and takes you away from the tourist hordes and over-commercialized attractions. If only hiking for a day, your best option (and my favorite trek here) is the combination of trail 10 and 6 (read my detailed guide about this combo). It combines all the best highlights: a great viewpoint, seeing the tea plantations close up, and being relatively undisturbed during the hike. The trail ends at a tea plantation, so after the trek you can sit and enjoy the view with one of their finest cup of teas and a snack. Getting back Tanah Rata from the plantation, you will either have to hitchhike (which shouldn’t take long as there are lots of cars heading towards Tanah Rata), or you can flag down a taxi from the road.

2 Explore Tea Plantations

No trip to Cameron Highlands is complete without visiting its iconic tea plantations. BOH Tea Plantation is a must-see, with its vast expanse of greenery and an opportunity to learn about tea processing (well, not really learn, more like see the production units on a very uninformative 10min visit). At least you can enjoy a cup of fresh tea while admiring the breathtaking views of the rolling hills.

3 Discover the Mossy Forest

Walking through the Mossy Forest is an interesting experience, especially if you haven’t seen cloud forests before. This ancient forest is shrouded in mist and home to a unique ecosystem. The best way to visit is with a guided tour that combines a tea plantation visit with the mossy forest.

As of March 2019, an admission fee of 30 MYR has been introduced for visitors, and people are only allowed to walk on the wooden boardwalk around the area, to preserve nature. I felt like this glimpse was enough for me to see the mossy forest, but i f you want to explore it more, it is possible – the mossy forest is much bigger than this 300m section where they usually take tourists. For example, there is a private trail you can walk with Eco Cameron, a local tour operator, which leads to a viewpoint in a different section of the Mossy Forest.

4 Strawberry farms

While strawberry farms in Cameron Highlands are popular, there are reasons to reconsider visiting them. These farms often face environmental issues like deforestation, soil erosion, and water pollution, which counteract sustainable tourism efforts. Additionally, many farms are heavily commercialized, prioritizing tourist activities over authentic agricultural experiences. The strawberries and related products can also be overpriced and not of the best quality (honestly, I’ve never had strawberries before that were perfectly red and super sour). Moreover, these farms can get overcrowded, especially during peak seasons, which really doesn’t elevate the experience.

5 Other activities

There are a myriad of mega touristy attractions here, like golfing, time tunnel museum, butterfly farms…), and I cannot recommend any of them.

Unfortunately I can’t even recommend eating out or trying the night markets here. I generally found food hygiene to be pretty low in the Highlands, and have heard of many travelers who got sick after eating here, so reserve your culinary exploration to other cities, like Georgetown or Melaka! Really, just stick to hiking and tea plantations, that’s more than enough reason to come here.

How much time you need

Make it a day trip | This is an excellent choice if you prefer a structured itinerary, have limited time and don’t want to worry about transport logistics. You can go on a full-day tour from Kuala Lumpur, and see everything in a packed but popular itinerary, which includes transportation, guide and meals.

Stay overnight | If you have more time, I suggest to spend 2 full days in here, on the first day you can go for a hike, and on the second day you can join a tour to the tea plantation and mossy forest from Tanah Rata, and you’ve seen everything. I liked this tour (especially riding next to the beautiful fields in the back of a jeep).

How to get there

By car | The most popular way to reach Cameron Highlands is by road. It’s approximately a 3 to 4-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. You can either drive your own car, rent one, or opt for a comfortable coach service. If you’re coming from Penang or Ipoh, it’s roughly a 3-hour drive. The journey is scenic, with winding roads and breathtaking views, especially as you ascend the highlands.

Some useful tips: The road is winding and can be challenging for those not used to driving on hilly terrain. Drive carefully and take breaks if needed. Weekends and public holidays can be quite crowded, and traffic can get heavy, especially at the narrow sections of the road. Always check the weather forecast before your trip, as the highlands can be misty or rainy, affecting driving conditions.

By plane or train | Unfortunately there is no flight or train connection here. The closest place reachable by plane is Kuala Lumpur, and by train it is Ipoh. From there you have to take a car or a bus.

By bus | Various bus services operate from major cities like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Ipoh to Cameron Highlands. Buses usually drop passengers off at Tanah Rata, the main town. You can book tickets online or purchase them at bus terminals. The journey from Kuala Lumpur takes about 4-5 hours.

When to go

The Malaysian highlands receive frequent rainfall year-round, making wet conditions a common aspect of the region. The period from February to April, particularly on weekdays, is recommended. During these months, the climate is pleasantly cool, typically ranging between 21 – 24°C, and both roads and attractions tend to be less congested.

Try to steer clear of the peak season from May to September. The Cameron Highlands can get extremely busy during these months, especially on public and school holidays or weekends. The area’s narrow roads often become prone to traffic jams due to the high influx of tourists.

Where to stay

Cameron Highlands encompasses three primary towns: Tanah Rata, Brinchang, and Ringlet, each offering a range of accommodations from budget-friendly to mid-range options. Select your stay according to the attractions you wish to explore. For instance, Ringlet is nearest to the BOH tea plantation, while Tanah Rata is more convenient for visiting the majority of the waterfalls.

I chose to stay in Tanah Rata because it’s closest to most of the hiking trails. I recommend you also stay here, and spend one day hiking and another booking a group tour to see the attractions further away. This full-day Cameron Highlands tour combines BOH tea plantation and mossy forest, which are the best things to see in my opinion.

The best hotel in the area is Cameron Highlands Resort, with beautiful colonial-style architecture, an attentive and kind staff and exclusive excursions and experiences.