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Cameron Highlands. Driving tips and guide to the most refreshing hill plantation in Pahang.
The Simpang Pulai Toll Plaza in located near Ipoh, the capital city of Perak. If you are driving from the north part of Malaysia, Simpang Pulai will be your gateway to Cameron Highlands. However, driving from the south especially from Johor Bahru or Kuala Lumpur, you will bypass Tapah Toll Plaza and enter through this exit. Total distance: approximately 192.90 km from Kuala Lumpur city (enter at Jalan Duta Toll Plaza) to Simpang Pulai Toll Plaza.
If you are driving at the speed of approximately 100-110 km/hour through out the 90 % of the journey. You shall reach Simpang Pulai Toll Plaza in about 2 hours and 10 minutes. Once you had exited from the toll plaza, takes the turn to the right after the traffic light. You will drive straight about 50 meters and turn right at the traffic light. The journey towards Cameron Highlands will takes about 1 hour of beautiful valley and mountains scenery . The drive here is easier and you will have the opportunity to over take other vehicles at certain stretch of double lane. This route is the best to follow through, if you have a toddler who is prone to motion sickness. And I find the driving is shorter than the Tapah route. Turn right at the junction with the signboard showing Kuala Terla/Kampung Raja and you are on your way to Cameron Highlands!
Alternately, you can drive from Kuala Lumpur toward Tapah Toll Plaza and reach Ringlet first. This route is shorter if you drive from the south.
Cameron Highlands – Tapah- Kuala Lumpur Total distance: approximately 153 km from Tapah Toll Plaza to Kuala Lumpur city ( exit at Jalan Duta Toll Plaza) This route is for south bound traveler, to travel back to Kuala Lumpur. It is challenging and requires patience to navigate the road. You will encounter lots of trucks, bus and reckless drivers here! The route prone to land slide and required a very attentive eyes. Nevertheless, I always enjoy shopping at the aborigines huts who sell wild orchid and petai or I guess its call stinking edible green pod in English.
Driving Tips Here is a little bit driving tips that I would like to share with you. ~ Always use lower gear and if you are alone or traveling with 2 persons and more. It is better to drive a car with the engine capacities of 1500 cc and above. The steep slope will make your driving more easily with a bigger engine capacities car. However, this does not mean lower engine capacities car will not be good to climb the hill. As my car is only 1300cc. basically any car could climb this hill. It’s just a little bit slower to negotiate the winding and steep slope with a smaller car. ~ be very alert for oncoming vehicle while over taking a car in front of you. I will suggest you to be very patient with the slower driver. As different people do have a different driving experience and skill. Anyway, what’s the rush? You are here to enjoy the picturesque Cameron Highlands so wind down your screen and enjoy the breeze of this highland. You would not want any tragedy on your memorable vacation, right? So drive carefully and enjoy the place! ~ it is a good practice to honk your horn whenever approaching the corner of the hill. This is to alert the oncoming driver.
Tips for traveling long distance with toddler.
~ Stop often for your toddler to run around. This will keep your toddler boredom at bay.Do stop every 2 hours journeys. The rest area are more baby friendly nowaday with playground for them. This is to avoid your baby getting motion sickness. Just like what happened to our baby. ~ Be very slow, I mean at the speed of 20-30 km/hour if you travel with baby who prone to motion sickness. It is better for you to let others passed you than having to attend to your sick toddler on vacation. A very non practical thing to handle this situation is to heading back to Simpang Pulai Toll Plaza, even if it is a detour for you to drive back to Kuala Lumpur. The road is less narrow and winding or steep to drive.
~ Dress your toddler in comfortable clothes, such as pajamas. Please no party dress , there no one is going to admire your toddler “cuteness” in a moving car. ~ Here is the list for to check it twice: food, diapers, medicines, wipes, baby formula and even an extra change of clothes. Yes! Your toddler did not get the title "Little Princess or Prince" for nothing...he..he..he.. ~Bring along important items such as: toys (quiet ones are the best, remember you will be hearing them, too), coloring books and crayons.This way they not feel bored in the car
Here are a short history about this hill . It was founded in 1885 by William Cameron which was eventually have the area named in his honour. William Cameron was on an expedition sent by the British government. The plateau he found is at an altitude of ~6000ft (1,800m) above sea-level and the temperature falls between 8°C and 25°C. It was not fully developed until 1925 that it was then proposed by Sir George Maxwell as a hill resort. I wonder how the pioneer carve the winding road using oxcart during the 1930’s. Amazing! Cameron Highlands comprises of several towns which include Brinchang, Tanah Rata, Ringlet, Kampung Raja and Tringkap. Brinchang . Tanah Rata are famous for accommodations, food and facilities. Normally tourist will pass through this town . Unless to fill the hungry stomach or relieve oneself. Or worse to vomit, due to the winding road! However , you could see there are some small stream gushing down the hill. Which was to be alert during raining season. As this hill is also prone to landslide. The authority had done so well over the year to reconstruct the road and add more safety features here.
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Boh Tea Plantation
Do not forget to visit Boh Tea Plantation which opens to public. I repeat “Do not forget to visit Boh Tea Plantation”. Nothing completes the tour of Cameron without a visit to tea estate. You can bypass the other …ha…ha...ha… With a production capacity approaching 3000 kgs per hectare, the Company produces 4 million kgs of tea annually which translates to about 5.5 million cups per day. This represents about 70% of all tea produced in Malaysia Be very alert and carefully while driving to this farm. As the road is winding and narrow. Some stretch is just enough for a car to bypass each other. Hmm…its time to test your horn here. I will suggest you to honk the horn whenever approaching a corner there. Just to alert the other oncoming driver. I wonder how they transport the tea to town… well that remains mysterious to me … Oh… do try the scorn and tea in the afternoon at their café. You may want to tour the factory and learn how the tea leaf being processed. Please check out the info from the tea shop. And for your info. This shop and factory closed on Monday. I’m sure you will leave this place (or reluctantly leaving) with a fresh feeling after looking at neatly row of tea planted along the hill.
Bharat Tea Estate
Located along the main road from Tanah Rata to Habu this is a good spot where you can stop and enjoy a scenic view of a tea plantation. This tea plantation is the top of your list to visit Cameron Highlands It’s a sea of green tea leaves here. And do get your kid run around the tea tree here. But I don’t recommend plucking the leaves. Save this to the professional, ok? Park your car here and enjoy the tea. Remember to snap some photos here. Aborigine Village
Along the way from Tapah to Ringlet, you will find aborigine village . The local call “kampung orang asli” dotted on the hilly slope. Some still stay in their traditional wooden house but had rebuild the house which brick and plant. They are quite an entrepreneur too. Selling local exotic orchids Do drop by and have a chat with them. You could learn a thing or two from them about the jungle orchids. Which I discovered they are very friendly and never mind to impart their knowledge about the jungle.
There are tips and guide to have your baby sleep comfortably while travelling...
Some called this place "The Valley of Eternal Spring", this idyllic country house sits atop a hill overlooking rolling hills and verdant woodlands.Overlooking a ( I think...as it used to be a lake) lake. It is a short distance from the towns of Tanah Rata and Ringlet, as well as within close proximity to many key attractions.
The late Colonel Stanley Jack Forster, a retired British Army Officer, was the original builder and owner of The Lakehouse in 1966. The construction of the building took four years and in 1970, the property started its operations as a boutique hotel. Between 1970 and 1977, Colonel Forster was running both The Lakehouse and The Smokehouse. In 1977, he sold The Smokehouse to a local businessman but continued to manage The Lakehouse till his demise in December 1984. However,Colonel’s grown up children were not interested in running a hotel, The Lakehouse was then put on sale and in 1989 to HPL .
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A highly recomended guide if you are planning for vacation with your toddler or baby
Planning to visit Cameron Highlands? You may want to check out more info...
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