GARDEN AND NATURE PLACE AT CAMERON HIGHLANDS

ROSE CENTER

The Rose Center is a flower garden in Kea Farm, about 3km away from Brinchang town. Visitors can reach this tourist attraction by following the road that leads through Kea Farm Market, right until you see the Rose Center at the side of the road. Walking up the steps, visitors will pass through gardens perched along the slopes of the small hill. Near the top, another pathway leads to a hill peak with views of the surrounding landscapes and vegetable fams. The Rose Center also retails baby plants, cactus and gardening materials at a small shop near the ticket counter. Tickets in are priced RM5 for adults and RM2 for children. It's open daily from 8am to 6pm.

CACTUS VALLEY

The Cactus Valley is the combination of a large garden, farm and nursery; a tourist attraction that highlights not just cactus plants, but Cameron Highland's agricultural and botanical industry. Perched on a hill overlooking Brinchang town, the park can be reached quicky on foot. From the main road, turn left when you see Star Regency Resort, which is just before the Brinchang night market site (opposite police station). Follow the road until you see the signboard at right to Cactus Valley; a quick but steep uphill climb later and the entrance will greet you. Open daily from 8am to 6pm, tickets are RM4 per adult and RM2 for children.

GUNUNG BRINCHANG

Gunung Brinchang is the second highest mountain in Cameron Highlands after Gunung Irau, at 2000 meters high. The highest tarmac road in Malaysia leads up to the top, but its condition is often haphazard (especially the later portion), due to the copious amounts of rain and moisture. When not assailed by heavy mist, the watchtower at the peak provides an incredible view of towns, valleys and mountains stretching towards the horizon. This makes Gunung Brinchang a popular viewpoint for visitors to admire the scenery and landscapes of Cameron Highlands. The fabled mossy forest also grows at its highest elevations, with a boardwalk to explore this fascinating biotope.

The narrow access road begins at a left turning along the main road, if travelling down the slope from Kea Farm, immediately after the Butterfly Garden (which will be at right). Next, follow the road for 2km until you reach the Sungai Palas Boh Tea Plantation junction. Turn left (right goes to the tea estate) and you will soon be on a rough road that oscillates between tarmac and gravel for 7km. Along the way, visitors may chance upon avid birdwatchers combing the surrounding rainforest for birds to photograph. The route steeply ascends at the second half (here, t is common to smell the noxious fumes of cars coming from opposite direction, overheating their poorly-serviced brakes as they return downhill) before reaching a ridgetop for the last 2km, culminating at the peak where a series of telecommunication towers perch.

Alternatively, visitors can also hike up Gunung Brinchang through a jungle trail that starts near Brinchang town; turn left along the main road after the police station into a small route that leads to a small settlement (actually an army quarters). Look for a signboard that indicates the start of jungle walk No 1, enter the forest, and you'll soon be on the 3km trail that leads up to the peak. The hike is actually quite easy for moderately fit people and the trail marked by ribbons and red markings on trees. If the trail seems to end abruptly, look carefully; the continuation is often a small path you just missed along the hill slope, obscured by dense foliage or a near-vertical climb across tree trunks that makes it hard to notice. For the best views, visit the peak when the mist clears, usually in the early afternoons or early dusk. 

LATA ISKANDAR WATERFALL

Lata Iskandar is a waterfall located along the road from Tapah to Cameron Highlands, about 25km before Ringlet. The waterfall cascades over several tiers of granite slopes, with the last drop at 25 meters high flowing into a small pool below, before resuming its journey as a narrow stream. On weekends, the waterfall is overun by tourists and local visitors, who congregate tightly under the cold shower of the falls, or perch themselves for photos along its rocky ledges. Ramshackle shops and stalls, nestled along the main road facing Lata Iskandar, provide shopping opportunities for ethnic souvenirs, tribal handicrafts, strange herbs, tropical fruits and even aphrodisiacs.

MOSSY FOREST

The mossy forest is a natural environment that grows only at the highest elevations of Cameron Highlands and other mountain ranges across Malaysia. At such heights, low-level clouds in the sky, driven by winds, blanket the forests with constant mist and moisture, creating an ideal biotope for moss, ferns, lichen and orchids. This moist tropical evergreen forest is also a rich repository for a unique set of montane creatures, encompassing insects, snakes, frogs, birds and mammals - that thrive nowhere else but in this chilly atmosphere. Visitors can explore the mossy forest through a boardwalk that begins 2km before the peak of Gunung Brinchang.

The series of wooden platforms winds for about 150m through the mossy forest, but is slippery and missing a few planks. Tread carefully as you explore this strange environment, filled with oak trees with stunted stumps, wrinkled leaves and gnarled branches that clump together, forming dense crowns that portrude furiously from the ground like mushrooms. As you turn around, look at the rich layers of moss that drape the tree trunks and butteresses, infusing them with a soft, green appearance. Meanwhile, vines, orchids, pitcher plants and other fascinating epiphytes hang loosely from the canopy, perched silently on branches and stems in this chillingly quiet labyrinth. Venturing below the boardwalk to step on the forest floor, visitors will soon discover its moist peat-like texture, each step leaving deep water-filled imprints on the soil. At the end of the walk, a trail starts towards Gunung Irau, the highest mountain in Cameron Highlands.

KUALA WOH 

Kuala Woh is a recreational forest park at the foothills of Cameron Highlands, located about 12km from Tapah town along the trunk road to Ringlet. A large but mostly shallow river flows through the park, with a subterranean hot spring that heats up a small section of the sandy river bed. A popular spot during weekends, some of the activities include camping, nature walks and swimming. As the park lies hidden by thick rainforest, there are less visitors aware of its existence, allowing it retain a mostly peaceful environment. Entrance to Kuala Woh is free and accommodation facilities are available in the form of jungle chalets and camping grounds. 

TEA PLANTATIONS

BHARAT TEA

Bharat is the second largest tea producer in Cameron Highlands, with plantations in Tanah Rata and Tringkap, and their own signature brand 'Cameron Valley' to compete with rival Boh. Its largest tea estate lies along the main road 4km before Tanah Rata, or about 6km after Ringlet town. Lacking a visitor complex and show factory for tourists, Bharat concentrates instead on establishing tea houses (with cafes and shops), while welcoming visitors to walk and explore their tea fields with gazetted sections and pathways. Hence, two separate tea houses can be found along the main road facing Bharat plantation, distanced from each other by a mere 500m.

As the tea houses are perched on hill slopes, the parking spaces provided are limited, causing massive spillage of vehicles along the narrow strip of main road during peak periods. On less crowded days, the Bharat tea plantation is a pleasant place to stop by for photographs or tea before heading up to Tanah Rata and Brinchang. The Bharat Tea company and plantation was first established in 1933 under local management, cultivating raw tea leaves for processing by third parties; full production only began in 1952, with the purchase of a factory. Their first line of tea products were stamped with the 'Chop Rusa' brand; this later evolved into the present Cameron Valley badge. Each tea house has a cafe, which is essentially a covered terrace that opens up to an impressive view of the Bharat tea plantations.

The selection of food is an eclectic blend of continental and local favourites, ranging from scones, brownies, doughnuts and cakes to traditional pastries such as curry puffs; an oily pastry filled with curried potatoes, sandwiches with a spicy sardine paste filling (a definite local taste) and even 'Nasi Lemak', a light meal of rice with sambal sauce and anchovies, wrapped inside a bundle of banana leaves. Some of the special tea blends offered have been adulterated with spices, such as Masala Chai and Cardamom Tea that each have a spicy zing. Meanwhile, the shops are stocked not just with Cameron Valley tea products, but also gift items such as hampers, books and souvenirs. Bharat Tea is open daily with slightly more flexible operating hours than Boh, from 9am to as late as 6pm on busy days.

BOH TEA

Boh is the largest tea plantation in Cameron Highlands, with two sister estates; its immediate neighbour Fairlie Garden and Sungai Palas in Brinchang, about 20km away. The main estate in Habu is a popular tourist attraction with a functioning factory that's open to public, shopping gallery, English cafe, viewpoints along the tea fields and even a small lodge for overnight accommodation. The Boh Tea Gardens can be accessed using an 8km narrow route that starts from Habu district, 4km after Ringlet town or 6km away from Tanah Rata. A large signboard points at the detour along the main road, so it's not easy to miss the turning.

The largest producer of tea in Malaysia, Boh was established by JA Russell, an English businessman in the very early nineties. Noting the mineral-rich soil, high rainfall and cooling climate of Cameron Highlands, Russell saw the potential for growing tea - high in demand at that time despite an economic depression. He purchased a tract of land in Habu and set out to produce a robust tea with a distinct flavour, straight from the ground up. Since then, Boh has expanded into a corporate franchise sponsoring nature conservation efforts, producing intense media campaigns, and marketing its products sold across Southeast Asia.

In reality, Boh tea is not at all bad-tasting, but is far from the mark of 'distinct' quality that it vaunts so highly. Still, the abundant visitors to its tea plantations ensure the Boh tea blends sell exceptionally well; either as packed products sold from its flagship stores, or taken in a hot pot with scones and other continental pastries at its cafes. While technically off-limits, the tea plantation is unfenced and visitors often park along the roadside to walk among the tea bushes, plucking random leaves to sniff. The Boh Tea Garden is open daily from 9am to 4.30pm, but closes on Mondays. Entrance is free, and guided tours are conducted hourly or less depending on crowd traffic. 

ATTRACTION SHOPPING PLACE AT CAMERON HIGHLANDS

STRAWBERRY FARM

Strawberry farms are immensely popular attractions at Cameron Highlands, as visitors are fascinated with the idea of dainty fruits of temperate origin growing on local soil. The cold climate makes it suitable for cultivating strawberries all-year-round; some of the harvest ends up at supermarkets and grocers across Malaysia and Singapore, but much is snatched up by tourists. You can find many strawberry farms around Tanah Rata, Brinchang and Kea Farm, but a minimum purchase is often required (conveyed by self-plucking) to see the actual farm. Consequently, growing strawberries is one of Cameron highland's most important economic sources and activities.

Non-buying visitors can only ramble around the farm's shop and cafe. A basket is given to place their pickings, and weighted and charged accordingly at the exit. The price usually hovers around RM 20-25 for half a kg, which is significantly higher than buying them from markets; you are in essence paying for the farm visit and plucking experience. The exception is Big Red Strawberry Farm (Taman Agro Tourism), located at the back of Brincang town, which is free to enter without a minimum purchase. While many visitors obsess silly with eating strawberries, continental tourists are conversely amused - fruit plants native to their land, growing and producing substandard strawberries in a tropical region, all for the amusement of locals.

CENTRAL MARKET

Multi Crops Central Market is a tourist shopping complex situated by the main road about 1km after Brinchang town, or 2km before Kea Farm. Catering mostly as a one-stop shopping center for visitors, the complex sells a mixed bag of popular highland products, including flowers, tea, ornamental plants, strawberries, souvenirs and handicrafts. The arrangement of Central Market is even like a small indoor park, complete with benches, fountains, a landscaped garden (that doubles up as a nursery), translucent awning (back portion, for natural lighting), and even a cafe that sells pastries and drinks. The market opens daily from 9am to 6pm.

NIGHT MARKET

The Brinchang Night Market is a popular shopping attraction among visitors that occurs every Friday and Saturday in town, starting from 4pm and ending late night. The bazaar occupies two tarmac clearings opposite each other across the main road; one faces Star Regency Hotel, while the other lies along the police station. This evening market consists of glimly lit stalls that retail the best products from Cameron Highlands, including strawberries, vegetables, flowers, plants and kitsch souvenirs for tourists. It's also an excellent place to go food hunting, with many hawker stalls that cook up local favourites and even continental snacks, such as fondue.

BEE FARM

Bee farms are a novelty for visitors in Cameron Highlands, allowing them to see how local honey is cultivated. There are three bee farms; Highlands Apiary Farm in Habu, Ringlet; Ee Feng Gu at Kea Farm, Brinchang; and Tringkap Bee Farm. Often, these farms combine some form of activity or attraction to make their places more interesting, rather than just watching bees buzz around. Ee Feng Gu has landscaped their farm into a colourful park and shopping center complete with giant bee statues, small museum, cafe and maze section for children. Highlands Apiary has a flower nursery while the Tringkap Bee Farm has a strawberry patch and vegetable stalls.

KEA FARM

Kea Farm is one of most popular shopping destinations in Cameron Highlands, located 3km after Brinchang town. While mostly an agricultural district, the center of activity lies in a day market next to the main road, just before Equatorial Resort. Every morning till evening, traders and farmers sell their crops here to visitors and locals alike. Flowers, ornamental plants, souvenirs and handicrafts are other products sold in the market besides fruits and vegetables. On holiday weekends and national festivals, the road that leads past Kea Farm Market may be cluttered with cars parked (or parking) along the sides, causing a massive jam that stretches all the way to town.

While agonising for travellers caught on the wrong side of traffic, this is a brisk time for farmers and traders. Prices are quite cheap due to intense competition, but bargaining is encouraged if you intend to buy more. The market mostly consists of stalls by the roadside, but there are some shoplots on the right. A few local restaurants can even be found among these shops, the largest situated closest to the main road that serves Chinese and steamboat cuisine. Some of the most popular products among tourists are strawberries (probably the cheapest in Camerons), sweet corn (a highland specialty and crowd favourite) and freshly budded roses of many different colours. If you travel further down the road, navigating the crowd of people, you'll reach the Rose Center and various vegetable farms nestled among the hills. 

BUTTERFLY GARDEN

The Butterfly Garden is one of two such adjoining parks in Kea Farm along the main road to Tringkap, 3km after Brinchang town or 7km from Tanah Rata, and a stone's throw away from Equatorial Resort. One of Cameron Highland's oldest tourist attractions; it's essentially a garden enclosure built along a hill slope, filled with free-flying butterflies and strange insects displayed in aquariums. The park also has a tortoise pen, scorpion pond, reptile exhibits, mini insectarium and a small zoo section (mostly domestic animals). Open daily, tickets are RM5 per adult and RM 2 for children; a garden caretaker kindly gives visitors a free guided tour when available.

BUTTERFLY FARM

The Butterfly Farm is the second of two such neighbouring parks in Kea Farm, Brinchang. Like the Butterfly Garden, it has a similar structural arrangement, but with more cement and newer furnishings. The name is really a misnomer, as the park does not 'farm' butterflies; by breeding and cultivating them, rather, they are restocked from wild populations on a regular basis. The Butterfly Farm consists of a garden section, where butterflies roam in a landscape of shrubs and flowers, and a larger zoological wing, where other insects, lizards, snakes and mammals are displayed in enclosures or tanks. Open daily (8pm-5.30pm), tickets are RM5 per adult and RM2 per child.

TIME TUNEL(MUSEUM)

Time Tunnel is a local museum dedicated to preserving the historical memory and cultural heritage of Cameron Highlands. Located in Brinchang, the museum occupies a basement within Kok Lim Strawberry Farm, perched next to the main road 2km after town or 3km before Kea Farm. The 1,000 odd exhibits are the private collection of See Kok Shan, a Cameron local with a penchant for vintange items and memorabilia. Having acummulated much junk over years of domestic travel, See partnered with the owner of Kok Lim Strawberry Farm to open Time Tunnel - a way of sharing his treasure trove and memories with visitors from all walks of life.

Since 2007, the Time Tunnel has been a steady tourist attraction, especially among seniors. Walking down the passageway, it is clear that meticulous care has gone into recreating past scenery and landscapes for visitors to explore. Most prominent are the snapshots of life during the colonial era and subsequent years after Independence; a classic pubhouse, Chinese coffee shop ('Kopitiam'), traditional hair saloon, Peranakan dresssing room and even an old kitchen, complete with cans and utensils of extinct brands. Notable personalities are also highlighted, such as; legendary Thai silk trader Jim Thompson, who disappeared mysteriously from the Cameron Highlands in 1967; Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who spend some holidays in his youth here; and P. Ramlee, an ancient but influential musican.

Structurally, Time Tunnel is one long passageway that loops to the end, with exhibits along the sides or nested within recesses. Many of the 'artifacts' on display are simple (but ancient) items of popular culture; cigarette boxes, drink bottles, vinyl discs, cuckoo clocks and ceramic toys and other common stuff that have now become collectibles, due to their rarity and sentimental value. The museum even has sections on the agricultural activities, tourism development and aborigine lifestyles in Cameron Highlands. Meanwhile, soft evergreen tunes play from speakers, echoing through the basement to set visitors in the 'right' mood for a history lesson. Time Tunnel opens daily from 9am to 6pm; tickets are priced at RM5 per adult and RM3 per child.