Cameron Highlands, remarkable hikes, or exclusive tea?
The name Cameron Highlands may seem unusual to find in the midst of the Malaysian peninsula, but there it is, ready to be discovered. The colonial government commissioned the British geologist and explorer William Cameron to map out the Pahang-Perak area in 1885. Developed in the 1930s, the area is one of the oldest tourist spots in Malaysia. It was attractive for the British to relocate to for its cool weather. And several tea estates were established. Even for me, after Malacca and Kuala Lumpur, it was a nice change, both climatically and the joy of being in the wild nature.
My first interest
It all started during my research, when I looked up local authors for my next destination at the library. I came across The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng. The novel is set mainly in the 1950s, and is set in the Cameron Highlands. I learned about how the Japanese had first been welcomed during the war, by kicking out the British, and after that, they started their own terror on the locals. History that I was unaware of. One of the main characters was a Japanese gardener, which inspired me to redesign my own garden this spring. I do not say it is a Japanese garden, but I have tried to find some of its simplicity.
Cooling down in Cameron Highlands
After spending days in Malacca and Kuala Lumpur, it was lovely to rise to about one thousand metres above sea level. The Air was fresh, and the settlements up there were mostly villages. The one I stayed in was called Tanah Rata. There is one thing that is very peculiar up there. Almost all the houses and hotels are built in the style of Tudor buildings, featuring white exteriors with dark timber frames. Another thing that stands out here is that they serve afternoon tea in some of the nicer hotels, just like in the UK:
My room was spacious, but a bit outdated. I had a comfortable time here, and this was the first place in Malaysia where I didn’t need the air conditioning at night. One of my main reasons for visiting was to go hiking. The area around the village was full of shorter or longer hikes. So, after the first night, I was ready to head off to the jungle and along the tea plantations.
Cameron Tea House Loop
This was the hike I decided to do, and I started up early in the morning, before the sun had risen too high. But the beginning of the hike was quite complicated, and in some places, they had even laid out ropes to pull yourself up by. After half an hour, I was soaking wet, both from sweating and in many places the path was almost overgrown, so I got wet from wet plants and leaves. This loop is approximately 10 kilometres long, and for about 2 hours, I didn’t see a soul. I didn’t see any animals either.
When I got over to the other side of the hill, it opened up more, and I saw the tea plantations in the distance. I also saw a few tiny villages, where I guess the tea pickers lived. I also read somewhere that the pickers only work until midday; they have to pick the leaves in the morning, possibly because of the morning moisture. As it approached midday, I saw fewer tea pickers.
British heritage
The British had definitely stamped their own culture on this place. Both when it came to the architecture, the habit of serving afternoon tea with cucumber sandwiches, and scones with jam. And last but not least, imported the tea plants to establish the tea plantations. There are also several strawberry farms up there, where you can pick the berries yourself. At the end of my hike, I came across a small hotel with a very English-style garden. Interesting to see the layout of the garden, and then you discover tropical plants in between. The most unusual was still the red phone box in the middle.
Summary
I was well-prepared for what this place would be like after my research, but it was still a bit surprising. You are in Asia, but you can also feel a bit like you’re in the UK. Thankfully, there are not many places where the colonial past has had such a profound influence. But there’s no doubt that this country is a very diverse place, and things are very mixed together. But I am so glad I took the trip here before heading down to the seaside again.
