Cameron Highland Visit

Update on **13-14 August 2016**

I travelled to Kuala Lumpur for few days for attending an international conference. Before that, I adjourned to Cameron Highland for relaxing and rejuvenating my body and souls.

1. Getting to Cameron Highland

 So, once arriving KLIA 2/LCCT, I chose taking bus to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS)-RM 10.00. The bus ticket could buy from any above ticket counters 

 Here's the bus on 10.30am. I met up with Rosamond for going to Cameron Highland

 TBS always crowded

 TBS Teratai food court practiced prepaid card system. So, I reload RM 20 for prepaid card before ordering foods

 Rosamond and me shared with each other 

 While waiting the Cameron Highland's bus, Rosamond lectured about the right way of wearing boyfriend jean-rolled up the lower part higher and higher 

The bus didn't depart punctual (late for 15 minutes). But at least better than the Pudu Terminal Bus that always late for 1 hour. So pissed off when recalled it. 

After 4 hours +++, we reached Tanah Rata, Cameron Highland. Soon, there was few tour agencies approached us by introducing several tour packages at the terminal bus. 

2. What Tours We Used?

The tour agency that collaborated with the bus company. So the passengers might get the tour service and bus tickets at the same times. Some even included with budget hotels. 一条龙服务

We ended up selected this one. We signed up CS Travel and Tours' half day country side tour (RM 26.50 per adult, exclude entrance fees). We needed to catch the afternoon bus back to Kuala Lumpur 

In fact, it had 6 types of tours: 

1. Half Day Country Side Tour (RM 26.50 per adult, exclude entrance fees)

2. Half Day Agro Delight Tour (RM 65.00 per adult)

3. Half Day Mossy Forest Discovery (RM 50.00 per adult)

4. Half Day Highland's Sunrise Discovery (RM 60.00 per adult)

5. Full Day Highland's Discovery (RM 80.00 per adult, include entrance fees)

6. Full Day Amazing Rafflesia Discovery (RM 90.00 per adult, include entrance fees)

Half day tour usually started from 8.45am until 2.15pm (4 hours duration). 

It's better to spend 3 days 2 nights in Cameron Highland if wished to truly enjoyed at there. Mine one is too rush! I felt I only spend few hours exploring Cameron Highland while the rest of the times inside the bus.  

Reviews of CS Travel & Tours

"Terrible Experience with the Lady in the Office but Helpful Tour Guide"

1. The lady in the office didn't mention it's extreme difficult to get the taxi from the sightseeing points back to Tanah Rata town area although we had told her we must back to Tanah Rata before 1pm. She only told us tour guide will arrange for us. If they told us earlier, we can have the better planning rather than rushing and worried here and there. 

2. The tour bus late 15 minutes to pick us. After picking us, the tour guide, Mr Ranjit Singh needed to drove further to take other tour members. We totally wasted 1 hour in picking other people. So, the country side tour officially started on 10.00 am. Don't trust the tour brochures that said the tour will begin on 8.45 am. 

3. However, then we luckily back to Tanah Rata successfully for catching the bus due to the help of Mr. Ranjit Singh. He tried to help us when he learned that we failed to get any taxi to send us back to Tanah Rata. The taxi drivers in the Tanah Rata were not willing to drive to Brinchang since the roads were jammed on Sunday. At the end, we used the school bus back to bee farm and from the bee farm took taxi back to Tanah Rata (after Mr. Ranjit Singh negotiated with his colleagues). 

4. Besides that, Mr Ranjit Singh was the polite, responsible and calm tour guide. He introduced himself before the tour started. He explained each the sightseeing points clearly. He gave enough times for us to enjoy each sightseeing points. He even looked for the tour members that were back to the tour bus lately. He managed to solve our problems calmly. 

3. Where to Stay?

We stayed at Heaven Hill Hotel, no. 56,57, Persiaran Camellia 3, Tanah Rata, 39000 Cameron Highlands, Pahang Darul Makmur. It only left 1 single bed room (1 night RM 100).  Both of us shared the bed. 

Since we went there on Saturday, thus most of the budget hotels were fully occupied. The price surely pricey if the rooms were available. 

 What made me angry was the hotel didn't provide any towels and toiletries (e.g toothbrushes, toothpaste). The toilet paper was there after I demanded during check in process

You see, the ceiling fan casing was gone! Luckily we didn't use the ceiling fan since the room temperature was cool enough 

Moreover, the pillow and the mattress felt hard. A bit pain on my back and neck area after sleeping for few hours. So, I wake up easily instead of sleeping like a baby throughout the whole night. 

Besides that, the reception staff was disappear all the times. It created the inconvenience for the guests like us that requested for WIFI password and the taxi numbers. I observed other guests also disappointed with the missing actions of the reception staff.

One statement describe this hotel experience "Not Worth the Money"

However, one thing that deserved a mention was the location of this hotel was very strategic (i.e in the town center). Once I out from the hotel, I could see lots of foods establishment nearby. 

4. Dining Options in Cameron Highland

a) Restaurant Ferm Nyonya

 Went to Restaurant Ferm Nyonya as suggested by the ticket counter staff. This steamboat restaurant received the good reviews from others too according to the ticket counter staff 

It's a good suggestion too to have steamboat dinner when in Cameron Highland. You know, cool weather often shouted for steamboat because the hot soup warmed up the body

 This girl really excited and happy when seeing the foods 

Mixed soup (i.e chicken and tomyam soups) with RM 24 per head (include all the food items like in the picture above). The tomyam soup was better than the chicken soup as more thick, aroma and flavor. 

Ice honey lemon (RM 3.00). The lady boss said the honey was came from fresh honey, Cameron Highland. Nothing special for me as it tasted ordinary honey in supermarket  

Overall, the services was quite good. The staff checked our soup from times to times and added more water to prevent the saltiness of the tomyam soup. So attentive, we didn't wasted our time to ask for soup refilled. 

Restaurant Ferm Nyonya

78A-D, Persiaran Camellia 4, 

39000 Bandar Baru Tanah Rata

Cameron Highlands, Pahang

Tel: 05-4915891, 05-4914891

b) Jasmine Restaurant

While we passed by the CS Travel and Tours, we noticed this Holland theme restaurant (next to CS Travel and Tours). Rosamond desperately wanted to try and I agreed too. 

Obviously with Holland flags

The owner that used to own the restaurant in the Holland but he back to his home country, Malaysia 

The fried rice was pretty delicious, with high dose of "wok hei". The grilled smoke duck was very tasty. The outer skin of the smoke duck was so crispy, crunchy, aromatic, flavorful and the inner side so juicy and tender. It even tastier when eat with the grilled sauce. I could say the duck was grilled to perfection. 

Grilled smoke duck warranted my next visit. 

But 1 thing I don't like was the attitudes of the owner. When I wished to confirm with the waiter (apparently was the owner that took the food orders) either this restaurant belonged to Dutch , the waiter/owner just replied "Hmmm" with unhappy facial expression. 

Other than that, the waiter (i.e the owner) indirect way recommended us to try the signature dish, smoke grilled duck by saying "everyone came here have the smoke grilled duck because it's the only 1 restaurant in Malaysia offered it. 

Perhaps he needed to brush on his hospitality and customer service skills. 

5. See and Do 

a) Butterfly Farm

Our first sightseeing point was Butterfly Farm at Chinese village, Brinchang. 

Rosamond and Mr Ranjit Singh (the tour guide). RM 7 per adult entrance fee of Butterfly Farm 

The main butterfly species in Butterfly Farm, Butterfly Brooke 

looked more closer 

looked horrible 

Don't know why in the Butterfly Farm able to see few snakes species

 Guinea pigs 

Not sure whether was paper flowers.

only 2 sunflowers but still appreciate it's beauty

cactus, cactus and cactus again!

b) Bee Farm

Our second sightseeing point was Bee Farm. It's free of charge. 

 Once entering, the staff promoted their own bee products. These so called bee products effective in curing constipation, asthma,sunburn, etc

 Walking underneath to see the bee hives. 

The bees all were inside the hives. 

Awwww, finally bought strawberry egg rolls. Can't forget it once I tasted it 5 years ago, which was given by undergraduate room mate. 

It only sold in Cameron Highland 

c) Sungai Palas Boh Tea Plantation

The third sightseeing point was Sungai Palas Boh Tea Plantation. Rosamond told me the view of tea plantation and the lime Boh tea were amazing. 

Unfortunately, we were in hurry back to Tanah Rata town for catching 1.45pm bus back to Kuala Lumpur. So, it's necessary for us to look for the taxi back to Tanah Rata town. I got no mood to explore this Boh Tea plantation anymore. 

On 12.30pm, we ended up taking a taxi back to Tanah Rata town that charged RM 35 due to the arrangement by Mr. Ranjit Singh. 

The only nice photo that I took in Boh Tea plantation 

Awesome views along the roads came together with the screaming sounds of the young & innocent kids when we go through the very narrow roads.  Both of us shared the bus with a large groups of primary schools students and teachers went to Bee Farm. The taxi driver waited us over there.

d) Tanah Rata view

Half an hour before departing to Kuala Lumpur, we managed to stroll around the Tanah Rata town area. It's the small town, with few rows of shophouses. 

20 minutes was good enough to spend on strolling. I noticed Tanah Rata had fulled with Malays and Indians. Mamak restaurant and Malay food stalls were mushrooming. 

 The market of Tanah Rata, all with Malay foods 

 Unique designs of the shophouses in Tanah Rata 

 "Ang Mo" tourists (literally means "White" tourists) could be seen in the every corner of the Tanah Rata. Thus, Starbucks must exist at there to fulfill their demands. 

Pine trees in Cameron Highland reminded me about Kundasang, Sabah. I missed Kundasang and Mount Kinabalu so much!

That's all my cameron highland visit. Hope you enjoy!