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Published: March 14th 2014
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Two things the Cameron Highlands are famous for are the jungle/ rainforest walks and the tea plantations.
We bought a map and began exploring.
First we set off on a jungle trail to Robinson waterfalls, the path was fairly flat but strewn with fallen down trees that had to be climbed over. Now I don’t mind that bit but I do worry what creature or insect may be lurking unseen just where I need to put my hand!
The vegetation was amazing, twice the size of anything we have in the UK. The jungle trail ended up close to the road that led to one of the largest plantations so of course we had to go and see it. After walking for over 5 kms we came to the tea rooms/factory. Most of the road to this point had been winding through the tea plantations which are absolutely beautiful, green swathes of low cropped bushes sweeping up the hillside. . One of the really good things about trekking here though is that the temperature is in the mid to high 20’s C with beautiful blue skies most days and not too humid due to the altitude. Ideal for
walking.
Tanah Rata has 12 trekking paths clearly marked on the map mostly along jungle paths but often finish by taking you through the many tea plantations around here.
The longer we have been here the more this place has grown on us, we’ve now completed almost all of the paths.
The most rewarding was to the summit of Ganung Brinching 2,000 metres high, the highest in the Cameron Highlands.
We caught the local bus to the start of the trail. The first 3.4 kms took us steeply up a jungle path, the sounds and smells were wonderful, shrill bird call from high up in the tree tops and sweet scented wild flowers lining the pathways which opened out on the summit to give us breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. After a 10 km walk back down the narrow road to the main road we realized we still had another 11 kms to do to get back to Tanah Rata as the path had taken us a long way away from the start. The map we had did say ‘not to scale’ Well it certainly had us fooled! Fortunately the locals are used to tourists
finding themselves miles away from any bus or taxi route and are only too willing to offer lifts to the next town. This happened to us and within another half hour we were back in our favourite café eating scones and drinking a much needed cup of tea. Cameron Highlands Tea of course.
Most afternoons by 5pm we end up at the local backpacker hostel where, over a cold beer, every one compares the walk they did and offer tips about where to go tomorrow especially to the new comers who arrive each day .In the evenings we dine out at one of the many Indian restaurants in the town before ending up back at the backpackers hostel around a camp fire as by then the temperature has dropped rapidly to about 13 degrees.
We are enjoying the best of both worlds as we retire back to our nice clean warm hotel 2 mins walk away while the rest however go to bed in a draughty dormitory and they’re not paying much less than us!
We're probably going to stay here a few more days before heading off in the direction of the East Coast of Malaysia
for probably our last island experience for this trip.
I know there are a lot of photos this time but scroll through them as this place is so beautiful. It was hard to miss any out!
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Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
Thanks for the memories...
I understand that the Eastern Hotel, where I used to go to school, was demolished and replaced by the Century Pines Resort. Could you post a picture of it on your next blog? Thanks for all the other pictures. Parit Falls was on the path from the school to the Smoke House and the Cameron Highlands Hotel and the golf course. I wonder if any of those places still exist.