Lion's guide to Cameron Highlands (Part 1)- Getting there and getting around

About Cameron Highlands:

Cameron Highlands is the smallest district in the state of Pahang which is located in the north-western corner of the state. One of the wonders of Malaysia, it is the largest and most famous hill resort in the country. This highland paradise still retains much of the charm of an English village.

Being a primarily agricultural domain, you will find an abundance of vegetables and fruits farms here. Cameron Highlands is also the leading producer of flowers and tea in Malaysia. Be prepared for a lovely sight of extraordinary flowers you won’t see flourishing elsewhere in Malaysia!

Cameron Highlands is made up of 4 main townships followed by smaller settlements at different elevations. The first town from the south is Ringlet, followed by Tanah Rata, Brinchang, Kea Farm, Tringkap, Kuala Terla and Kampung Raja.

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Getting to Cameron Highlands:

The only way to get to Cameron Highlands is by road. Until a few years back, you could only get to Cameron Highlands from the south via Tapah but since the opening of the new Simpang Pulai road, traveling to the highlands has become much more easier. You can also get here from the east coast via Gua Musang in Kelantan.

You can get there by:

- Self Drive
- Train
- by Bus
- By Minivan
- Taxi

Self Drive
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The old Tapah route: Take Exit 132 and you will be at the Tapah toll booth. Once you have paid the toll, turn left at the traffic lights and from here onwards you will be on the long winding road to Cameron Highlands which is about 60 km's away. If you're driving from the north just take Exit 132 at Tapah and follow the same direction. It takes an average of 1.5 hours to reach Tanah Rata from Tapah. Please note that there is no petrol station this point forward until you reach Ringlet so if you need to fill up, you'll have to head to Tapah town.

update: the roads have been upgraded recently, so they are not as motion sickness inducing as the old road.

The newer and gentler route via Simpang Pulai: Take Exit 137 (Simpang Pulai) and turn right at the traffic light right after the toll booth. Turn right again at the next traffic light about 200 metres away. You are now on the way to Cameron Highlands. After about 1 hour, you will reach the Kampung Raja junction where you will have to turn right from the new road into Kampung Raja town. You're now in Cameron Highlands and you can just follow the main road to your destination. Brinchang & Tanah Rata is about 25-30kms from here.

Train
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There is no train service to Cameron Highlands. The nearest stop is the Tapah Road station in Tapah. You can take a bus or taxi to Cameron Highlands from here.

Bus & Minivans
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Buses to Cameron Highlands operate daily from Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Penang and Singapore. There are also daily minivan transfers from/to Pulau Redang / Pulau Perhentian and Taman Negara.

Taxis
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Taxis from Kuala Lumpur are available at the Pudu Raya Terminal. There are also daily taxi services from Tapah and Ipoh to Cameron Highlands. For services from other locations, please check with the local taxi terminal.
Visitors arriving at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) will be able to get a taxi from the KLIA limousine service (normal taxi) but the cost will be higher.

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Getting Around
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It will be easier to get around Cameron Highlands if you have your own transportation. There are no car rental services in Cameron Highlands. Travelling by Taxi it the next best option of you don't have a car. You can easily hire a taxi to the other towns and tourist destinations during the day. Alternately you can also get on one of the many tours organized by the local tour companies in Cameron Highlands. Some guest houses do provide motorbike rental services which you can use to get around. Bicycles are not here popular because of the terrain and the high traffic.

You can also get around by the local bus service.

Alternatively you could book a taxi.

a guide to taxi rates is as follows:
From Tanah Rata Taxi Stand to Brinchang = RM 4.00 – RM 6.00
From Tanah Rata Taxi Stand to Kea Farm /
Butterfly Farm / Equatorial Hotel = RM 12.00 – RM 15.00
From Tanah Rata Taxi Stand to Sungai Palas Tea Plantation = RM 20.00 – RM 25.00
From Tanah Rata Taxi Stand to Kuala Terla = RM 16.00 – RM 18.00
From Tanah Rata Taxi Stand to Kampung Raja = RM 25.00 – RM 28.00
From Tanah Rata Taxi Stand to Cameron Valley / Bharat Tea = RM 10.00 – RM 12.00
From Tanah Rata Taxi Stand to Boh Tea Plantation = RM 25.00 – RM 28.00