Things to do in the Cameron Highlands and why you should DEFINITELY visit [2024]

It’s such an underrated part of Malaysia but there are so many things to do in the Cameron Highlands that it’s well worth a visit on your stay.

It strangely reminded me of the UK in some ways, but this intriguing town in the Malaysian state of Pahang really captured my heart. In this travel guide to the Cameron Highlands, you’ll find out why!

As I write this post from Langkawi, Malaysia, the island lifestyle of beach-eat-sleep has had me relaxing away the days, trying to catch a tan and reading books for the first time in months. However now that it’s our last evening here, I can’t wait to share a beautiful part of Malaysia with you so here I am, writing this from the front porch outside our room as I watch the grass turn golden in the setting sun.

Where is the Cameron Highlands?

Malaysia has surprised me by having everything going for it: cosmopolitan cities, tropical beaches and lush forests are all abundant! The Cameron Highlands will catch your eye if the latter is up your street.

The Cameron Highlands is located north of Kuala Lumpur so after staying there for one night after our flight from Thailand, we headed to the bus station for the three hour journey that would take us up into the hills. This cost around 30RM (£5 or $6.50) per person.

Don’t have time to actually stay in the Cameron Highlands during your trip? Full day tours are also available from Kuala Lumpur which will give you a taste of the region’s beauty!

The main town you’ll stay in is called Tanah Rata and coming from Kuala Lumpur, you’ll notice the difference in temperature immediately. Don’t get me wrong, it was still hitting 26 degrees but with none of the near-unbearable humidity of elsewhere in Malaysia. It’s the only place where I haven’t been desperate for A/C!

The Cameron Highlands is also more rainy than the rest of Malaysia due to its altitude, but on the whole, it’s perfect weather for exploring the countryside.

Want to get more information about travelling Malaysia? Check out my budget travel guide to Malaysia!

With its whitewashed buildings and tranquil side streets, Tanah Rata almost feels like a pretty Welsh town – if  you were to replace the seaside fish ‘n’ chips with lots of Indian food!

We felt instantly at home in the compact town centre filled with lovely cafes, restaurants and shops. We even befriended the most gorgeous locals on the streets one afternoon.

It took some work to tear myself away from my newfound friends but it was time to do some exploring…

The best things to do in the Cameron Highlands

There are so many quirky attractions in the Cameron Highlands that you can spend countless days visiting fruit and vegetable farms, traditional villages and of course, taking on jungle treks.

With time in short supply, I opted for a day tour that included a short forest trek as well as a couple of the best local attractions.

Stroll through the Mossy Forest

For our walk, we headed to the Mossy Forest, aptly named for the huge patches of moss growing across the branches and tree trunks. This walk would be suitable for most people – it was much less a real hike and more of a nice walk across a wooden boardwalk but enjoyable all the same!

In the parts where the forest cleared to reveal a misty horizon, it looks surprisingly similar to Blue Mountains just outside Sydney. There’s something special about seeing nothing but trees stretching out before your eyes.

Visit a fruit farm

I’d read great things about the freshly-made strawberry produce at the fruit farms in the Cameron Highlands so, of course we had to pay one a visit!

We took a look around Raaju’s Hill Strawberries and while the cheesecakes looked incredible, I cooled down with an utterly delicious fresh fruit shake while posing for a  classic Instagram snap.

Tour the BOH Tea Plantation

This was undeniably the best thing we did in the Cameron Highlands.

While I’m not even a tea drinker, you can’t miss BOH tea in Malaysia (it’s the country’s number one brand) and this is it’s home!

Looking out over the gorgeous tea plantations, I couldn’t help but think that the undulating hills look eerily like New Zealand’s North Island! But here in Malaysia, the hills have been used to grow tea for decades including at the BOH factory. It was really interesting to learn how BOH created their product from field to packet.

Oh and I’d recommend stopping off in the restaurant for a cheeky scone too. Any opportunity for an afternoon tea, I’ll take it!

Where to stay in the Cameron Highlands

Sadly, the guesthouse we stayed in at the Cameron Highlands has permanently closed down. TJ Lodge had really basic rooms and tiny shared bathrooms, but a huge spacious kitchen and two comfy lounge areas.

I booked all my accommodation in Malaysia on Booking.com to take advantage of the Genuis rewards – I find they always have the most options to choose from too!

It wasn’t in the original plan to visit Malaysia but honestly, it was one of my favourite stops on my South East Asia backpacking itinerary.

Visiting the Cameron Highlands alone was enough to make my glad that we did, but there are many other great stops we made too. Check out the rest of my posts on Malaysia below to find out more!

Laura x

Read more about Malaysia:

Georgetown’s Best Street Art, Penang
How to spend one day in Melaka
An Affordable Travel Guide to Malaysia

Save this post for later!