Cameron Highlands is quite different to the rest of Malaysia which is why it can be the perfect addition to your Malaysian adventure! It’s home to beautiful scenery, crisp air, winding roads, and there are some fun attractions in Cameron Highlands.

All of this leads to a destination which makes for a perfect short break.

Located from 1200-2000 metres above sea level, the rolling hills of Cameron Highlands are famous for tea plantations and it’s a lovely place to visit, relax and enjoy the break from the lowland heat.

I have visited twice. The first time was before I had kids so I knew it would be the perfect place to return now I had them. It’s easy to get here from Kuala Lumpur or other cities on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia and the area gets plenty of tourists – meaning it’s well set up with lots to do whether you are alone, with friends or with kids.

Below, you will find our guide to what to do in Cameron Highlands, things to do in Cameron Highlands with kids, a Cameron Highlands map of attractions, best places to stay in Cameron Highlands and other information so you have a great stay.

Top things to do in Cameron Highlands

These Cameron Highlands attractions are somewhat in order as you approach from the south and head to the north. This was the direction we went as we arrived from Kuala Lumpur and headed on to Ipoh.

There are not many must see places in Cameron Highlands. The tourist attractions in Cameron Highlands are low key and many are repeated multiple times – I quickly lost track of how many strawberry farms we passed. They do, however, make for a lovely day or two of fun exploration.

Cameron Bharat Tea Plantation

One of our favourite places to visit in Cameron Highlands Malaysia is this plantation 4 kilometres south of Tanah Rata. If you are driving up to Cameron Highlands from Kuala Lumpur (like us) then you will drive straight past it.

There are two tea house areas located by the main road and the views are just breath taking. They are best at the tea house closest to Tanah Rata.

There are no tours but you can enjoy the views and walk around a small part. I highly recommend not visiting on a weekend! It was so busy our only option was to double park and just take a quick look (and photo) of the view before moving on.

Tanah Rata

One of the places to see in Cameron Highlands is Tanah Rata, the main town. As with everywhere in Cameron Highlands, the backdrop is pretty and the town itself consists of shops, budget hotels and restaurants. It’s a good place to stop and get something to eat with many choices.

Sam Poh Temple

For a different Cameron Highlands attraction head to the Sam Poh Temple, located on the outskirts of Brinchang. This is home to one of the largest Buddha’s in Malaysia and it’s a lovely peaceful spot surrounded by hills.

Sri Tehndayuthapany Swamy

Another place to visit in Cameron Highlands is Sri Tehndayuthapany Swamy. This Hindu temple is located just south of Brinchang on the main road so is easy to visit on the way past.

Raju Hill’s Strawberry Farm

One of the main Cameron Highlands activities is picking strawberries! And given how much we love strawberries, we weren’t missing out on this.

We visited Raju Hill’s Strawberry Farm. It is quite extensive and it was easy for us to find some yummy ripe strawberries. It’s recommended to visit strawberry farms in the morning to make sure there are still plenty to pick! This is a big strawberry farm though so I think you would be ok.

In addition to picking strawberries, there was also a cafe and a chocolate shop.

You pay for the strawberries based on weight. Minimum charge was RM30 for two people and half a kilo of strawberries.

Cameron Highlands Butterfly Farm

The butterfly farm is a worthwhile attraction in Cameron Highlands for kids. There is a butterfly enclosure, a flower garden and various insects and other animals including tarantulas, rabbits and lizards.

We enjoyed having a wander around.

Entry is RM7 for adults and RM4 for kids at this attraction at Cameron Highlands.

Holiday Park 3D Museum

For a different place to go in Cameron Highlands, there is the Holiday Park 3D Museum. This is where there are murals and you get to take silly photos with you posing with interesting backdrops.

We have been to a couple of these 3D museums which seem to be popping up around the place, especially in Asia. This was fun, but it wasn’t very well set up. Many of the backdrops were not set up well for taking photos and the lighting was not good.

This museum is under the Nova Highlands Resort and Residence and it is expensive. We were meant to get a discount as hotel guests but then they decided only Malaysian guests were entitled to the discount!!

For foreigners, the entry price is RM27 for adults and RM22 for kids. There is only a family discount if you are Malaysian. It is not worth this price.

Ee Feng Gu Honey Bee Farm

One of the Cameron Highlands places of interest is the Ee Feng Gu Honey Bee Farm. Here we found a fairly large bee farm, indoor maze, displays about bees and honey and shops.

We enjoyed walking around the farm and the kids were fascinated by the honey making process. We were able to taste the honey which is delicious.

We visited on a Monday and the indoor maze wasn’t open unfortunately.

Entry to the farm is free. There is a small charge for the indoor maze.

Tour to Orang Asli Village

One of the interesting places in Cameron Highlands is visiting an Orang Asli (indigenous person) village. This was one of my highlights of my first visit to Cameron Highlands and is best visited on a tour.

On my tour, I was able to meet local children, use a blow pipe, swim in a water hole and try out some local fashions (leaves!).

Boh Sungai Telas Tea Estate

If you somehow only have time for one of the things to do at Cameron Highlands then this is the one you should pick!

Visiting a tea plantation is the essential Cameron Highlands tourist attraction and this is the best choice. It’s a pretty drive about ten kilometres off the main road (it’s well signposted).

There is a tea centre which is well set up. We were able to read about the history of the Cameron Highlands and all about the tea making process at Boh. There is a media room and the chance to go on factory tours.

The best part, however, is the cafe. There are stunning views from the overhanging balcony and it’s a great place to try out the product and have some cake (I recommend the nasi lemak cheesecake!).

Hiking

One of the popular Cameron Highlands things to do is hiking and it’s easy to see why! There are many great views and the climate makes it a lot more pleasant than hiking in other parts of Malaysia.

There are many trails available which are marked but not necessarily well maintained. You should ask for advice before setting out.

There is also the option of hiking at the Mossy Forest. This is an easy choice with a (short) boardwalk through a short stretch of forest.

Cameron Highlands with kids

Cameron Highlands is the perfect place for families. Cameron Highlands top attractions lend themselves well to visiting with kids and we had no problems visiting with our three kids aged 6, 5 and 10 months old at the time of our visit.

Our kids enjoyed visiting the things to see in Cameron Highlands above and it’s easy to have a great family day in Cameron Highlands. They were welcomed everywhere with smiles.

Cameron Highlands is not pram friendly. There are hills (and thus stairs!) at most attractions. It’s a much better idea to use a carrier with a baby.

Holiday Park

This small amusement park is located next to the Nova Highlands Resort and Residence. It’s perfect if you are looking for things to do in Cameron Highlands with kids especially if your kids are young.

There’s a small range of rides, including a ferris wheel. They are undercover. There are also stalls and somewhere to eat.

Best place to stay in Cameron Highlands

Cameron Highlands is very popular with tourists so there is plenty of accommodation in Cameron Highlands.

If you are working out where to stay in Cameron Highlands Malaysia it can be tough as the Cameron Highlands is quite spread out with attractions all over the place. If you are not going to have a car, our choice, Nova Highlands Resort and Residence is extra handy as it was very close to many of the attractions above so you could walk to them.

Otherwise, it doesn’t matter where to stay at Cameron Highlands as you will probably drive between attractions anyway.

Nova Highlands Resort and Residence

I was tossing up between a few Cameron Highlands places to stay before I decided on the Nova Highlands Resort. I chose it because of the handy location near many attractions and the fabulous price of the three bedroom suites. We weren’t disappointed.

We had a spacious three bedroom apartment complete with a balcony with great views, two bathrooms (one is an ensuite), three double rooms, kitchen area, lounge area and dining area. It seems new but the downside was some mould in one of the bathrooms.

There are many room types. The three bedroom apartments are in a separate building but it only takes a minute to walk to the main building. The bottom of the main building has a shopping centre with cinema, arcade games and restaurants. Across a tiny road is Holiday Park and many of the places to go in Cameron Highlands listed above are very close by including the bee farm, strawberry farm and butterfly park.

We found this a very easy and great place to base ourselves during our visit.

Click here to see the latest prices.

Other places to stay in Cameron Highlands

If you are looking for the best hotel in Cameron Highlands there are some great contenders. Here are some good choices depending on your budget.

• Cameron Highlands Resort – Considered the best hotel to stay in Cameron Highlands, this is the best choice if you want 5 star. Located by a golf course with an award winning spa, it’s easy to relax without leaving the resort. Click here for the latest prices.
• Copthorne Cameron Highlands – Located near the Nova, this is another hotel surrounded by Cameron Highlands attractions. This is an international standard hotel with an indoor swimming pool, fitness centre and children’s playground. There are a variety of room types for great prices including up to 3 bedroom apartments which make a great option for larger families. Click here for the latest prices.
• DreamScape Apartments – This Cameron Highlands accommodation consistently gets great reviews despite having apartments available for a bargain price. Click here to see the latest prices.
• Hillview Inn – This is a solid budget choice in Tanah Rata. As a bonus, you can book this property beforehand with free cancellation and no prepayment. Click here for the latest prices.

Eating in Cameron Highlands

Being Malaysia, there are a ton of good places to eat in Cameron Highlands. We did not put too much effort into it and had some great meals. Some places we particularly enjoyed:

• Cameron AA Curry House, Tanah Rata – This place seems to sell just about everything! We stuck with Indian food and fried rice but there was also pizza, kebabs, macaroni cheese and many other things on the menu.
• Home Town Steamboat (below Nova Highlands) – This is a delicious steamboat restaurant for a good price.

Map of Cameron Highlands attractions

Getting around Cameron Highlands

The best way to get around Cameron Highlands is with your own car. It’s easy to drive around but traffic can be very slow, especially on weekends. Avoid it if you can! We saw some of the worst traffic jams we have ever seen here on the weekend.

There are buses but they are not easy to use to get to all the little spots. I struggled to use them much at all the first time I visited and I am told the situation has not improved. Taxis are another option.

If you don’t have your own car, I would recommend doing a day tour as the best places to visit in Cameron Highlands are spread out. We had a car so I can’t recommend one from personal experience but it’s not hard to book one once your arrive.

Our verdict

We enjoyed our time in this beautiful spot. It’s an easy place to be with some interesting activities in Cameron Highlands.

Apart from visiting a tea plantation, there are no must visit attractions, although this is part of what we enjoyed. It can be easier to enjoy a low key destination where part of the fun is to just hang out.

We drove here from Kuala Lumpur and then drove on to Ipoh. This is all very straight forward and easy to do with good roads. However, definitely avoid being in Cameron Highlands on a weekend if at all possible! It was so crazy busy. What should have been about a 25 minute drive from one end to the other would have taken well over 2 hours.

It was much more pleasant on the Monday and Tuesday!

We visited in April. There was some rain in the afternoons but we did not find it too much of an issue as we weren’t doing things all day anyway. It was quite warm in the middle of the day but you definitely need a jacket for mornings and evenings.

All in all, we enjoyed our visit here a lot.

Read all our Malaysian guide here or read our guide to nearby Ipoh here.

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Tags:  Malaysia Travel Blog