This is a late blog post and we'll have a few more to catch
up on before we return to Malaysia
in September.
When we returned to Tortuguita in January, we planned to
take some time to do some inland touring.
As usual, it looked like there wouldn't be enough time for our grand
plan. Since we now have a car, we
decided to visit the Cameron Highlands. The Cameron Highlands are a nice 4 hour drive
from Pangkor.
The winding roads were in
good condition and it's almost mile high elevation is the highest place in Malaysia
accessible by car. Due to the elevation
and being located essentially at the equator, the daytime temperature is always
in the low 70's. The mountains are shrouded
in clouds with rain, even in the dry season.
View of Tanah Rata in light mist from our hotel |
Coastal Malaysia
is not a very good for agriculture. It
is hot and has months long dry seasons. The
British originally developed the Cameron
Highlands for agriculture 100 years
ago due to it's moderate climate. Most
of the vegetables for the entire country are grown in the Highlands. After the Japanese Occupation during World
War II ended, the area saw growth in the residential and tourist sectors. We timed our visit the week following the very
busy Term Break school vacation. We
stayed at the Heritage Hotel in Tanah Rata and had the place almost all to
ourselves.
Leaf Insect, Great Disguise |
I can't believe Booker is actually touching a bug |
Stick Bug |
We took a day tour to a butterfly farm, strawberry
plantation, tea plantation, flower farm, outdoor market, and a Buddhist temple. We were the only people on the tour. Timing is everything.
Melons grow and hang 365 days a year from trellises. |
We had great Thai food at a few different restaurants. We did quite a bit of walking and had a Thai
massage with foot reflexology. It was a
great break from the coastal heat and boatyard work.