Cameron Highlands

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.

 

Snake Necklace

Bookers New Friend

 

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.