We moved from Kuala Lumpur to the Cameron Highlands on September 8th by bus from the central bus station. There are many buses, but it’s best to book in advance because the seats are very large, so the spots are limited. We had to wake up early at 6 AM to catch the 8 AM bus, but it broke down, so we had to wait until 10 AM to take the next one. We reached the bus station with a Grab in less than 30 minutes; it’s worth downloading the app, it costs little (€8) and they are reliable.
We arrived at the Cameron Highlands around 2 PM, and after leaving our luggage at the hotel, we called a taxi to go see the Boh tea plantations. Taxis are cheap; he accompanied us and waited for us for a total of 4 hours for about €24.
We visited the tea factory, bought various teas (Giusy bought a lot ;)), and returned to the hotel, passing through a market where I bought corn with cheese… I didn’t like it much, better without cheese.
The next day we took a tour of the tea plantations, strawberry plantations, and the moss forest at 1900 meters above sea level.
The climate here is fantastic; many Malaysians come on vacation or spend the weekend here to escape the heat of the cities.
The Mossy Forest is stunning; there are many different types of trees and the vegetation is an explosion of life. There are also dozens of different types of orchids, the air is good, fresh, and rejuvenating. It’s a beautiful place, absolutely worth seeing, the trees are ancient, it’s a fascinating forest that can’t be described. We also tasted a berry that makes everything you eat afterward taste sweet.
Back at the hotel, we took a shower and went to find something to eat. We stumbled upon a completely open-air place with stoves on the tables and a huge buffet. It was the typical dish of the Camerons, the “Steam boat,” a pot with broth and a plate with various sections where you can cook meat, fish, and vegetables that are available there. Very folkloric and delicious.
In Malaysia, people eat with their hands, so in restaurants, there are usually sinks in the room and it’s hard to find napkins ;) there are utensils but usually not knives. So you have to manage, and we now travel only with packs of wipes and tissues in all our bags. The bathrooms are also a bit different from ours, there’s always water on the floor, there are water pumps next to the toilet, it’s hard to find toilet paper, and there’s almost always a small bucket next to the water pump that we still haven’t figured out what it’s for.
This morning we left for the Perhentian Islands, this transfer organized with “get your guide.” In Malaysia, it’s better to rely on companies that organize tours and transfers; otherwise, it becomes tiring and complicated. The costs are moderate; we paid €30 each, including round trip to the islands. From the Camerons to the Perhentians, it’s about 8 hours of travel between bus and boat.
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