Cameron Highlands Local Customs

The name Cameron Highlands is synonymous with great highland tea. During the rule of the English colonial masters, Ceylon & Indian tea plants were brought over to the highlands by Englishmen determined to have their morning and afternoon cuppa tea. That was how ceylon tea began to be planted here in Cameron Highlands.

Among the major Tea plantations you will find here are Bharat Tea (just before Tanah Rata) and Boh Plantations (with great tag-line "Ada Ummph!") (there are two: Sungei Palas and Ringlet).

Don't go home without buying a packet of tea for yourself. These days, you can buy all sorts of tea-flavoured and normal. Being a coffee drinker, I don't drink that much tea. However, I do enjoy chamomile (soothing and calming) and good quality Orange Pekoe.


If you are interested, here's more on The History of Boh Plantations and its founder J.A. Russell.

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Updated July 2007

Book a private bungalow ~like I did!~ and enjoy more privacy and comfort. Although there are no hotel amenities (no swimming pool, no sauna, no coffee house...), we really enjoyed having the place all to ourselves!

You can add some colonial 1950's style to your stay by going out into the garden. Sit yourself down and relax as you sip some freshly brewed English tea. Remember to pour with your little pinkie finger pointing to the sky! Then bite into a hot buttery scone with fresh cream & strawberries. Put on your stiff upper lip and practice speaking in clipped tones, and make belief that that you are an English woman enjoying some well-deserved respite from the hard life of being a planters wife!

The caretakers at the bungalows are usually great cooks, and would be happy to cook for you during the duration of your stay, but you may want to call and book a week ahead, or they may not be able to buy enough groceries to feed all of you!

By the way, some Cameron bungalows come with their own ghost stories-for example, the Thai silk merchant, Jim Thompson was staying at one of the bungalows at Camerons. He purportedly went for a walk one day, and never came back. His body was never found!

There are a number of privately owned bungalows at Camerons. Please check the newspapers or write to me on how to find one to rent. The going rate is about RM400 per night for 3-4 bedroom bungalow with its own garden. It's cheaper on week-days.

Warning: There are water cuts and if you are staying more than 1 night, there may not be enough water at the bungalow.

We've enjoyed this bungalow so much that my family has returned to stay almost every year for the past few years. We do almost the same things - enjoy each other's company, breath in the air & take in the view, go for long walks, cook up a BBQ and most of all reflect on what a wonderful life God has given us.

Malaysia enjoys a tropical climate with plenty of sunshine throughout the year. Average temperatures range between 22C and 33C. The annual southwest monsoon is from April to October and from October to February for the northeast monsoon.

The average annual rainfall is fairly high at this altitude and can be at around 250cm yearly. Much of the rainfall happens in the late afternoons. Malaysia enjoys a tropical climate with lots of sunshine but also this means humidity is reasonably high throughout the year. It is cooler in the highlands where the temperature is around 15C to 23C.

Warm comfortable clothing is recommended, especially during the night when it is much cooler. As Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country, conservative dress is most appropriate.

Women should not wear dresses, skirts or shorts that are too short. Malaysian traditional dress.

the multi cultural and religious background of malaysians is clearly reflected in cameron highlands.. here, you'll find ppl and buildings from the various background sitting side by side.. living in the perfect backdrop of harmony..

Normal banking hours in the Camerons are from 9.30am to 3.30pm on weekdays and from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Saturday. Most banks offer traveller's cheque and currency exchange services.
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Post Office - Three post-offices, one each in Tanah Rata and the others in Brinchang and Ringlet opens daily between 8.00am to 4.30 pm. Closed on Sundays

Shopping - Most shops are open between 9.00am to 9.00pm daily. Some are closed on Sundays.

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A favourite among the locals here: Strawberries dipped with honey or chocolate on a stick.

during aidilfitri festival, our the most tradisional food is nasi impit kuah lontong.