Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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You can also get ther e by hiring an outstation taxi. The cost is RM40 ($12/£7.20),
and a taxi can be arranged by calling the Puduraya outstation taxi stand at & 03/2078-
0213.
The Genting Highlands Resort is o wned and operated b y Resorts World B erhad,
who'll be glad to provide you with hotel reservations if you call & 03/2718-1118.
Cameron Highlands
Located in the hills, this colonial-era r esort town has a cool climate, which makes it the
perfect place for weekend getaways by Malaysians and Singaporeans who are sick of the
heat. If you've been in the region awhile, you might also appreciate the respite.
The climate is also v ery conducive to agriculture. After the area's discovery by British
surveyor William Cameron in 1885, the major crop here became tea, which is still grown
today. The area's lovely gardens supply cities throughout the region with vegetables, flow-
ers, and fr uit year-round. Among the fav orites here are the strawberries, which can be
eaten fresh or transformed into yummy desser ts in the local r estaurants. At the many
commercial flower nurseries, y ou can see chr ysanthemums, fuchsias, and r oses growing
on the terraces. Rose gardens are prominent here.
Temperatures in the highlands av erage 70°F (21°C) during the day and 50°F (10°C)
at night. There are paths for tr eks though the countr yside and to peaks of surr ounding
mountains. Two waterfalls, the R obinson Falls and P arit Falls, have pools at their feet
where you can swim.
There are no visitor information services here. They've been closed for a v ery long
time and hav e no immediate plans for r eopening. You'll find banks with A TMs and
money-changing services along the main road in Tanah Rata, the main town.
The best accommodation her e is the Smokehouse Hotel. S ituated betw een Tanah
Rata and B rinchang to wns, this pictur esque Tudor mansion has pr etty gar dens and a
charming old-world ambience. Built in 1937 as a country house in the heyday of colonial
British getaways, its conv ersion into a hotel has kept the place happily in the 1930s.
Guest suites have four-poster beds and antique furnishings, with some of the w ear that
one might expect from an old inn. The hotel encourages guests to play golf at the neigh-
boring course, sit for afternoon tea with strawberr y confections, or tr ek along nearb y
paths (for which they 'll provide a picnic basket). I t's all a bizarr e escape from Malaysia,
but a charming one. (Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, Pahang Darul Makmur; & 05/
491-1215; fax 05/491-1214; www
13
.thesmokehouse.com.my, RM440-RM750/$128-
$218/£79-£135 suite.)
Most of the sights can be seen in a day , but it 's difficult to plan y our time w ell. In
Cameron H ighlands, I r ecommend tr ying one of the sightseeing outfits in either
Brinchang or Tanah Rata. C. S. Travel & Tours, 47 Main Rd., Tanah Rata ( & 05/491-
1200 ), is a highly reputable agency that will plan half-day tours for RM20 ($5.80/£3.60)
or full days starting from RM80 ($23/£14). On your average tour, you'll see the Boh tea
plantation and factory, flower nurseries, rose gardens, strawberry farms, butterfly farms,
and the Sam Poh Buddhist Temple. You're required to pay admission to each attraction
yourself (about RM5/$1.45/90p). They also pr ovide tr ekking and o vernight camping
tours in the surrounding hills with local trail guides.
If you want to hit ar ound some balls, Padang Golf, Main Road between Tanah Rata
and Brinchang ( & 05/491-1126 ), has 18 holes at par 71, with greens fees around RM53
($15/£9.55) on w eekdays and RM84 ($24/£15) on w eekends. They also pr ovide club
rentals, caddies, shoes, and carts.
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