Rolling green tea plantations under a cloudy sky with forested mountains behind

Mountain · Tanah Rata, Pahang

Cameron Highlands

Cool hill district of tea estates, strawberry farms and misty forest trails in Pahang

Ambient sound · similar settingDawn chorus at a hill-country estate bungalow

Photo: Paul-Vincent Roll (@paviro) / Unsplash

Discover Cameron Highlands

A winding road climbs from the lowland heat into the Cameron Highlands, where the air turns fresh and the hillsides are combed into neat rows of tea. Towns such as Tanah Rata and Brinchang sit among farms, nurseries and colonial-style buildings, and evenings are cool enough for a jumper.

Visitors come for tea with a view at the estates, strawberry and vegetable farms, jungle trails and the moss-draped cloud forest near the summit of Gunung Brinchang. It is a gentle, slow-paced escape that suits families, couples and walkers alike, and a refreshing contrast to Kuala Lumpur or Penang.

Don’t miss

01Rolling tea gardens such as BOH Sungei Palas, with a café and viewing deck
02Mossy Forest, a cloud forest near the summit of Gunung Brinchang (2,031 m)
03Tanah Rata, the district's main town and transport hub
04Strawberry, vegetable and flower farms around Brinchang and Kea Farm
05Marked jungle trails between the towns and nearby peaks

History & culture

The story of Cameron Highlands

The highlands take their name from William Cameron, a government surveyor who mapped the area in 1885 while charting the Pahang-Perak border. Plans to develop a sanatorium stalled for decades until Sir George Maxwell recommended a hill station in the 1920s. An agricultural experiment station from 1925 showed that tea would thrive, and a road from Tapah was completed in 1930.

Tea estates, bungalows and farms soon followed. BOH Plantations acquired the Sungei Palas land in the 1950s and developed it into one of the district's best-known tea gardens, and today agriculture and tourism remain the twin pillars of the local economy.

Local life & traditions

The highlands are home to Malay, Chinese and Indian communities as well as Orang Asli villages, and much of daily life revolves around farming. Vegetables, flowers and tea from the area supply markets across the peninsula, and weekend night markets in Brinchang sell local produce, snacks and souvenirs. Halal restaurants are common in Tanah Rata and Brinchang.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Spend a morning at a tea estate: walk among the bushes, join a factory tour, and enjoy tea and scones overlooking the valleys. Combine it with a guided trip to the Mossy Forest boardwalk, where the clouds often drift through the trees, and a stop at a strawberry farm or a local market.

Walkers can tackle the network of numbered forest trails around Tanah Rata, ideally with a local guide, while others may prefer a relaxed day of cafés, gardens and scenic drives. Evenings are cool and quiet, perfect for hot drinks and a steamboat dinner.

When to go

The climate is mild all year, with a mean temperature of about 18°C and nights that can drop below 10°C at higher elevations. January and February are the driest months, while October and November, and to a lesser extent April and May, bring the most rain. Weekends and Malaysian school holidays are crowded and the access roads can be congested, so weekdays are best.

Plan your visit

Verified information

BOH Sungei Palas Tea Garden hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 8.30am to 4.30pm; closed Mondays except selected public and school holidays (as published by BOH, Oct 2026). Source: bohtea.com ↗
Tea garden facilities: Sungei Palas (39100 Brinchang) has the BOH Café, tea factory tours, an exhibition gallery and a tea shop. Source: bohtea.com ↗

Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Pack a fleece or light jacket and a rain layer; it gets cool and wet quickly.
Go to tea estates and the Mossy Forest early, before clouds and tour groups arrive.
Forest trails can close after heavy rain; check with the district forestry office or your guide.
The mountain roads are winding: bring motion-sickness remedies if you are prone to it.
Avoid driving up on Friday evenings and public holidays if you can.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Cameron Highlands: food, markets & places to stay

Tanah Rata has the main bus station, banks, hospital, restaurants and a wide range of hotels and guesthouses, while Brinchang, a few kilometres north, hosts the weekend night market. Ipoh is the nearest large city, and the highlands are roughly 200 km by road from Kuala Lumpur. Many tea and farm visits are arranged as half-day tours from Tanah Rata.