Cameron Highlands

The mountainous plateau at Malaysia’s wild, green heart, the Cameron Highlands is renowned for its cool climate and tea plantations. Founded by the British as a hill station in the late 1800s, the area sits 800 t 1,600 metres above sea level and offers a refreshingly cool escape from the heat of the tropical lowlands.

At lower altitudes, you’ll find sprawling strawberry farms, vegetable-filled market gardens, fields of colourful wildflowers, and tea plantations. As you get higher, cultivated nature gives way to wilderness, covered with cloud and mossy forest, waterfalls and rock formations. It’s easy to see why this area is so popular for hiking.

The quaint settlements that dot the region still exude an old English atmosphere, with mock Tudor facades and frequent bouts of low cloud. Many establishments keep the old traditions alive, serving teas in the afternoon and G&Ts as the sun sets, to be enjoyed with views over lofty mountains and lush green.