JUST TO SHARE (Lau Tai Onn): January 2022

DAY 1 (Sat. 15/01/2022)

My former colleague from Angkasa Jurutera Perunding S/B (1982-1986) Lim Soo Lian (林树亮, 2 years older than me) invited me to join him to visit Cameron Highlands, as he has booked a 3 bedroom apartment (max. 6 pax) in Greenhill Resort at Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands (金马仑高原) for a 5D4N stay (check-in Sat. 15/1/2022 and check-out Wed. 19/1/2022). He is a member of Leisure Holidays Bhd (a vacation club) for more than 30 years and needs to utilize his balance of vacations of 15 days before the end of March, 2022.

My last visit to Cameron Highlands was in November 13-15, 1992 with my wife and two young children (aged 4 and 2 respectively then). I am interested for a revisit after 3 decades!

Meanwhile, Soo Lian has visited Cameron Highlands 4 to 5 times before. His 81-year old second elder brother Soo Yee (林树义) coming along with him as in the past, but his two children declined to follow and so did Soo Yee’s wife.

My wife Soh Ai and I would take up one room while the Lim brothers would stay in the other two rooms separately.

As Soo Lian initially thought he could only leave his residence in Port Dickson at noon, then pick up his brother in Seremban, and was expected to reach Cameron after 6.00pm, Soh Ai and I left our house only at about 11.35am on Saturday, 15/1/2022 to go to Cameron Highlands.

We diverted from the N-S Highway to go to Bidor Town (美罗) at 2.30pm to have our lunch at Pun Chun Chicken Biscuits & Restaurant (品珍酒楼), a place we didn’t patronize for many years now. I took ginger duck wantan mee (紫姜鸭云吞面) while Soh Ai took chicken floss wantan mee (鸡丝云吞面). Total RM18.90. The iced coffee was RM2.20 per glass. We also bought chicken biscuits (2xRM7.00), Shat Kek Ma (萨骑马RM7.00), Black Sesame Heong Peah Biscuits (黑芝麻香饼RM10.00) and Honey biscuits (蜜糖香饼RM9.00) and Gong tang (贡糖or peanut candy, RM7.00).

We left Bidor at 3.00pm and reached Tapah at 4.25pm where I topped up two TnG cards (each RM50.00) at a PLUS office’s kiosk beside the toll.

We arrived at Greenhill Resort, Tanah Rata at 5.00pm after driving along the winding route. I called Soo Lian to find out where he was then. I was taken by surprise to be informed that he and his brother had already checked into the apartment sometime earlier as they left Seremban at about 10.30am. Had I known that they left Seremban so early, I could have also departed early from my house and would not stop at Bidor.

As soon as we arrived at Tanah Rata (1440m above sea level), we rejoiced in the cooling environment with a temperature of around 16⁰ C.

At 7.30pm, Soo Lian droved us to Tanah Rata Town and we walked around the streets to look for dining place. We finally settled with an Indian restaurant and ordered curry mutton (RM20.00), curry squid (very salty), taufu and vegetable. Together with teh tarik, the bill came to RM51.00, not cheap at all!

After dinner, we roamed around the night market stalls but found nothing interesting. We returned to our apartment at 9.00pm.

Background info:

Tanah Rata is the largest township of Cameron Highlands, located 10km north of Ringlet or 2km before Brinchang along the main road. The administrative center of this highland resort destination, Tanah Rata serves as the primary transport hub by bus between Cameron Highlands and major destinations including Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Thailand.

There are many hotels, resorts and apartments providing accommodation within town and the surrounding countryside. Its name is verbatim for 'Flat Land' - a reference to its vast and relatively even plateau meandering between the valley. Consequently, this led to the proliferation of rapid development and stronger infrastructure compared to other townships perched on steeper terrain.

Bidor

Restoran Pun Chun

My late lunch

Soh Ai's noodles

Greenhill Resort, Tanah Rata

The sitting room of the apartment (second floor unit no. A22)

Master bedroom with attached bathroom

Twin-bed room

Outside Greenhill Resort apartments

Night view of Tanah Rata town

Night market

Soo Lian (left) and his elder brother

Our dinner at an Indian Restaurant in Tanah Rata

Night view of the main entrance to our apartment

DAY 2 (Sun. 16/01/2022)

We took bread and half-boiled eggs for breakfast in the apartment. At 9.15am, we left in my Avanza car for sight-seeing to places of interest in Brinchang.

At 9.50am, we visited Lavender Garden (also known as Cameron Lavender) along the main road right between the two villages of Tringkap and Kuala Terla, and 9 km from Brinchang town.

The entry ticket fee to Lavender Garden is RM15.00 per adult.

Cameron Lavender is a lavender-themed shopping and agricultural complex. It features a beautiful lavender field with an assortment of other continental flowers on display, fringed with colourful statues and objects inspired by European countryside scenery.

Perched above the complex is a cartoonish Disney castle with koi pond, viewing deck, mini windmills and cafe while inside the compound lies another mock fortress with a wishing tree and confectionery boutique.

I bought one packet of large-size strawberries for RM10.00 and 3 packets of medium-size strawberries for RM20.00. We ate the large-size strawberries on the spot. They were fresh and sweet.

Soh Ai bought a bottle of Lavender perfume (RM26.00) at the souvenir shop.

We left Cameron Lavender at 11.00am and returned to Tanah Rata for lunch. I took curry laksa at the Kompleks Gerai.

After lunch, we drove to visit BOH Tea Plantation at Habu in Ringlet at 11.50am.

It is understood that there are a few BOH Tea Plantations in Cameron Highlands and the one at Habu is one of the largest and oldest, while there is another at Sungai Palas 20km away in Brinchang.

Unfortunately, the colonial-era processing factory was closed to public now and only a heritage tea center was open. I bought BOH Double Chamber 36x100’s (RM13.50), BOH Tea 20x500g (RM11.90) and BOH Double Chamber Pure Green Tea 50’s (RM9.90), total RM35.30 (any purchase exceeding RM20.00 using e-wallets is entitled to a free glass of BOH tea-bag at the adjacent cafe).

At the cafe, I ordered a piece of Green Tea Tiramisu cake (RM12.85), two tea pots of Gdn. Tea Palas Supreme and Gdn. Tea Bukit Cheeding No. 53 (each RM5.55). Another free glass of BOH tea-bag was given because of spending more than RM20.00. Very clever promotion of sales!

The valley draped by lush tea fields there was indeed very pleasant to view and take photos.

Later we visited Highlands Apiary Bee Farm along the access route to BOH Tea Plantation at 2.10pm.

It is understood that the Bee Farm is owned by the same people who operate honey stalls at Kea Farm and Brinchang Night Market. It features a viewing gallery of bee nests, strawberry picking and a product shop that stocks bottled honey combs, pollen extract, royal jelly and even fruit-based cider vinegar.

I bought a bottle of wild honey (RM85.00) and strawberry jam (RM12.00) at the product shop. We could only be briefed by the shop owner looking at a gallery box of bee hives with bees busy working.

After that, we went to Ringlet town at 2.45pm to have a light refreshment of Luo Han Guo herbal tea (罗汉果凉茶) and 2 pieces of croissant (牛角包 each RM6.80, to share among us) at GC 168 Kopitiam (劲揪茶餐室)，paid by Soo Yee.

At 3.45pm we returned to Greenhill Resort apartment for rest.

Soo Lian prepared macaroni soup with seaweed and eggs for us as dinner at about 5.30pm. Not too bad a taste.

We didn’t go out again from the apartment in the evening. That was when I decided to cut short the original plan of staying 3 nights (meaning returning home on Tue. 18/1/2022) and instead to leave after lunch the next day (Mon. 17/1/2022, because there weren’t any more interesting places to see here, other than relaxing in the apartment.

Background info:

Brinchang is the highest and second largest township of Cameron Highlands, situated 1,450 meters above sea level on a sloping plateau about 2km after Tanah Rata or 3km before Kea Farm. Due to its steep gradient and limited space compared to Tanah Rata, the town center is a dense cluster of shophouses, public buildings and commercial developments.

Known for its culinary delights, Brinchang is filled with Chinese restaurants that offer traditional steamboat (hotpot) cuisine and other local dishes among the shophouses. Due to its narrow environment, a one-way direction was imposed on traffic flow through town to ease congestion. Further out from town, the main road climbs to Kea Farm (with an exit to Boh Tea) before dropping towards Tringkap.

Ringlet is the first township along the Cameron Highlands stretch from Tapah, the most established gateway to this resort destination from Kuala Lumpur via North-South Highway. Located about 45km away from Tapah exit, Ringlet welcomes visitors with a giant strawberry statue along the road right after crossing the Perak border into Pahang.

This little countryside town is home to a community of farmers, small-time business operators and migrant agricultural workers, evident by numerous vegetable farms hidden behind the hills. While mostly a backwater area, there are facilities such as banks, petrol stations, sundry shops, restaurants and even a lotto counter.

The only group photo of the trip

Soo Lian (right) and his elder brother

Cameron Lavender Garden

Main entrance to Lavender Garden

Ticketing counter

Seven dwarfs without Snow White

The stall where we bought fresh strawberries at reasonable price

At Lavender Garden souvenir shop

Plenty visitors entering Lavender Garden as we were leaving

Food court at Tanah Rata

My curry laksa lunch

BOH Tea Plantation at Habu. Ringlet

Heritage Tea Centre

Cafe next door to Heritage Tea Centre

Our tea drinks and cake (RM35.30)

Bee Farm + Strawberry Farm at Ringlet

Strawberry Farm

Bee Farm Product Shop

Gallery of bee hives

Parking area at Bee Farm

Kopitiam at Ringlet

Kopitiam decorated with CNY atmosphere

Our refreshment at kopitiam

Soo Lian preparing dinner

A view from the balcony of our apartment

Apartment opposite ours

Selfie taken on the balcony

Home-made dinner served

DAY 3 (Mon. 17/01/2022)

We took bread and half-boiled eggs for breakfast in the apartment.

We left in Soo Lian’s car at 9.05am to Brinchang, looking for the other BOH Tea Plantation at Sungai Palas.

BOH Tea Sungai Palas is located in Brinchang about 5km north from town or 2km away from Kea Farm. Owned and managed by BOH, it complements their estate at Ringlet, featuring a large visitor center complete with cafe, gallery and shopping boutique.

It was a disappointment that we only found out on arrival that the Sungai Palas BOH Tea Plantation closes on Mondays. All we could do was to enjoy the magnificent views of the vast tea fields and took some photos.

At 10.25am, we visited Medan Agro and Kea Farm (aka Kea Market).

Medan Agro is a shopping arcade at Kea Farm, located 3km north of Brinchang town or 3km before Tringkap along the main road opposite the daily farmers' market. Managed by the Cameron Municipal Council, the complex is composed of adjoining retail stalls that trade mostly in fresh crops, souvenirs and local products including honey, dried food and herbal remedies. Open from morning till evening, the complex doubles up as a large parking facility for visitors exploring Kea Farm.

On the other hand, Kea Farm is an agricultural district in Cameron Highlands featuring a farmers' market along the main road, offering bargains on fresh crops including strawberries, corns, greens and fruits.

We bought a variety of vegetables including corns and strawberries totaling RM83.00 from the market.

At 11.00am, we visited Kea Garden Guest House & Mini Chalet next to Kea Farm. It features a children's playground, impressive gardens and views of the mountain.

We left Kea Gardent at 11.25am and proceeded to Brinchang town to have lunch at Restoran Ken Wai ( 维记港式烧腊).

We ordered char siew/chicken (叉烧鸡RM30.00 for 4 persons), curry pork rind (咖喱猪皮 RM10.00)，lettuce (生菜 RM7.00)，sprouts (豆芽 RM6.00), rice (RM6.00) and Chinese tea (RM6.00). Total RM64.00. It was a treat by me to thank Soo Lian for inviting me to Cameron Highlands.

We returned to Greenhill Resort at about 1.30pm. I took a brief rest till 2.00pm.

Soh Ai and I departed at 2.10pm. On the way to Tapah, there was a bit of drizzling after Ringlet but the traffic was smooth.

We reached R&R Tapah at 3.45pm for a break and refreshment. I took 2 pieces of pau and a cup of coffee.

It was raining as we reached KL and the traffic condition was terribly jammed. The Waze led us to Ampang area and came out from Jalan Kuari, Cheras, bypassing the city.

We reached home at 7.45pm, concluding our 3D2N trip to Cameron Highlands.

The total expenditure for the trip was RM554.70 (excluding petrol and toll fares).

P/s: Soo Lian and his brother checked out from Greenhill Resort at 8.30am on Tue. 18/1/2022, one day after we left, cutting short their reserved 5D4N vacation to 4D3N. They returned to Seremban at 4.30pm that day.