Why You Should Visit The Cameron Highlands ASAP

If you know me, you’ll know I love the Cameron Highlands.

Living in KL can sometimes turn into a bit of a hot, sweaty mess, and knowing that a European escape is but a mere 3 hours away is inexplicably calming. It’s like a whole new world; one where there’s no traffic, no pollution, and no excessive humidity (although my skin has adapted quite well to that). It’s just heaven.

I know I’ve written about the Cameron Highlands before, but as I recently visited with my bae Sigute on a girls’ trip, I thought it was only right to elaborate on my love for this place. And I also am seeing this as a sort of PSA, because if you’re in or near Malaysia and want to experience a luxury getaway (for an affordable price), this is your place.

Of course, we decided to stay at the Cameron Highlands Resort, because… where else? In my opinion, this is the sort of place you come to luxuriate and recuperate, and it’s hard to do max relaxin’ in a hostel. Instead, forking out that little bit extra — which isn’t so much in international currency — really takes it to the next level, and gives you a whole other experience.

Let me start with our rooms. As it was just Siggy and I, we were not expecting to open the door to this:

Being in Malaysia, which isn’t the most progressive when it comes to LGBTQ rights (and that is the understatement of the century), I was actually quite impressed by this. I don’t think they thought we were a lesbian couple on honeymoon, but if they did and they did that… then that’s cool!

I of course couldn’t wait to shower, partly because I hate that grimy feeling you get when travelling (or is that just me…?), and also because the bathroom at the CHR is just bomb. It’s black and white, with beautiful stately fixtures and a stunning dresser. There is sadly no bathtub, although there is room for one, but I guess that just means I’ll need to stay in one of the suites next time. Hard life!

Last time I visited this resort — which I would deem more a manor or an estate, really — I fell in love with the Jim Thompson tea room, and was determined to spend as much time there as possible. Luckily, Siggy & I had the same idea, so we maxed our tea room time to the fullest.

We also had one dinner at the hotel restaurant, which was absolutely divine. I had a lamb shank as big as my head (just the way I like ’em), and we scored an extra free glass of wine, which went down very nicely. Honestly, the food here is so good; the portions are generous, the quality is great, and it’s consistent. Highly recommend this restaurant!

We took our little freebie wines into the library — because yes we can.

The next day, we were greeted by some dapper waiters, and selected an a la carte breakfast item (and were also invited to order more if that wasn’t enough). There was also a lovely array of fresh fruits, yoghurt, salad(?), and muesli parfaits, which were possibly the cutest things ever, but which also contained milk (not something I’m into these days). But still, I think anyone could admire the precision with which this display was prepared.

We then walked off breakfast by trespassing visiting the golf course opposite the hotel… and then promptly heading back for a cup of tea.

Honestly, I could just go on and on about how relaxing this resort is, how I feel at peace in the Cameron Highlands, how important it is to treat yo’self every now and then (or more often), and how living like this somehow restores my faith in humanity. All of this is, of course, true, which is why I raved all about it in my previous post. For now, thought, I’ll move on.

We spent the next day — our only full day — chilling out at the resort and not leaving it once. It was truly paradise. At one point, in the Jim Thompson tea rooms, one of the waiters asked us if we were planning on leaving the grounds, to which I replied, “I think, no.” No shame!

To me, the place where you live/are temporarily staying is hella important to quality of life, and a nice hotel or apartment can really make or break a trip. This was no different. I would obviously not have the same experience if we were to stay in a hostel and, again, this isn’t really the place for that. If you’re planning on heading to Cambodia or elsewhere in Southeast Asia, it makes sense, but Cameron Highlands is designed for a luxury stay — and we obviously had to honour that!

So, this brings me to the main point of our stay: the scones. Honestly, my last meal on earth would be a Devonshire tea (even though I take my scones the Cornish way), and I’m okay with that! there is just something so right about strawberry jam and thick, clotted cream, resting atop a fluffy, warm scone… now, excuse me while I wipe the drool from my keyboard.

And that about wraps up our trip! The last day, we had a chilled morning, again hung out in the tea rooms, and then headed to Tanah Rata for our bus at 1:45pm. I will say, on the way up the mountain, it’s pretty easy going, but the bus ride home can really be tricky for some people. The drivers know the roads very well, and seem to be on a tight schedule, because they swerve round those windy roads like no one’s business… which isn’t always comfortable! But if you’re okay with travelling by car/bus, and bring good headphones and an eye mask, I’d say it’s a fine journey.

Have you been to the Cameron Highlands? Or do you want to go? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments!

Also: we just bought a new camera — the sweet Sony RX100 Mark 3 — so do look out for epic pics and ~video~ content coming soon! I’ve been wanting to upgrade my photography on this blog for a while, and a serendipitous series of events lead to us purchasing this beauty just this week. So stay tuned for bigger and better content!

Steph x