 Malaysia Federal route 59 is a federal roads and old route to Cameron Highlands, Pahang from Tapah, Perak, Malaysia. It was constructed by British in the 1920s. The road is winding and narrow. Interesting spots along the road are: Kuala Woh waterfalls, Orang Asli villages and Lata Iskandar (Iskandar Waterfalls). At the summit, this road connects to Jalan Gunung Brinchang, which is the highest road in Malaysia.
Cameron Highlands
Cameron Highlands is located in the north-western corner of the state of Pahang. It is the smallest district in the state. Being one of the wonders of Malaysia, Cameron Highlands is the largest and most famous hill resort in the country. This highland paradise still retains much of the charm of an English village. Although it is in Pahang, its two main exits go to Tapah and Ipoh in the state of Perak.
Cameron Highlands is a primarily agricultural domain, abundance of vegetables and fruits farms could be found here. It is also a leading producer of flowers in Malaysia. Drive up as high as 1,500 metres above sea-level to get here among the peaks of the main range of Peninsular Malaysia and enjoy temperatures as low as 16˚C.
The hill resort is made up of three main townships at different elevations. The first town from the south is Ringlet, followed by Tanah Rata, Brinchang, Kea Farm, Tringkap, Kuala Terla and Kampung Raja:
Ringlet - If you are travel via the old road from Tapah, this is the first town you will see when you reach Cameron Highlands. Located at an elevation of 1,200 metres above sea-level, Ringlet is one of the main agricultural hub for the highlands. This is the place to fill up on fuel if you are low on supply. Bertam Valley which is located about 5 km away is one of the main flower and vegetable producers in Cameron Highlands. You wont find any hotels here in Ringlet. The nearest hotel is the Lake House which is less then 10 minutes away.
Tanah Rata - Further up from Ringlet is Tanah Rata. It is about 20 minutes drive from Ringlet. This is the administrative center of Cameron Highlands where most of the government offices are located. The general hospital and the district police station is located here. If you are taking the express buses, this is where the journey would end. Most of the chalets and backpacker's accommodations is located here in and around Tanah Rata. Almost all the jungle trekking and waterfall trails starts from here. Local tours and transfers out of Cameron Highlands can be obtained from the various tour operators in town. Money changers and internet cafes can also be found here. Tanah Rata would be a nice place to enjoy the highlands, especially during the weekdays. It is much more quieter compared to Brinchang where most of the big hotels and restaurants are located.
Brinchang - Next is Brinchang which is about 10 minutes drive from Tanah Rata. This is where you will find most of the hotels and restaurants. The night market which is open every Saturday night features all kinds of vegetables, flowers, fruits and other products of the highlands. This place can get really crowded during the weekends and holiday season. Parking can be a headache during this time. Next to Ringlet, this is the other town with petrol stations.
Kea Farm, Tringkap, Kuala Terla and Kampung Raja - Beyond Brinchang, the road leads to all the way to Blue Valley. Most of the tourist spots are located around Kea Farm. This is where you will find the markets, vegetable farms, flower gardens and butterfly gardens. The road also branches out to the Sungai Palas tea plantation from here. Further down on the main road heading north, you will see vegetables farms all the way from here to Tringkap and beyond. Tringkap is a small farming community where you can find small stalls along the road selling local produce. Fifteen minutes away is Kuala Terla, another small farming community. Kampung Raja is the last town on the map. Since the opening of the Simpang Pulai road, this town has become the gateway to the highlands from the north. From here, you can head out of the highlands to Ipoh or Gua Musang in Kelantan.
Weather
Usually for the month of December, Cameron Highlands should have more rain than usual due to northeast monsoon. Tanah Rata is a bit cooler than Brinchang although Tanah Rata town is at a lower altitude than Brinchang. This is due to the micro environment factor that influence the air pressure and wind factor that cause this phenomena. But if you really want a very cool weather, Kea Farm area like Equatorial Hotel and Resorts in Kea Farm Cameron Highlands is the coolest. Kea Farm is much higher in altitude compare to Ringlet, Tanah Rata adn Brinchang. On average, Kea Farm area is a bit cooler than these town areas especially night time.
In the month of December, Cameron Highlands is enjoying 21ºC - 25ºC around day time and 13ºC - 16ºC during night time, but sometimes strong wind might make you feel cooler than the actual temperature.
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Highlands