I have been very busy lately with holidays, school reopening, and CNY all jamming up in Dec and Jan. Hence lack of blogging during these period. And well, this is my blog on my 3 days and 2 nights Cameron Highland trip on last Dec.
We started off at wee early morning like 6 a.m. from Singapore. Reached our Smokehouse Hotel in CH at almost 3 p.m. Though it was a tiring and concentration challenging driving journey for hours, but it was a fruitful one. For kids, travelling to CH is an informative and educational experience. Whereas for hubby and me, we enjoyed the company of kids, and of course a slower pace and fresh cooling air of the surrounding.
We reached Ipoh town for lunch, at OldTown White Coffee. As we had no idea where to have their famous local food, we just dropped by at one which we were familiar with, and we didn't bother to look around mainly because we were totally famished!
My son had nasi lemak set without sambal, hubby had curry chicken rice.
While, I had my supreme nasi lemak with iced Nan Yang Kopi C.
After fixed our hunger pangs, we continued with our journey. Apparently there are 2 routes which you can consider to drive up to CH. First route is the Exit 132 at Persimpangan Tapah which is around K.L., and the second is the Exit 137 at Persimpangan Simpang Pulai at Ipoh town. We took the latter.
Our choice was proven right, the journey was smoother as we travelled on a wider and less winding path. As we were almost approaching the top, we winded down our car's window, letting in cool crisp air with faint tropical rainforest smell. FYI, if you are taking the Persimpangan Pulai, you will first reach Tringkap, follow by Brinchang, Tanah Rata and so on.
We immediately checked in The Smokehouse Hotel upon our arrival at Tanah Rata. The address is By the Golf Course, 39000, Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia.
The front full view of The Smokehouse.
The Smokehouse is an English Tudor style Hotel built in 1939, with ultimate influence of colonial ambience.
The lobby which is adjacent to the dining area.
The fireplace, where you can enjoy your cuppa slowly.
Our room, for 2 nights stay. Their room rate is a lot more pricey compares to the others, as we paid for the ambience of its surroundings. Frankly speaking, this place is not well-maintained in the sense of its cleanliness. I am a clean freak btw.
The indoor dining area. I would probably advise an indoor dining, as the seats at the outdoor have the trace of birds' dropping! Yuck! I asked the waiter in charge to bring me a clean seat, but he replied that all the seats were in that condition. I had a quick glance around, and it was definitely true, much to my horror!
The fireplace at the lobby, with Xmas decor, as we were there in December.
After we left our luggage and refreshed for a little in the hotel, we dashed out, scouting around the area. Our first stop was the Cactus Point. As the name suggests, there were this thorny plants everywhere, different types of species.
Other than cactus, you can find strawberry as well, but unripe ones.
And....flowers too.
Next, the Big Red Strawberry Farm. All the farms and places of interest are easy to find, as one can navigate around Cameron Highland easily. A printout of CH map from website is all that you need before the trip.
However, we arrived at the wrong timing, as the strawberries were not ready for picking, they were still unripe. Blame the month, maybe December is at its peak season where during school holiday, families with kids would normally travel to CH. Thus all the ripe ones had been plucked earlier.
Rows after rows of strawberry plants, planted in pots.
There were fresh lettuces and iceberg salad in the farm.
Fresh and crisp.
Atop my head, where I was standing, was the grapes vineyard.
That's a bunch of grapes.
After the visit around strawberry farm, we strolled at the Brinchang Pasar Malam. It operates on Fridays and weekends. Many visitors will make this a must-go place in their CH list.
Jagung mutiara....super sweet and yummy. Available in steamed and grilled on cobs, or steam cupcorn with dab of butter and salt.
The deep fried potato balls. A must try snack from the pasar malam. Eat them while they are still hot! In cool weather...yum yum...We had a little bit of all kinds, balls from orange potatoes, tapioca, and purple potatoes.
Strawbies and marshmellow sticks coated with chocolate.
Steamed sweet potatoes.
The freshly made strawbies yoghurt.
Colorful fridge magnet, ideal souvenirs for friends, and magnet lovers.
Many fresh local veggies were on sale too in the market.
Of course, fresh flowers too.
Honey and nectar.
After munching on snacks while strolling among the crowds in the market, we headed for a charcoal steamboat dinner, at a restaurant nearby.
The next morning, we had English breakfast consisting of scones, muffins with home-made fruit jam, sausages and eggs set, and of course Cameronian tea, in the hotel.
On second day morning, we visited EE Feng Gu Honey Bee Farm. Morning temperature was cooler and windier, and I was wearing a bit less, so I felt cold, to make it worse, it started to drizzle.
We didn't get anything from the bee farm, the honey was not very tempting enough to attract us on spending.
Next, we went to Sungai Palas Boh Tea Estate, after Tringkap. After much of very narrow winding jouney, we parked our car at the foothill, walked for another 200m close to the tea plants, before reaching the Boh tea factory and full glass panel cafe at a cliff.
Thats the cafe with a view, hanging at the edge of the cliff, as seen from far along our way up. It was drizzle lightly on that day, luckily we were armed with raincoats.
There we were, at our destination, dressed in raincoats...LOL
The tea factory where you learn how the tea is being processed from tea leaves to the end product.
There's a tea shop next to the factory, with wide arrays of tea, with interesting packaging. Buy them as souvenirs and gifts for friends and families, or for your own.
Before we went downhill again, had a chance to rest and relax at the cafe by the cliff. We opted for indoor seating as the outdoor was wet as a result of the drizzle. Although it was sheltered, but the strong wind brought the rain into the seating area.
We had hot tea and flavoured fruity tea, with chocolate cake. We had our tea slowly, as everything seems to halt to a slower pace in the tranquility of CH ambience.
One of a shot which I like, taken from Boh Tea Estate.
A sample of how the tea leaf looks like, looks very ordinary eh..and it didn't smell like tea at all when you crunch the leaf a little. Only when after it's processed, I guess..hmmmm
The journey down from the Boh Plantation was a heart-thumping one, with vehicles came bumper to bumper, stucked in a beeline. With narrow and slippery path after rainy day which made the condition worse, vehicles moved for only inches after sometime, scared would fall down the cliff. Luckily, there were 2 men, who braved themselves under the rain, assisted in the traffic, and looked out for us, making sure the vehicles moved forward safely away from the cliff. Many thanks to them, that we all finally made our way down to the bottom.
We stopped at Butterfly Farm, not far away.
Son was happily holding a butterfly.
We tried our luck at another strawberry farm, just to get disappointed again that there's no strawberry for picking. :( Look at the kids' expression....that's because they came prepared with the thinking that they would have a chance to hand-pick the fruit on their own before the trip...
The next biggest tea plantation which is worth the visit in CH, is the Bharat tea plantation, which is in between Tanah Rata and Habu.
Personally, I think the view was more mesmerizing compared to Boh Tea Plantation, with wide rolling green hills across the landscape. What do you think?
We walked down to the plantation as people were seen mingling between the tea bushes. BUT that was before drizzle! Half way through, it started to rain, where the soil path became muddy and SUPER slippery. Even a slightly sloped pathway, might give you a hardtime to move forward. The picture below was funny, coz I had to cling myself to the tea bush twigs, scared that I would roll down the hill, and fell hard on my bum! Before reaching the cement staircase (shown in picture), i was like begging hubby to give me the courage by pushing me from behind to move forward. I was too frightened to move, my both legs were seems rooted to the ground! People were all stucked behind us, waiting for me to give way....thinking back, it was a funny and yet an unforgettable experience!
Scared till pissed in pants *joking*, but still manage to smile for the picture...hahaaa
We retreated to our hotel and enjoyed our afternoon tea with lovely Smokehouse signature traditional English scones, cream and strawberry jam.
We had Smokehouse Devonshire Cream Tea Set...on rainy evening
Had a box of strawberries before heading for dinner.
On the third morning, before checking out from The Smokehouse.
Strolled around the garden at the hotel backyard, before bidding farewell. The garden's lush green garden was full of blooming flowers.
Stopped by for a picture at Lata Iskandar Waterfall, nearby Ringlet.
That's the end of our 3 days 2 nights stay in Cameron Highlands. Stay tuned for Part II Cameron Highlands, on places to eat and dine.
