L

ooking at the Lakehouse of Cameron Highlands, with its distinct Tudorbethan architecture and English flower garden, cool mist engulfing the expanse beyond, you could well be looking at a spot in the English countryside. It’s not a place you would expect to catch sight of in Malaysia, in any case.

And indeed, Cameron Highlands’ history dates back to the 19th century, at the time when Malaysia was still settled by the British colonists. It was originally William Cameron, the British surveyor who was commissioned by the then colonial government to map out the area in 1885, who bestowed the region with his name and thereby initiated a modern settlement. And the geography of the region itself had great potential to be developed. In a statement made about his mapping expedition, Cameron mentioned he saw “a vortex in the mountains, while for a (reasonably) wide area we have gentle slopes and plateau land.”

In later development, the “Camerons” was meant as a haven for the homesick English—hence its landmarks which were built to resemble British buildings. Apart from The Lakehouse, the landmarks that still survive until today include All Souls’ Church, Bala’s Holiday Chalet, Overseas Missionary Fellowship bungalow, and Ye Olde Smokehouse. It is as though a portion of an England village was shipped overseas to these regions, so closely do they resemble them, from the architecture to the furniture.

Today, the haven is not only the biggest and best known of Malaysia’s “hill stations”—a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley—it is also the highest point in Malaysia which is accessible by car. It is one of the lesser known tourist spots in Malaysia.

Cameron Highlands also possess rich ecological treasures. From some 3,642 hectares of forest, there are six mountains at the retreat. The highest peak is Mount Batu Brinchang, which is constantly blanketed in a cloud of cool mist. Probably the only mountain in the country you can drive up, the road is a beautiful and eerie drive, with narrow roads and gentle turns, continuously revealing quirky highland vegetation especially dwarf trees, covered in moss. At the top of the 2,031-metre mountain is a radio and television station. Close to it is a 15-metre-high Observation Tower. This is the best place to get a good view of the surroundings.

There are many jungle paths around the slopes of the mountain that lead to several other high peaks, further in the Titiwangsa Range. One of them is Mossy Forest, an upper mountain forest, located at the very peak of Cameron Highlands; the gateway to Mount Irau in Perak. Mossy forest is often described as a fantasy forest, completely covered in moss, with low hanging moss and a haunting aura.

Other jungle trials lead visitors to scenic spots, waterfalls and aboriginal villages. Most of the tracks here begin at Tanah Rata, the administrative centre of the Cameron Highlands. There are more than 14 paths to choose from. Depending on the distance, some routes can take as long as five hours to cover.

The entryway to the Cameron Highlands from Kuala Lumpur is via the Tapah Interchange or the Simpang Pulai Interchange. If you choose the former, exit the North-South Expressway and proceed to the resort via Federal Route 59. If the latter is more convenient, depart the North-South Expressway and travel by way of the Second East-West Highway. You should reach Kampung Raja (‘The King’s Village’) in an hour, the northern gateway to Cameron Highlands.