Are the Cameron Highlands Worth to Visit?
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia is supposed to be a top tourist destination. At first, when we went to this place our feelings were mixed, but we quickly made up our minds. This should not be on the top of any traveler's list. Actually, our thoughts are supported by the fact, 2018 was the worst tourist season in Cameron Highlands. Looks like some already have changed their mind and rather checked other places. Why is it like that and are Cameron Highlands worth to visit after all?
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This is Mr. Madi. He was our guide around Cameron Highlands forest (what was left of it). Sadly, this is his third trail for tours. The other two are now farm. Five years more and Mr. Madi will have tours 100km out of Cameron Highlands, to show us a tree.
Two Sides of Cameron Highlands
There are two sides to Cameron Highlands: resort hotels, a few views of pristine nature, mossy forest, and a tour of tea plantations. On the other hand plastic greenhouses long trail of cars. However, the other side is much darker, and once you've seen it, you can't enjoy the rest of the experience.
This is Cameron Highlands, my friends. However, 90% of the view will be like this.
The problems far outweigh the benefits. This is one of the biggest areas for agricultural cultivation, which could be a great thing, but not the way they do it. Most of the farming is done in the greenhouses with a not so ecological approach. It broke my heart when I saw the flat terraces with strawberries, where there used to be a huge hill with dense jungle.
Ahhh, yes. Let's put all these nonsense trees out to make nice terraces. What should I grow? Brains maybe?
Bad Strawberries
Sadly, those strawberries don't even taste good. No flavor and no sweetness, only the color and shape of strawberries. I don't understand some bloggers, recommending the fruits here. Have you ever tried a real strawberry for f*** sake? There is a secret though. Here they grow also strawberries with the Japanese method, which are sold to Singapore. We got them and the taste is like our strawberries back at home.
What do you need to grow a strawberry? Apparently one tone of plastic and naive tourists.
Whoever claims strawberries from Cameron Highlands are delicious, never tried a really good strawberry. Never.
Chainsaw as a Soundtrack
In order to provide space to grow all the flavorless fruits, the deforestation has gotten out of control. Wildlife around there is almost totally exterminated. We met one guy who was trekking in the jungle for two days and saw only one snake and a few birds. There was no sign of any bigger animals. When we went on a few hikes, it was the same story. We didn't see any animals there, not even a snake. Just a couple of birds. It is truly like a ghost forest.
This is the most you can see here around. Birds, flies, mosquitoes, some snakes and if you are lucky a squirrel.
Did we let a few small things like killing animals and environmentally unfriendly practices ruin our experience? No, there was more. Traffic jams are a common thing and it looks like there are no solutions coming in the near future. The traffic is jammed because people park their cars in the middle of the main road in order to go to the market or tourist attractions - farms. Speaking of the market; they built another market opposite the existing one instead of a more than needed parking lot. Happy shopping after the meltdown on the road!
This is a sign not to litter or deforest "wink wink"
Waste Everywhere
But wait, there's even more! Their waste management is bad as well. In most places, they don't have garbage collection, so they just dispose at the nearest available location. Plastic bags are laying basically everywhere and there is also the famous corruption. You can seldom spot a sign for waste recycling, but it ends there. It is just a sign without any action behind it.
I swear to god, piles like this are more common than seeing any kind of animal here in Cameron Highlands.
It's totally normal to leave this bag in the pristine forest. IQ here around is critical low.
The corruption can be seen also in forest management. What is left of the forest should be under protection, not left for further deforestation, terrain leveling and building of new greenhouses.
Here around Cameron Highlands, you will see a lot of Land Rovers MK I and MK II. These things are a real masterpiece. A handful of them are abandoned, but most of them still operational. That's quality.
So are Cameron Highlands Worth to Visit after all?
In the first place, this place for sure isn't heaven on earth (anymore), as some people might have you believe. You can relax in a fancy hotel, play golf and visit some tea plantations or join these farmers and see how their life is. We did both and we can tell you that this is an experience that is unfulfilling from the tourist's side, and horrible from the view of the locals.
At Cameron Highlands Resort we dried out our tears and "enjoy" strawberries from here around. We will post a review of this amazing resort... Are Cameron Highlands worth to visit? Sorry I was just sipping my Champagne, what?
However, I am a pessimist and this article surely won't give you thrills to visit Cameron Highlands. Luckily my Vivi sees the world through her pink glasses and she will show you some nicer sides of this place. Yes, I did enjoy our staying at the best hotel in Cameron Highlands - Cameron Highlands Resort by YTL. Staying here and a trip to the mossy forest and BOH tea plantation are unforgettable. Not to mention local people. We have met the nicest people here in Malaysia for sure.
We were helping on a flower farm here in Cameron Highlands. Actually, it is a flower farm and guesthouse with the best espresso far around.
Westwood Guesthouse
As I said before, we were staying at Westwood Guest House, where you can see how they grow their flowers, which goes straight to the Singapore market. A family here is extremely nice and the owner has the best coffee you can find in Cameron Highlands (Trust me we tried a few and this one is far best). Anyway, stay with us, we will post articles about this farm and guesthouse, Cameron Highlands Resort review, travel tips and much more. All things considered, you should visit Cameron Highlands and aware of yourself and others how big mistake they are doing here.
Are Cameron Highlands Worth to Visit? Yes! You should visit it and aware of others how they are killing nature and 'tourism' here.
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ǝɹǝɥ sɐʍ ɹoʇɐɹnƆ pɐW ǝɥ┴
Thank you !
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Good to read the downside of top tourist spots around the world, and indeed Cameron Highlands doesn’t look like a must see place. But isn’t it with most pictures travel agencies do show us in their brochures that the real world always look a little less beautiful? So sad to see all those plastics everywhere… Thanks for sharing this darker side of tourism to make other travelers think about this.
PS. Love the pink glasses from Vivi, wish everyone could see the world that way!
Thank you for stopping by. We hope for better future for sure
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Ouch, I have lived in malaysia for two years now and after having seen and tasted the produce from there and watched the videos exposing the unregulated super pesticides and insecticides I’ve declined opportunities to visit. That being said, the government did just get usurped and i actually know the minister of wildlife and nature or whatever they call it, personally. His hands are likely tied by old power ties and corruption that extend beyond party lines though. Bodoh is the word for idiot here and what’s truly remarkable is that the people are more ignorant and apathetic rather than stupid. A lot of beautiful nice people yes, majority are as trashy as the country side..
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Well I hope they will soon see how wrong they are treating their natural resources. But I think only a big catastrophy can open our eyes. We are getting there though.
Yes, I feel until people have the time and resources to have community and collective based ways to grow their own food we can only expect the worst. We aren't meant to only be able to shop for food, it's convenient and all, but there must be a balance and a return to the dirt.. Relying on commercial farming and distribution is not the way forward it was the way to modern civilization now is the time to bridge the old and new, east and west, spirit and science etc.
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And I thought these were weed buds at first, silly me :)
He he. Wait when we will visit Jamaica :)
Stunning natural beauty but you only confirmed my fears that this region has been suffering really bad from human ignorance and callousness :( It is always heartbreaking to see pristine places brimming with wildlife like this being damaged by people.
Yes, sadly we are a parasites:/
excellent pictures
Thank you very much