Cameron Highlands Brothers Drive – Roadside Waterfalls and Tea Plantations

Lata Iskandar Waterfall

No trip up to Cameron Highlands via Tapah is complete without making a stop at the Lata Iskandar Waterfall, which is situated very conveniently along the Route 59 about a 30 minute drive after exiting North-South Expressway. This is a popular tourist spot which can get crowded at peak times.

No admission fee is required. You can park along the roadside, taking care not to block the passing traffic. Take a short walk to the viewing points to get some really lovely photos of the waterfall and its surroundings. The place is generally safe, but as with any waterfall, please exercise due caution and common sense. Many people like to walk on the rocks in front of the falls to get to the optimum point to take a nice picture. Do take care though as these rocks can be slippery. Tread carefully to avoid a nasty fall, especially if you are wearing slippers or shoes that lack proper grip. That pool you see is supposed to be a wading pool, but in all my visits I’ve never actually seen anyone wading or dipping into the waters. People probably don’t want to get wet on the way up or down the mountain.

After visiting the falls, you can also take time to explore the shops along the road, which sell tourist souvenirs as well as some products made by the native Orang Asli.

Interesting spices on sale – Tongkat Ali anyone? 😛

After a visit to the restroom, we drive on. It is a 50 minute drive with millions of left and right turns which will satisfy the itch of all our aspiring rally car drivers out there. OK, ignore my last comment… please don’t go crazy and start driving like a rally driver here. 😛 SAFETY FIRST!

We pass by Ringlet, which is the first major town of the highlands. It is a hub of Malaysia’s vegetable farming and international flower farming sector. Not a very touristy place.

Just after Ringlet, you can stop off at the Lakehouse to explore. It is a Tudor-style country hotel set beside the largest lake in the highlands. Its a pity that the lake itself isn’t in the cleanest condition.

We choose not to stop here, but to head to the Cameron Bharat Tea Estate on the way up towards Tanah Rata, the biggest town in the highlands.

Cameron Bharat Tea Plantation

The Cameron Bharat Tea Estate is one of the major attractions in Cameron Highlands. The advantage of this plantation is that it boasts great views and is easily accessible right at the roadside. There are two Tea Shops along this route with ample parking space, and this is a good place to stop and enjoy some pastry and tea, while admiring the breathtaking views of the surroundings.

If you have time, it is actually worth the walk down the valley through all the rows of tea plants. However, do be careful about your footing especially when the ground is damp. There is a nice stream below with plenty of lovely photo spots.

The crowd was building up up here, and there was no space for us to sit down for a cuppa, so we decided to press on towards Tanah Rata to find a place to eat.

Brunch at Sakura Kopitiam

We decide on the Sakura Kopitiam at Tanah Rata . My quick review:

Price: (9 / 10) local prices, extremely reasonably priced.
Taste: (5 / 10) I tried the Mee Jawa, quite underwhelming and not something that I will order again. Perhaps other dishes might be more appetizing.
Drinks: (7 / 10) I ordered Kopi Ais Kurang Manis. Not bad. Reasonably well done, albeit still a bit too sweet for my liking.
Environment: (7 / 10) Nice quiet neighbourhood to sit down to chat and enjoy the cool weather.
Overall: (6 / 10) There are much better options around the area. If only Uncle Chow’s Kopitiam across the road was open. The food there is much better.

In the next part of the blog series, I share my review of the Copthorne Hotel, Cameron Highlands.