Friday, April 13, 2012

kl to cameron highlands

We are off to kuala lumpur in October and while we are there we want to take a trip to the Cameron Highlands. We are thinking of maybe hireing a small minibus for the six of us and maybe driving it ourselves. Can any of your goodselves tell me how far it is and how long it would take us.





Thanks in advance



kl to cameron highlands


I was there last weekend, and I hate to say this, but the place is a worse dump than I thought it was.





We came in from Gua Musang on the way back to KL. We stopped at Tringkap for lunch. It was drizzling and all the parking bays were filled with cars. The few resturants that we came across was packed with people, and there were flies everywhere and the ugly malaysia reared his head with people fighting for tables.





From Tringkap, we had a 2 hour jam (some people got out of their cars and walked and walking was faster) all the way to brinchang due to a pasar malam coupled with absolutly no traffic management. Lorries or impatient motorists were cutting cues along the way.





The towns of Tanah Rata and Ringlet are just small towns with shops that you can see anywhere in Malaysia.





The so called fresh fruits like strawberrys aren%26#39;t exactly cheap either (but they are fresh). To hand pick your own strawberries cost RM40 per kilo. The strawberrys in the supermarkets in KL cost about RM 20 per 450 grams so approx RM40 per kilo as well.





As a result, we left Cameron in the dark and we had to negotiate a narrow and twisty mountain road with impatient motorists overtaking you from behind and incoming lorries eating into your lane.





In my opinion, over rated and not worth the journey.





Better to spend a day or two in fraser%26#39;s hill instead.



kl to cameron highlands


Hi, there are two routes from KL to Cameron Highlands(CH).





First route via Tapah, and the second route is via Simpang Pulai. I advise taking the Simpang Pulai route which is wider and descent is much more gradual, and less hidden bends.





From KL, hit Northbound on the PLUS North South Expressway (NSE), to Exit 137, where a sign showing ';SImpang Pulai';, whereby you will approached a toll plaza. After the toll plaza, turn right, and keep on right lane to a set of traffic lights, whereby you take a right, to put you on the road to Cameron Highlands--see sign: Kampung Raja.





A route distance from KL to Cameron Highlands, taking Kampung Raja as first arrival base, is around 280-320kms, your journey from KL( from Jalan Duta toll plaza) on the NSE to the Simpang Pulai toll interchange will take around 1.5-2 hours; then to reach Kampung Raja, another 45minutes-1 hour.





From Kampung Raja, to the first town in Cameron Highlands, viz. Brinchang, is another 25-30kms, taking around 15-20minutes.





So, in totality, your journey duration is around 3.5 hours.



Just to give you an idea, the route distance from Jalan Duta toll plaza, upto Simpang Pulai toll plaza is 182.50kms. Toll fare is RM24.80. This info, is taken from PLUS website.





Previous thread has given a very clear perspective on scheduling a trip here, not befalling a public holiday weekend (June 2 was a public holiday to coincide with our King%26#39;s birthday) and school holidays.





in your case, for your intended month of travel, which shall be in the month of Oct, :-





a). no school holidays;



b). however, a big festive season, on Oct. 13-15-- Malay New Year. As such during this period, I will advise to avoid CH and even travelling on the expressway to any destinations- non Muslims will take opportunity, to go for a break too, and Muslims go on the road, to travel back to their hometown (kampung).





(over the last weekend, with the heavy downpour and intermittent rains, folks were caught in traffic jams on expressways and an area in KL, where a landslide occured, caused a massive bottleneck, right up to a toll exit where traffic are coming in from the North).





Not only local eateries will be packed, tendency for unscrupulous traders to jack up prices.





When hiring a minivan or MPV, do make sure, engine capacity is at least 2500 cc or above, otherwise with 6 paxs and baggages, you will be straining engine and transmission gear box.





In one of my many experiences in CH, for month of Oct, drizzle are expected (of course notwithstanding climate change that is prevailing these days), and evenings are rather cool.Drizzle came in late afternoon, and stop, then starts again in late evenings.





In respect of accommodation, there is a apartment where a unit has two/three/four rooms- called Star Regency Hotel Apartments, located in Brinchang town. Pretty basic, but provide good views of a nearby Cactus Valley Garden. - mid range.





Top of range with apartments type of accommodation is Equatorial Hotel.





Drawbacks, when it comes to most hotel rooms in CH, is dampness caused moldy smell,and I have quite a few hotel experiences in CH- Equatorial, Heritage, Lakehouse, Ye Olde Smokehouse, Star Regency, Cool Point, Century Pine, Cameron Highlands Resort (and even when it was known as Merlin Hotel), Strawberry Park Resort, Bala Guesthouse, Rose Pasadena.





I have had also the opportunity to stay in bungalows which are owned by government entity-Central Bank and also our Electricity Board (TNB), and also an apartment, called Arabella (in Tanah Rata-but not so well maintained in terms of bedlinen and floor cleanliness).





From this list, the recently refurbished is Cameron Highlands Resort.





To avoid this inherent moldy smell, I will picked the hotel that just opened-and now, except for Cameron Highlands Resort, have run out of options.

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