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The Cameron Highlands ( ms, Tanah Tinggi Cameron, , ta, கேமரன் மலை) is a
district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivision ...
in
Pahang Pahang (; Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a sultanate and ...
,
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...
, occupying an area of . To the north, its boundary touches that of
Kelantan Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode"). Kelantan is located in t ...
; to the west, it shares part of its border with
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand' ...
. Situated at the northwestern tip of Pahang, Cameron Highlands is approximately east from
Ipoh , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Ipoh in Perak , pushpin_map = #Malaysia#Asia#Earth , pushpin_mapsize = 275px , pushpin_map_caption = Ipoh in Malaysia , coordinates ...
, roughly north from
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
or about from
Kuantan Kuantan ( Jawi: ) is a city and the state capital of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located near the mouth of the Kuantan River. Kuantan is the 18th largest city in Malaysia based on 2010 population, and the largest city in the East Coast of Peni ...
, the capital of Pahang. It is the smallest municipality in the state. Surveyed by the government geologist and explorer William Cameron''Straits Times Weekly Issue'', 22 November 1886, Page 1 in 1885, the outpost consists of three
mukim A mukim is a type of administrative division used in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The word ''mukim'' is a loanword in English. However, it was also originally a loanword in Malay from the Arabic word: (meaning ''resident''). The cl ...
s (subdistricts), namely
Ringlet The ringlet (''Aphantopus hyperantus'') is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is only one of the numerous "ringlet" butterflies in the tribe Satyrini. Range The ringlet is a widely distributed species found throughout much of the Pale ...
,
Tanah Rata Tanah Rata is a town located in Cameron Highlands The Cameron Highlands ( ms, Tanah Tinggi Cameron, , ta, கேமரன் மலை) is a district in Pahang, Malaysia, occupying an area of . To the north, its boundary touches that of K ...
and Ulu Telom. Its eight settlements are
Ringlet The ringlet (''Aphantopus hyperantus'') is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is only one of the numerous "ringlet" butterflies in the tribe Satyrini. Range The ringlet is a widely distributed species found throughout much of the Pale ...
,
Tanah Rata Tanah Rata is a town located in Cameron Highlands The Cameron Highlands ( ms, Tanah Tinggi Cameron, , ta, கேமரன் மலை) is a district in Pahang, Malaysia, occupying an area of . To the north, its boundary touches that of K ...
(the administrative centre),
Brinchang Brinchang (also Berincang) is a town and hill resort located at an altitude of in Cameron Highlands in the state of Pahang, Malaysia. Brinchang is the highest and second largest township of Cameron Highlands, situated on a gently sloping plateau ...
, the
Bertam Valley Bertam Valley is an agricultural-based village in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia, located close to Ringlet. The entry to the village is located at Ringlet. On one side of the village is a dam. A new road connects this village to Kuala Lipis Kuala ...
,
Kea Farm Kea Farm, at an altitude of 1610 meters (5282 feet) above sea level, is the highest located village in the Cameron Highlands and also peninsular Malaysia, and it is one of the most famous tourist spots in Cameron Highlands. Plenty of stalls sellin ...
,
Tringkap Tringkap is a small town in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China ...
, Kampung Kuala Terla, Kampung Raja and Blue Valley. All are nestled at elevations ranging from to above sea level. Developed in the 1930s, the tableland is one of the oldest tourist spots in Malaysia. Apart from its tea estates, the plateau is noted for its cool weather,
orchard An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit- or nut-producing trees which are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of ...
s, nurseries,
farmlands Agricultural land is typically land ''devoted to'' agriculture, the systematic and controlled use of other forms of lifeparticularly the rearing of livestock and production of cropsto produce food for humans. It is generally synonymous with ...
,
waterfall A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in several ...
s,
river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of ...
s,
lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
s,
wildlife Wildlife refers to undomesticated animal species, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wild in an area without being introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous to game: those birds and mammals that were hunted ...
, mossy forest,
golf course A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". ...
,
hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...
s, places of worship,
bungalow A bungalow is a small house or cottage that is either single-story or has a second story built into a sloping roof (usually with dormer windows), and may be surrounded by wide verandas. The first house in England that was classified as a b ...
s,
Land Rovers Land Rover is a British brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR currently builds Land Rovers i ...
,
museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make th ...
and native inhabitants (
Orang Asli Orang Asli (''lit''. "first people", "native people", "original people", "aborigines people" or "aboriginal people" in Malay) are a heterogeneous indigenous population forming a national minority in Malaysia. They are the oldest inhabitants ...
).


Background

The Cameron Highlands were named after William Cameron, a British explorer and geologist who was commissioned by the then colonial government to map out the Pahang-Perak border area in 1885. In a statement concerning his mapping expedition, Cameron mentioned he saw "a sort of vortex on the mountains, while for a (reasonably) wide area we have gentle slopes and plateau land." When approached, Sir
Hugh Low Sir Hugh Low, (10 May 182418 April 1905) was a British colonial administrator and naturalist. After a long residence in various colonial roles in Labuan, he was appointed as British administrator in the Malay Peninsula where he made the first ...
, the Resident of Perak (1887–1889), expressed the wish of developing the region into a "sanatorium, health resort and open farmland." A narrow path to Cameron Highlands was then carved through the jungle. Nothing much happened after that. Forty years later, the tableland was given another review when Sir George Maxwell (1871–1959) visited the locale to see if it could be turned into a resort. He spent about nine days surveying the territory. Maxwell described the terrain as being "somewhat oval in shape on his return from the highlands." After comparing it with
Nuwara Eliya Nuwara Eliya ( si, නුවර එළිය ; ta, நுவரெலியா) is a city in the hill country of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its name means "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light". The city is the administrativ ...
in
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
and
Baguio Baguio ( , ), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
, he decreed that the site should be developed into a
hill station A hill station is a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The term was used mostly in colonial Asia (particularly in India), but also in Africa (albeit rarely), for towns founded by European colonialists as refuges ...
. In mid-1925, an Agricultural Experiment Station was set up to confirm if
cinchona ''Cinchona'' (pronounced or ) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae containing at least 23 species of trees and shrubs. All are native to the tropical Andean forests of western South America. A few species are reportedly nat ...
, tea,
coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. Seeds of ...
,
fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in partic ...
s and
vegetable Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the edible flower, flowers, ...
s could be grown at the district. In December 1925, a superintendent was appointed to supervise the 200-acre (81-ha) plantation on Mount Beremban. While research at the station was being carried out, the colonial office assigned Captain C.C. Best, a surveyor from the Federated Malay States to trace the Telom River ( Malay: ''Sungei Telom''). The Annual Report of the Survey Department (1925) states he explored "the Ulu of the Telom which was the actual area traversed by Cameron" and "he went first to what is known as Cameron Highlands to obtain a basis of comparison and from there crossed over into the Telom Valley. He made a reconnaissance map of the headwaters of the Telom and his exploration has established definitely that the area at the Ulu of the Bertang (Bertam?) is incomparably the most suitable for development." This report, coupled with the confirmation that tea could also be grown, gave the British the motivation to develop the place. In 1926, a development committee was formed to zone off the moorlands agriculture, defense, administration, housing, and recreation. Later, a three-million-dollar
road A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation. There are many types o ...
was constructed from Tapah to the highlands. It started from the 19th mile Tapah-Pahang Road and ended at Ginting "B" (
Tanah Rata Tanah Rata is a town located in Cameron Highlands The Cameron Highlands ( ms, Tanah Tinggi Cameron, , ta, கேமரன் மலை) is a district in Pahang, Malaysia, occupying an area of . To the north, its boundary touches that of K ...
). The three-year contract was awarded to Messrs. Fogden, Brisbane and Company. The first installment of $250,000 was made in 1926. The project commenced on 1 January 1928; it was completed on Friday, 14 November 1930 – 47 days ahead of schedule. The building of the road was a challenge: the crew not only had to deal with the weather; they also had to cope with the risk of being struck down with malaria. The manning level varied from 500 to 3,000 workers during the construction stage. Throughout the contract, 375 employees were hospitalized for fever. The biggest problem faced by the contractor was the haulage of heavy equipment from the lowlands to the upper reaches. This setback was overcome with the use of steam-driven locomotives which were designed for work on steep gradients. When the road was opened in 1931, the British and the locals moved in to settle on the slopes of the mountain. They were soon followed by tea planters and
vegetable Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the edible flower, flowers, ...
growers who found the climate to be suitable for the growth of their crops. On 1 July 1931, Cameron Highlands was made an autonomous sub-district under
Kuala Lipis Kuala Lipis ( ms, كوالا ليڤيس, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is a mukim and capital of Lipis District, Pahang, Malaysia with a population of 20,000. History Kuala Lipis was a gold-mining centre before the British arrived in ...
, with its own Deputy District Officer subordinate to the Lipis District Officer. By the mid-1930s, there was a notable improvement in the constituency: it now had a six-hole golf course, several cottages, three inns, a police post, two boarding schools, a military camp, a dairy, a horse spelling ranch, nurseries, vegetable farms, tea plantations, a Government Rest House and an Agricultural Experiment Station. The domain continued to grow until the outbreak of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
. During the Japanese Occupation of the
Malay Peninsula The Malay Peninsula ( Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The ar ...
(1942–1945), there was hardly any development in the area. When the Japanese withdrew in August 1945, the place transformed. This, however, came to a halt during the
Malayan Emergency The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War was a guerrilla war fought in British Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) and the military forces ...
(1948–1960). When the conflict ended, Cameron Highlands" experienced a constant change in its landscape. Today, the haven is not only the biggest and best known of Malaysia's hill stations; it is also the highest point in
Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia ( ms, Semenanjung Malaysia; Jawi: سمننجڠ مليسيا), or the States of Malaya ( ms, Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu; Jawi: نڬري-نڬري تانه ملايو), also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, ...
accessible by car.


Climate

The climate of the Cameron Highlands is on the border between a
tropical rainforest climate A tropical rainforest climate, humid tropical climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southe ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
''Af'') and a subtropical highland climate (
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
''Cfb''). Its mean annual temperature is . During the day, the temperature seldom rises over ; at night, it can drop to as low as at the higher reaches. Its yearly precipitation is more than . The lowest temperature recorded was on Wednesday, 1 February 1978 – the temperature dropped to at an altitude of 1,471.6 metres above sea level.


Demographics

The district has a diverse population of 33,278 people. It comprises Chinese (13,099), Bumiputeras (12,989) — Malays (7,321); others (mainly
Orang Asli Orang Asli (''lit''. "first people", "native people", "original people", "aborigines people" or "aboriginal people" in Malay) are a heterogeneous indigenous population forming a national minority in Malaysia. They are the oldest inhabitants ...
s (5,688) — Indians (6,988), non- Malaysian citizens (5,193), and other nationalities (202). Most of the residents are entrepreneurs, service industry employees, farm workers, retirees or government servants.


Politics

Previously contested as part of
Kuala Lipis Kuala Lipis ( ms, كوالا ليڤيس, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is a mukim and capital of Lipis District, Pahang, Malaysia with a population of 20,000. History Kuala Lipis was a gold-mining centre before the British arrived in ...
, parliamentary representation for Cameron Highlands was granted in 2004. Though named as such, the Cameron Highlands also covers a few areas that are outside the ward. For instance, the
FELDA The Federal Land Development Authority (Felda; ms, Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Persekutuan. LKTP) is a Malaysian government agency that was founded to handle the resettlement of rural poor into newly developed areas (''colonies'', ''settlements'' ...
settlement of Sungai Koyan, which is represented by the Cameron Highlands in the federal parliament, is located in the district of
Kuala Lipis Kuala Lipis ( ms, كوالا ليڤيس, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is a mukim and capital of Lipis District, Pahang, Malaysia with a population of 20,000. History Kuala Lipis was a gold-mining centre before the British arrived in ...
. The Cameron Highlands itself contributes two seats to the Pahang State Legislative Assembly
Tanah Rata Tanah Rata is a town located in Cameron Highlands The Cameron Highlands ( ms, Tanah Tinggi Cameron, , ta, கேமரன் மலை) is a district in Pahang, Malaysia, occupying an area of . To the north, its boundary touches that of K ...
and Jelai. The Tanah Rata constituency covers the entire district of the Cameron Highlands; the Jelai constituency covers the western part of
Kuala Lipis Kuala Lipis ( ms, كوالا ليڤيس, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is a mukim and capital of Lipis District, Pahang, Malaysia with a population of 20,000. History Kuala Lipis was a gold-mining centre before the British arrived in ...
which includes Sungai Koyan and some other
FELDA The Federal Land Development Authority (Felda; ms, Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Persekutuan. LKTP) is a Malaysian government agency that was founded to handle the resettlement of rural poor into newly developed areas (''colonies'', ''settlements'' ...
settlements.


Geography

The Cameron Highlands is one of the 11 districts of Pahang. Occupying an area of , the district comprises three townships and five settlements. All are nestled at elevations ranging from to above sea level. It is unlike any other constituency in Malaysia; it is not only home to hundreds of floral species that are rare to the
tropics The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also refer ...
, but it is also an area with a substantially different
ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syst ...
. In 1958, the outpost was declared as deer reserve. Four years later, it became a venue affording protection to animals and birds. Located on the Main Range ( Banjaran Titiwangsa), about 75 percent of the division is over a above sea level. The humidity is high with no marked dry seasons. Its wettest months are from October to November; its "driest" period is from January to February. Cameron Highlands is one of the few places in Malaysia that serves as a habitat for a wide variety of
flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring ( indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. ...
and
fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is '' flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. ...
. There are more than 700 species of plants that grow here. The vegetation changes as one ascends the
mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...
. The ward is known for its tea growing, vegetable farms and flower nurseries. Its woodlands form the prevailing natural
ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syst ...
within and around the prefecture. Of the fauna, the Sumatran serow,
mountain peacock-pheasant The mountain peacock-pheasant (''Polyplectron inopinatum''), also known as Rothschild's peacock-pheasant or mirror pheasant, is a medium-sized, up to 65 cm long, blackish brown pheasant with small ocelli and long graduated tail feathers. Bo ...
and Malayan whistling-thrush are listed in the 2004
IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
Red List of Threatened Species. Geographically, the resort is located on the highland "spine" of Peninsular Malaysia. It owes its present standing to its location at a high altitude (generally between to above sea level). There are eight mountains at the retreat. They are Mount ( Malay: ''Gunung'') Batu Brinchang (), Mount Berembun (), Mount Irau (), Mount Jasar (), Mount Mentigi (), Mount Perdah () and Mount Siku (). Mount Swettenham () is located on its border with
Kelantan Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode"). Kelantan is located in t ...
. At the top of
Mount Batu Brinchang Mount Batu Brinchang ( ms, Gunung Batu Brinchang) is the highest mountain in the Cameron Highlands area that can be accessed by car. It is situated at the Perak-Pahang border in Malaysia. It is one of the mountains in Malaysia where its summit can ...
is a radio and television station. It was constructed by the British in the early 1950s. Close to it is the mossy forest. The trail to the forest starts from the Sungei Palas Boh Tea Plantation. It takes about 15 minutes to reach the
cloud forest A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF), is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, montane, moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud ...
by road. Cameron Highlands is unique compared to the other hill stations in Malaysia — three river systems drain it with numerous tributaries (totaling 123). Their high points serve as the water catchment for the
Pahang Pahang (; Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a sultanate and ...
and
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand' ...
rivers ( Malay: ''Sungai Pahang'' and ''Sungai Perak''). Overall, much of the retreat is still forested (estimated at 71%). Jungle trails lead visitors to tranquil spots, waterfalls, and aboriginal villages. Most of the tracks begin at
Tanah Rata Tanah Rata is a town located in Cameron Highlands The Cameron Highlands ( ms, Tanah Tinggi Cameron, , ta, கேமரன் மலை) is a district in Pahang, Malaysia, occupying an area of . To the north, its boundary touches that of K ...
. There are more than ten paths to pick and choose from. Depending on its distance, some routes can take as long as five hours to cover. Apart from its numerous walks, the sanctuary is also known for its native inhabitants, the
Orang Asli Orang Asli (''lit''. "first people", "native people", "original people", "aborigines people" or "aboriginal people" in Malay) are a heterogeneous indigenous population forming a national minority in Malaysia. They are the oldest inhabitants ...
, who rely on the land for subsistence farming, hunting, and fishing. Many have left to take up residence in the nearby towns. There are still some who prefer to treat the woods as their home. To date, there have been many changes at the resort. During the colonial era, the county was developed to be "a healthy hill station similar to
Nuwara Eliya Nuwara Eliya ( si, නුවර එළිය ; ta, நுவரெலியா) is a city in the hill country of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its name means "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light". The city is the administrativ ...
." Today, it is different. During the Post-Independence Period (1957–1973), vast tracts of land were cleared for agriculture and infrastructure development. After 1974, more land was cleared for agriculture, housing projects, power plants, logging activities, livestock farming, hotel construction, small-scale industries, human resettlement, and road building. There is no doubt that some advances have brought economic benefits. This, however, has come with a price. Over the years, the "development (in this area) has been at the expense of the weather and the environment," as well as the indigenous communities' consent.


Transportation

The Cameron Highlands can be accessed by road via Tapah,
Simpang Pulai Simpang Pulai ( Jawi: سيمڤڠ ڤولاي; ; Tamil: சிம்பாங் புலாய்) is a town in Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. Transportation Car As mentioned earlier, highway Federal Route 1, the premier north–south feder ...
, Gua Musang or Sungai Koyan. Tapah and
Simpang Pulai Simpang Pulai ( Jawi: سيمڤڠ ڤولاي; ; Tamil: சிம்பாங் புலாய்) is a town in Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. Transportation Car As mentioned earlier, highway Federal Route 1, the premier north–south feder ...
are the two approaches from
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand' ...
. Gua Musang and Sungai Koyan are the entryways from
Kelantan Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode"). Kelantan is located in t ...
and Pahang, respectively.


Car

Until the 1990s the only access road to the Cameron Highlands was by route which begins in Tapah,
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand' ...
. In 2004, a new access road was opened —
highway A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...
— connecting
Simpang Pulai Simpang Pulai ( Jawi: سيمڤڠ ڤولاي; ; Tamil: சிம்பாங் புலாய்) is a town in Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. Transportation Car As mentioned earlier, highway Federal Route 1, the premier north–south feder ...
(about a kilometre south of
Ipoh , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Ipoh in Perak , pushpin_map = #Malaysia#Asia#Earth , pushpin_mapsize = 275px , pushpin_map_caption = Ipoh in Malaysia , coordinates ...
,
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand' ...
) through the northern part of the Highlands and Gua Musang in southern
Kelantan Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode"). Kelantan is located in t ...
before terminating in Kampung Kuala Jenderis in Hulu Terengganu,
Terengganu Terengganu (; Terengganu Malay: ''Tranung'', Jawi: ), formerly spelled Trengganu or Tringganu, is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, ''Dāru l- Īmān'' ("Abode of Faith") ...
. By 2010 a third access route was opened —
highway A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...
— connecting
Ringlet The ringlet (''Aphantopus hyperantus'') is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is only one of the numerous "ringlet" butterflies in the tribe Satyrini. Range The ringlet is a widely distributed species found throughout much of the Pale ...
to
FELDA The Federal Land Development Authority (Felda; ms, Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Persekutuan. LKTP) is a Malaysian government agency that was founded to handle the resettlement of rural poor into newly developed areas (''colonies'', ''settlements'' ...
Sungai Koyan, near
Kuala Lipis Kuala Lipis ( ms, كوالا ليڤيس, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is a mukim and capital of Lipis District, Pahang, Malaysia with a population of 20,000. History Kuala Lipis was a gold-mining centre before the British arrived in ...
. With the opening of this route, motorists from the other parts of Pahang (especially
Kuantan Kuantan ( Jawi: ) is a city and the state capital of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located near the mouth of the Kuantan River. Kuantan is the 18th largest city in Malaysia based on 2010 population, and the largest city in the East Coast of Peni ...
) are now able to access the district of Cameron Highlands without having to leave the state. There is another route to the hill station — the Pahang State Route (C5). It links Sungai Koyan to Raub which is the gateway to Fraser's Hill.


Public transportation

As with most of western Pahang, the Cameron Highlands is not served by any
KTM KTM AG (Kraftfahrzeug Trunkenpolz Mattighofen, formerly KTM Sportmotorcycle AG) is an Austrian motorcycle, bicycle and sports car manufacturer owned by Pierer Mobility AG and the Indian manufacturer Bajaj Auto. It was formed in 1992 but traces ...
railway station, the closest being in
Kuala Lipis Kuala Lipis ( ms, كوالا ليڤيس, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is a mukim and capital of Lipis District, Pahang, Malaysia with a population of 20,000. History Kuala Lipis was a gold-mining centre before the British arrived in ...
and
Tapah Road Tapah Road (pop. ~7,000) is a small town in Batang Padang District, Perak, Malaysia. The population consists of 40% Muslim Malays, 30% Chinese, 20% Indians and a few indigenous. History Tapah Road was of greater importance in early to mid-20th c ...
. Nevertheless, several bus services connect the Highlands to the cities and towns, such as
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
,
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
,
Ipoh , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Ipoh in Perak , pushpin_map = #Malaysia#Asia#Earth , pushpin_mapsize = 275px , pushpin_map_caption = Ipoh in Malaysia , coordinates ...
,
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the M ...
and Tapah.


Federal Parliament and State Assembly Seats

List of Cameron Highlands district representatives in the Federal Parliament (Dewan Rakyat) List of Cameron Highlands district representatives in the State Legislative Assembly (Dewan Undangan Negeri)


See also

*
Geography of Malaysia The geography of Malaysia includes both the physical and the human geography of Malaysia, a Southeast Asian country made up of two major landmasses separated by water—Peninsular Malaysia to the west and East Malaysia to the east—and numero ...
*
Environment of Malaysia The environment of Malaysia is the biotas and geologies that constitute the natural environment of Malaysia. Malaysia's ecology is megadiverse, with a biodiverse range of flora and fauna found in various ecoregions throughout the country. ...
* Landmarks in Cameron Highlands * Settlements in Cameron Highlands


References


Notes


Books

* * * *


External links


Cameron Highlands Website

Official website of Cameron Highlands District Council

Official website of Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands (R.E.A.C.H.)

Rancangan Tempatan Daerah Cameron Highlands 2030 (Penggantian)
{{Authority control Hills of Malaysia Hill stations in Malaysia Landforms of Pahang Titiwangsa Mountains Tourist attractions in Pahang Highlands