By telling us your country of residence we are able to provide you with the most relevant travel insurance information.
Please note that not all content is translated or available to residents of all countries. Contact us for full details.
Shares
A couple of friends and I made an impromptu decision to head to Cameron Highlands for a short getaway, far away from the hustle and bustle of city living. Located in Malaysia, you would be surprised as they were known for their subtropical highland temperatures ranging between 9 to 24 degrees. Relative to Singapore's tropical climate - which means it will be colder. We travelled overnight by coach towards Cameron from Singapore and as dawn came, we inched closer and closer towards our destination. I felt the cold seep into the ventilation and crawled on my already freezing skin. Shortly arriving in the local town Pahang, we quickly got into a confine of a taxi. Pahang was small part of Cameron Highlands and almost every local owned their personal mode of transport. Unfortunately for us travellers, taxis booked by the hour was the only way we could get around. While everyone was still groggy and adjusting to the cold, I spontaneously decided that one of the main attractions was the Bharat Tea Plantation. As we rode uphill towards Brinchang where the plantation is located, we exited Pahang town and passed buildings and bungalows in weedy backdrops. Our chauffer explained that in Cameron, everyone relies on the weather to keep them naturally cool – leaving windows open and in a typical local household, not a single fan in sight. A rural way of life. Along the topic of attractions, he recommends that we visit the weekly night market on the same day. Brinchang Tea Plantation was as breath taking as you would imagine it to be. It had an extremely hilly terrain as we trekked a rocky pathway to and back. We were constantly surrounded by huge patches of tea bushes clustered all over these hills. 650 hectares of greenery looked back at us as we sipped its derivatives from our mugs. Come evening we had already checked in before making our way to the market. It was still bright as the GPS pointed towards an elevated stretch of road. About two miles in, the night sky approached, and it was unusually dark. I was too used to the streetlamps back in Singapore. To make things worse, the temperatures got even lower. I wrapped my hands around myself trying to get some warmth, passing silhouettes of humongous trees and utility poles. While my friends were walking ahead of me, singing in the dark. Despite the cold, the walk was peaceful and solidary. I quite enjoyed it. The silence was only interrupted by the grumbling sound of my tummy. In a matter of minutes, we spotted what seemed to be lights from the market vendors and the pulsing traffic congestion. As we got closer to the entrance of Brinchang Night Market, we anticipated for something in our stomachs, but we were met with dismay. Fresh vegetable produce or preserved fruits from the Highlands of Cameron did not seem to appeal as a full meal. Then from a distance there was a distinct sound of a ringing bell that garnered my attention. As the crowd dissipated one by one with their purchase, it revealed to what seemed to be our glimmer of hope, an ongoing sale of freshly fried chicken drums. These food vendors were hidden at the back of the market but peppered throughout. This comfort food reminded us of the city life back in Singapore that we often take for granted. There were other types of street foods including stuffed pitas and fried noodles; cooked fresh and was decently edible. You can imagine that the tedious route back to the hotel was both warm and satisfying afterall.