Discover the cooler Genting and Cameron Highlands
Malaysia offers a lot more than just beaches and we loved exploring the Genting and Cameron Highlands during our time there. But do you visit one, or both, here’s a full review of spending time in Genting vs Cameron Highlands with kids. The temperatures in both areas are a lot cooler than the rest of Malaysia and so don’t forget those trousers and a long sleeve jumper. Read on to understand more about the unpopulated areas of Malaysia, off the tourist trail, despite it’s nickname of the Vegas of Malaysia. Picking up a car from K-L, we drove up to Genting Highlands for 2 days and then Cameron Highlands for another 3 day stay. The driving was easy and motorways clear, although the roads were very windy for the travel sick amongst you!
Genting Highlands is 1 hour from K-L and rises up into the clouds from the moment you start leaving the main roads of the city behind. The focal point and only real place to stay in Genting Highlands is (or at least was) the World’s largest hotel with 7351 rooms by Resorts World! Word of advice, it’s not worth paying the extra 50p a night for a view from the room as the whole area is frequently clouded in mist. The rooms are cheap, clean and comfortable but basic, but then how long are you actually in them for! Certainly not enough time to enjoy any view!
Resorts World Genting is a big indoor playground, filled with amusements and theme parks. For the British fans amongst you there is even a Harry Ramsdens fish and chip shop! The lights are a fair attack on the senses, but whether it is the continual flashes, changing colours or the vertical light show, this place will mesmerise all members of the family. There are rides for all ages, from baby tea cups, to adult swirling waltzers and swinging, spinning, ships, as well as arcades, shopping malls and an indoor sky slopes and arenas, neither of which we opted for as we only had the two days. I should mention that there aren’t too many white westerners here so our pale-skinned, red-headed boy became something of a celebrity with the other residents!
Outside the main hotel and arena and arcades, you can spend a morning exploring the temples of the highlands. These are accessible from the hotel via a cable car, the SkyWay, which takes you down from the mist directly to the Chin Swee Temple for a few pounds per person. Not only is there a temple built on this forest covered mountain but there are also other temples, monuments and “stuff” - I use this word as I don’t know what else to call the various figures which depict the slightly gruesome stories of torture, death and who knows what else on a walk around the temple complex. The kids seemed to quite enjoy them, but not for any particularly sensitive souls maybe! The cable car journey itself is a good piece of entertainment to escape the insane excitement of the indoor complexes….and the views now you are out of the mist are stunning!
3-4 hours drive north of the Genting Highlands, are the Cameron Highlands, a strawberry and tea lovers paradise, and quite the opposite of the mad, vegas-styled world we had just left that morning. The landscape is such a luscious green, and again the cooler air is a welcome reprieve from the humidity of other areas. There are various strawberry plantations you can visit, but we opted for the Big Red Strawberry Farm in Brinchang which provided us with many hours of exploration for zero entrance fee. You can pick strawberries (of course this is where they make some £££), explore other plants being grown in the nurseries, enjoy a scone and cream in the cafe, and there’s a few small rides for small children. There’s even fish, rabbits, an aviary and a few other animals to have a nosy at before getting lost in the gift shop.
As well as strawberries, Cameron Highlands is known for it’s tea plantations and the lush green tea fields are obviously a huge benefit of the cooler, damper climate. The Boh Tea Centre Sungei Palas was our choice of venue to learn all about tea production, from growth to harvesting and the factory tour even captivated our 3 year old. There is a wonderful cafe (of course) and several stunning look out points, and even view points on the drive to and from the entrance. There’s even a hiking trail from the centre if you want to use it as a base for a full day out in Brinchang.
Within Brinchang and Tanah Rata there are small town centres, both of which contain street markets and many restaurants (some fabulous indian cuisine especially) and basic accommodation. I would recommend a car to get around as the road are quiet, there’s plenty of parking and it just makes life a bit easier in this part of Malaysia.
There is also lots else to spend a few extra days in the Cameron Highlands, mainly focussed around hiking which with our 2 small children we opted against. There are waterfalls, tours to potentially see the Rafflesia flower, hiking trails, cacti shops and even camping trips that you are able join in with.