Cameron Highlands Blog on the go!

I'm going to give this blogging on the go for Cameron Highlands Destination website. Quick short post from my mobile phone giving short insightful comments. Or even use it for quick notes while I'm at Cameron Highlands for my later posting of proper articles about our favourite Malaysian highlands escaped holiday travel destination getaway! Yey.

Black tea for diabetics

Interesting. Black tea has another plus point for treating diabetes. It seems the researchers at Tianjin Key Laboratory in China found the polysaccharides (a kind of carbohydrate) in black tea helps inhibit the absorbtion of glucose. They also studied the other teas, green tea, oolong tea. All three have polysaccharides but the black tea inhibition ability is the best.

So drink up more black teas! And yes the tea varieties in Cameron Highlands are of course black tea.

Cheers!

Trip to Cameron Highlands

It’s been awhile since I posted anything on my main Cameron Highlands Destination website. Time to get more info about Cameron Highlands. So tomorrow after I’ve done all my work, I’ll be off to good old CH for some updated info. I’m going alone this time coz my wife is expecting and not so good to come along. Beside, I’ll be going for some jungle trekking and hopefully the whether is good and can get to see the famous Rafflesia flower.

Here’s looking forward for a trip to Cameron Highlands!
Cheers!

Malaysia Holidays School Term Break

Watch out! The Malaysia holidays school term break will start from 13th March to 21st March. And for a double whammy, the Singapore holidays school term semester break also falls on the same date. As you know, Malaysians and Singaporean simply loves to go Cameron Highlands for a getaway vacation. Because it is cool, a chance to get away from the blistering dry spell and hot weather lately, so a good cool weather in Cameron Highlands is just the antidote for hot humid weather Malaysia.

But the double school term break will lead to the infamous traffic jam in Cameron Highlands. Already I see many comments in my Facebook fan page with the denizens of Cameron Highlands bracing for traffic crunch and welcome all to all holidays makers to Cameron Highlands for some traffic mayhem!

So plan your holiday getaway carefully and see if you can avoid the weekends and aim for the middle of week. That means taking your precious annual leave from work to have a holiday together with your beloved family.

And if you don't want to join the maddening crowd, then head out elsewhere. Don't know where to go? Try the MATTA Fair 2010 in PWTC Kuala Lumpur starting from 12-14 March, 10am - 9pm. And if you still can't find where you want to go, then Cameron Highlands beckons you!

Happy holidays!
Cheers!

Cameron Highlands Current Weather

This hot weather in Malaysia is getting unbearable. Wish I got a chance to head out to the hills. Of course no choice gotta work to pay bills and save for the future. Recently the newspaper highlighted the hot weather situation in Malaysia. A quick check with the Meteorological website and found out that the day time Cameron Highlands weather temperature is about 25°C.

However that is based on the weather instrument and if I remember my geography physical lessons, the thermometer is placed in a little shed. So that's probably the temperature of Cameron Highlands in a shed. If there is a hot sun shining, I think the temperature would be much higher.

The Petaling Jaya, Selangor temperature is about 32° C and Singapore is going on healthy roast of about 35°C! Still not as hot as the northern states of Malaysia with Alor Setar and Chuping measuring a scalding 37°C!

Wish it would rain more and help cool down the hot weather spell recently. Doing just about anything would result in heavy sweat! Sometimes just sitting around in the house would area produce sweat in my forehead and my shirt would be drench even from doing nothing!

Related post:
Cameron Highlands Weather
Hot Weather Malaysia
Malaysian Weather

MATTA Fair 2010

There will be a MATTA travel fair from 12th-14th March 2010 at the PWTC Kuala Lumpur. Perhaps for those who are looking for some special cuti-cuti Malaysia travel holiday packages, you might want to check it out and see if you can find anything for Cameron Highlands.

In previous MATTA Fair I did come across some promotion for hotels like Lakehouse Cameron Highlands. Perhaps they might have something for YTL Cameron Highlands Resort too! These are very posh-posh high class hotel resort accommodation that I still haven't got a chance to give it try coz it is so expensive to stay per night. Perhaps during the MATTA there might be some special discount, who knows.

The last time I was at Lakehouse Cameron Highlands they have a 3D/2N package going for RM1200. Not sure whether they will have better pricing if at all having a booth in MATTA Fair, but a cheaper package would be nice.

Otherwise you could browse around and see if there any other packages for other Malaysian highlands like Berjaya Hill Colmar Tropical packages or Genting Highlands packages.

You never know till you brave the crowds in PWTC and see if you can hunt down some interesting bargain.

What? -- MATTA Fair 2010
Where? -- PWTC Kuala Lumpur
When? -- 12th(Fri)-14th (Sun) March 2010

Cheers!

Sam Po Kong Temple in Brinchang

I haven't got a chance to blog about Sam Poh Kong Temple or the other places of worship although it was in the back of my mind for some time. One reader asked me where is the Buddhist temple in Cameron Highlands. There are many Buddhist temples around Cameron Highlands. Somehow Sam Poh Kong is the most popular and it is usually featured in the commercial Cameron Highlands map.

Anyway, how to go to Sam Poh Kong temple in Brinchang. From the direction of Tanah Rata heading to Brinchang. When arriving Brinchang, on the right there is the Hindu temple, and between the Hindu temple and Iris Hotel there is a road, turn right and enter it. The road is kinda narrow and passes by several more accommodations, hotels and living quarters. Just follow along it and you could arrive at the Sam Poh Kong temple.

Cheers!

Century Pines Hotel Tanah Rata

My brother-in-law finally checked in Century Pine Hotel in Tanah Rata. Now he is very particular about service, after all, he is also in the service industry. The Century Pines Hotel service leaves much to be desired. Apparently during this peak period they are rather short handed I suppose. Still so far I have heard many complaints about most of the hotel service in Cameron Highlands. I guess you just can't expect the service level of this hillside resort to be comparable with those hotels in Kuala Lumpur. Century Pines Resort hotel is considered to be about 3 to 4 stars. My wife quipped that if you really want good service go stay in YTL Cameron Highlands Resort. Haha! That would really burn a hole in your wallet! If you really want good service level you could try Lakehouse Cameron Highlands but that too is not cheap! Even if it is the expensive hotels I have seen people complaining about their service levels too.

Century Pines Hotel vs Heritage Hotel

The other day my brother asked, "Century Pines Hotel vs Heritage Hotel, which one better?"

My brother was trying to find a hotel in Tanah Rata and was deciding on one of the star rated hotels in Cameon Highlands. Heritage Hotel has been long established while Century Pines Hotel was refurbished. After staying in each hotel I liked Century Pines Hotel. I think in terms of star rating Heritage got 5 star while Century Pines Hotel got 4 star. I don't how the star rating system works or how they evaluate whether this hotel should be this many stars or that many stars. But when you stay there you like it then I should say the hotel in Cameron Highlands that you stayed is good.

So Century Pines Hotel vs Heritage Hotel which one is better?

I liked Century Pines Hotel especially its ground floor unit that opens up the garden. Good for children to run around and something green for the eyes to see. On top of that easy access to Tanah Rata main road where the main shops and restaurants are located. Ya lor, lazy to walk ma.

And of course if you are feeling less lazy, the Parit trail is just next to it by the river. Got Feng Shui, you got hills, you water, you got land, umm but I'm no Feng Shui master so probably don't know what I'm talking about.

As for Heritage Hotel which shares the compound with Greenhill Apartments, maybe they do too much development and so have less greenery around Heritage Hotel. However some of the rooms have very good view of Cameron Highlands surrounding.

The thing about carpeted rooms, they need to clean it often otherwise it will smell of mildew. So if you don't have blocked nose, you will smell it clearly. While the garden room of Century Pines Hotel they use tiles. Tiles may be easier to clean and no mildew smell problem but they are very cold for the feet if you don't wear your slippers or shoes while walking around the room. Malaysian style of walking around rooms is usually barefooted, so a cold tile is no fun, while the carpeted floor of Heritage Hotel would be nicer.

So in the end which of the above hotel in Tanah Rata town is better? Your choice. For me I would prefer Century Pines Hotel, but Heritage Hotel is also ok-lah!

Cameron Highlands is to relax

"So how far is it from KL to Cameron Highlands?" my boss asked.

"About three hours by car and an additional one hour or two by bus." I replied.

"What is there to do and see there?"

"Well, there is the tea plantation, vegetable farms and markets, countryside views."

After thinking awhile, he thought the time and effort to go over to Cameron Highlands may not be worth the effort. He was planning a trip to Cameron Highlands for the long holiday break during Chinese New Year.

But that's the whole point of gong to Cameron Highlands -- to relax, and enjoy the greenery especially that of the tea plantation and to take up simple activities while enjoying the cool weather. Of course for a more outgoing outdoor adventure activities, you could go for jungle trekking.

But I guess each person is entitled to their own viewpoints. Some people prefer going to Malaysia islands or beaches for their relaxing vacation getaways where they can feel and smell the salty sea breeze blowing by and the hot sun on their back and face (and getting sunburned in the process). And of course, having lived in the hot humid climate of Malaysia, heading to the Malaysia highlands to have some natural cool climate instead of the artificially created air-conditioned environment is a welcome change indeed.

To each his own paradise retreat. So your choice -- to Malaysia islands and beaches or to Malaysia highlands like Cameron Highlands?

Chinese New Year is just around the corner and vacation places do get pretty packed especially from 3rd day of CNY onwards when we Chinese after having visited all the family, relatives and friends it is time for some family outing! So choose your vacation travel destination and book your hotel and accommodation early to avoid disappointment!

Cheers!