The tea hills
Rippling green rows as far as the eye can see.
Pro QueeNia — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Pro QueeNia — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Pro QueeNia — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada — CC BY-SA 2.0
Whole hills covered in rippling rows of clipped green tea bushes, running as far as the eye can see, in the scene that has become the emblem of the Cameron Highlands. This is the estate of BOH, Malaysia's best-known tea brand, which planted its first bushes in the highlands in the 1930s, and some of its machinery from that era is still working today. At the heart of the estate is a visitor centre with a cafe built on the edge of the hill and a glass terrace hanging over the valley, where you drink tea with cake and the green view in front of you. The centre has a small exhibition on how the leaf becomes tea, you can watch part of the factory at work, and there is a shop for the company's products. Entry is free; you pay only for what you drink and buy. The centre opens Tuesday to Sunday from half past eight to half past four, and is closed on Mondays unless they fall in school or public holidays. The road to it is narrow and winding through the estates and gets crowded at weekends. Go in the morning, when the light is best and the terrace quieter, since in summer and in Gulf holidays visitors queue for a seat. Walking the paths between the bushes for photographs is a pleasure in itself.
Rippling green rows as far as the eye can see.
A cafe with a glass terrace over the valley.
Some factory machines from that era still at work.
Sungei Palas, Brinchang, Cameron Highlands
BOH has the finer view and the famous terrace, but it is further off the main road and closed on Mondays. Cameron Valley is on the main road, open daily and easier for a quick stop. With time to spare, choose BOH.
