The Beauty of Malaysia

Attractions of Cameron Highlands ;Tea Plantations

TEA PLANTATIONS

No trip to Cameron Highlands is complete without a trip to the tea plantations. This is one of the main attraction that's got to be in your "must see" list. You can visit the factories to learn about the tea making process and you can also sit down and enjoy a cup of tea at the cafe. The view overlooking the plantations is beautiful and perfect for the picture album.

The 3 most famous tea plantations are :

Boh Tea Plantation
Sungai Palas Tea Plantation
Cameron Valley Tea Plantation

BOH TEA PLANTATION

BOH Plantations Sdn Bhd is the leading tea grower in Malaysia with four tea gardens – Boh, Sungei Palas and Fairlie situated in Cameron Highlands; and Bukit Cheeding in Selangor – constituting a total land area of 1200 hectares. With a production capacity approaching 3000kgs per hectare, the Company produces 4 million kgs of tea annually which translates to about 5.5 million cups per day. This represents about 70% of all tea produced in Malaysia.

BOH dominates the domestic retail market. While maintaining its market position locally, the Company is also expanding into foreign niche markets. Today BOH exports its brand of prime grade teas to various countries including the USA, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Singapore and Brunei. The Company is one of the few vertically-integrated tea companies in the world. It has operations ranging the entire spectrum of tea manufacture - from cultivation and processing to the packaging and marketing of its wide range of locally grown robust black teas.

BOH’s operations are mechanised while application of fertilisers is carried out aerially and harvesting is done by hand-held machines or raised tractor harvesters. Each of BOH’s tea gardens has its own processing facility and the Fairlie tea garden utilises some of the most modern machines in the world. BOH also packs all its tea at its packing facility in Bukit Cheeding. In keeping with its commitment to quality, BOH conducts long-term research and development to ensure that only the best tea clones are cultivated. In-house tea quality teams are at hand to ensure that strict quality requirements are met at every level of processing.

BOH believes in playing an active role in the community and is keen supporter of the local performing arts scene. The Company is also an advocate for animal and environmental conservation.BOH has won numerous awards. The Company’s packing facility in Bukit Cheeding received the ISO 9002 certification and the Company was awarded Superbrand status three consecutive years in a row. BOH also emerged as winner of the Superbrand Excellence Trophy award in Food & Beverage category in 2004. As an acknowledgement of its excellent brand identity, BOH received the National Creativity & Innovation Award from Malaysia Design Technology Centre.

Today, BOH is the Number One brand of tea in Malaysia. Yet, the Company is not one to rest on its laurels. BOH keeps abreast of its evolving consumer demographic and industry trends while continuing to produce distinctive teas for both domestic and international customers.

STORY OF BOH

In 1929, a man named J.A Russell obtained a tract of freehold land 5000ft above sea level and transformed it into the first highland tea garden in Malaysia. He named it Boh. So begins the history of BOH Plantations.

Today, BOH is a vertically-integrated tea company, one of only a few in the world which plants, processes, packs and markets its own premium brands.

BOH Plantations owns four tea gardens with a total planted area of 1,200 hectares: Boh, Fairlie and Sungei Palas in Cameron Highlands, and Bukit Cheeding in the lowlands. Together, they produce 4 million kgs of tea annually. This is equal to 5.5 millions cups a day!

TEA IN THE CAMERON HIGHLANDS

Tea is very much like wine: its final character is largely influenced by the conditions in which it is grown. Hence, with its high altitude, low temperatures and slightly acidic soil, Cameron Highlands is the ideal environment for growing superb teas of distinctive

flavour and aroma.

Only the most tender leaves are picked every morning at BOH’s tea gardens. These are immediately transported to the tea factories to be processed for the flavour and aroma unique only to BOH.

MAKING TEA

Behind every great cup of BOH tea is meticulous attention to the quality of the leaf and its processing.

Plucking

Two years after planting, the leaf is ready for plucking, which takes place every three weeks. After plucking, the leaf is checked for quality and weighed. It is then transported to the factory where it goes through five main processing stages. Each stage is vital to bring out the distinctive fragrance and aroma of our teas.

Withering

The green leaf is first withered to reduce its moisture and to allow natural chemical reactions to take place. This process takes between 12 – 20 hours and is usually done overnight.

Rolling

The withered leaf is rolled to crush the leaf cells and process it into smaller articles. BOH uses three types of machines for rolling: rotovanes, rollers and CTC (Cut, Tear, Curl) machines.

Fermentation

Fermentation, or oxidation, is a natural chemical process and takes place as the rolled leaf cells are exposed to oxygen. This process is essential for the leaf to develop the right flavour, colour and aroma. Thus, timing and temperature have to be carefully controlled. The leaf emerges coppery in colour

Drying

Drying stops the fermentation process and reduces the moisture in the leaf to 3%.

This is done by passing hot air heated to almost 120°C through the leaf and is complete in 10 minutes. The tea leaf emerges as the amiliar crisp, black, curled form and is known as ‘made tea’.

Sorting

The ‘made tea’ is put through a series of vibrating sieves to sort it according to size.

Tea Tasting

Tea tasting is an intrinsic and vital part of the tea making process. Some of the things a tea taster

examines for are colour, brightness and aroma. Tea tasting is a unique art and requires years of training and experience.

Storage

The tea is stored in dry conditions to mature and mellow before packing. BOH is careful that the tea is not exposed to moisture in the air, which can affect its quality.

SUNGAI PALAS TEA ESTATE

This is another tea plantation owned by Boh and it is located further up north from the mail plantation. A definite must on the list of things to do in Cameron Highlands is a visit to the new Sungei Palas Tea Centre. Recently opened by BOH Plantations at the Sungei Palas tea garden, it is just above Brinchang, in the very heart of the Cameron Highlands tea country.

Located on a hilltop, amidst rows of tea bushes and close to Gunung Brinchang, it offers the best possible introduction to Malaysian teas in a truly spectacular setting.

CAMERON VALLEY TEA PLANTATION

Located along the main road from Ringlet to Tanah Rata this is a good spot where you can stop and enjoy a scenic view of a tea plantation. There is ample parking here along the road andthere is also a small tea shoy where you can enjoy a cuppa. This is also a great spot for taking photos.

Getting to Cameron Highlands

The only way to get to Cameron Highlands is by road. Until a few years back, you could only get to Cameron Highlands from the south via Tapah but since the opening of the Simpang Pulai road, travelling to the highlands has become much more easier. You can also get here from the east coast via Gua Musang in Kelantan and there is also a new road being build from Kuala Lipis which should be completed mid 2011.

Self drive

From the South via Tapah (Old Road)

Cameron Highlands is about 300kms from Kuala Lumpur and it takes about 3 hours to get here via the North-South Expressway (NSE). If you are driving from Kuala Lumpur, find your way to the NSE by following the signs to Ipoh. Once you're on the expressway, keep on driving north for about 1.5 hours until you reach Tapah.Take Exit 132 and you will be at the Tapah toll booth. Once you have paid the toll, turn left at the traffic lights and from here onwards you will be on the long winding road to Cameron Highlands which is about 60 km's away.

If you're driving from the north just take Exit 132 at Tapah and follow the same direction. It takes an average of 1.5 hours to reach Tanah Rata from Tapah. Please note that there is no petrol station this point forward until you reach Ringlet so if you need to fill up, you'll have to head to Tapah town.

Driving tips :)

If you are driving from the south, this route would be longer if your destination is Tanah Rata or Brinchang.
Driving up this road is a pleasant experience as it gives you some great views of mountains.
Since the roads are less winding, people tend to speed here but watch out for the sharp bends at some stretches.
There is limited mobile coverage along this road.

Cameron Highlands History

Cameron Highlands was named after William Cameron, a British government surveyor who stumbled across a plateau in 1885 during a mapping expedition on the Titiwangsa Range. Failing to mark his discovery on the map, the location of the plateau was a finally confirmed by subsequent expeditions after which Sir Hugh Low suggested that this would be an ideal location for a retreat and farmland. A narrow path to the highlands was then cut through the dense jungles of the highlands.

Nothing much happened after that until 1925 when Sir George Maxwell visited the highlands and decided to develop it as a hill station. A development committee was then formed which functioned until 1931. Cameron Highlands was a haven for the British who were station in Malaya as it provided relief from the hot and humid tropical climate of the lowlands.

Once the road was constructed, wealthy residents and British government officials started building retreats on the slopes of the highlands. Later some settled here permanently and a business community developed. Farming was the main activity here at that time. In 1929, John Archibald Russell, who was the son of a British administrative officer started a tea plantation which is now the famous Boh Tea Plantation.

The highlands developed successfully until the outbreak of World War II where the Japanese invasion in 1941 forced the British troops and civilians out of the highlands. The Japanese continued to administer the area since they saw the highlands farms as a vital food source for their troops. When the Japanese troops retreated from Malaya in 1945 the British gradually returned to the highlands until the independence of Malaya from the British in 1957.

First place: Introduction of Cameron Highland

Cameron Highlands is the smallest district in the state of Pahang which is located in the north-western corner of the state. One of the wonders of Malaysia, it is the largest and most famous hill resort in the country. This highland paradise still retains much of the charm of an English village.

Being a primarily agricultural domain, you will find an abundance of vegetables and fruits farms here. Cameron Highlands is also the leading producer of flowers and tea in Malaysia. Be prepared for a lovely sight of extraordinary flowers you won’t see flourishing elsewhere in Malaysia! Located on the Titiwangsa Range at about 1500 metres above sea-level, the temperature here can drop to 16 ˚C or lower at certain times.

Cameron Highlands is made up of 4 main townships followed by smaller settlements at different elevations. The first town from the south is Ringlet, followed by Tanah Rata, Brinchang, Kea Farm, Tringkap, Kuala Terla and Kampung Raja.

Ringlet

If you're driving via the old road from Tapah, this is the first town you will reach. Located at an elevation of 1,200 metres above sea-level, Ringlet is one of the main agricultural hub for the highlands. Bertam Valley which is located about 5km away is one of the main flower and vegetable producers in Cameron highlands. You wont find any hotels here in Ringlet. The nearest hotel is the LakeHouse which is less then 10 minutes away. This is also the place to fill up on fuel if you're low on supply.

Tanah Rata

Further up is Tanah Rata which is about 12 km’s (20 minutes drive) from Ringlet. This is the administrative capital of Cameron Highlands where the government offices, hospital and the district police station is located. The main bus station is also located here and this is where you would be able to get your transportation needs within and out of the highlands sorted out. Most of the chalets and backpacker's accommodation is located here in and around Tanah Rata, Almost all the jungle trekking and waterfall trails starts from here.

Local tours and transfers out of Cameron Highlands can be obtained from the various tour operators in town. Money changers and internet cafe's can also be found here. Tanah Rata would be a nice place to enjoy the highlands, especially during the weekdays. It is much more quieter compared to Brinchang where most of the big hotels and restaurants are located.

Brinchang

Next is Brinchang which is about 4 km’s (10 minutes drive) from Tanah Rata. This is where you will find most of the hotels and restaurants. The night market which is open every Saturday night and on holidays, features all kinds of vegetables, flowers, fruits and other products of the highlands. This place can get really crowded during the weekends and holiday season. Traffic jams and parking problems can be a nightmare during this time. Next to Ringlet, this is the only other town with petrol stations so keep your fuel tank in check.

Kea Farm, Tringkap, Kuala Terla & Kampung Raja

Beyond Brinchang, the road leads to all the way to Blue Valley. Most of the tourist spots are located around this route. This is where you will find the markets, vegetable farms, flower gardens, bee gardens and butterfly gardens. The road also branches out to the Sungai Palas tea plantation from here where you can visit the factory or have a cup of tea while enjoying the breathtaking view of the plantation.

If you continue on the main road heading north, it will be downhill from Kea Farm onwards. You will see vegetables farms all the way from here to Tringkap and beyond. Tringkap is a small farming community where you can find stalls along the road selling local produce. Fifteen minutes away is Kuala Terla, another small farming community. Kampung Raja is the last town on the map. Since the opening of the Simpang Pulai road, this town has become the gateway to the highlands from the north. From here, you can head west to Ipoh or east to Gua Musang in Kelantan.

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