Cameron Highlands tea estates: a visitor's guide

The rolling green tea estates are the reason many people visit the Cameron Highlands. Tea has been grown on these hills since the colonial era, and today you can walk among the bushes, see how tea is made, and drink it on a terrace with one of the best views in Malaysia.

The main estates to visit

BOH Sungai Palas

BOH is Malaysia’s best-known tea brand, founded in the Cameron Highlands in 1929. Its Sungai Palas tea centre, on the road up towards Gunung Brinchang, is the most popular stop: a café terrace cantilevered out over the valley, a small gallery about tea, and a view of the factory. The road up is narrow and winding, and it gets busy, so go early.

Cameron Bharat

Cameron Bharat’s plantations line the main road between Ringlet and Tanah Rata, so they’re easy to reach even without a tour. There’s a tea house by the road with terraces overlooking the slopes. It’s good for a quick stop on your way in or out.

Other estates

BOH has other estates in the highlands, and there are smaller tea houses dotted along the roads. Ask at your accommodation which are open to visitors at the moment.

How tea is made

On a factory visit or tour you’ll see some or all of these steps:

1. Plucking: The top leaves and buds are harvested, often by hand or with shears.
2. Withering: Leaves are spread out and air is blown through them to make them soft and pliable.
3. Rolling or cutting: Leaves are rolled or cut to break them open and release their juices.
4. Oxidation: The leaves react with the air and turn from green to copper brown. This step makes black tea.
5. Drying: Hot air stops the oxidation and dries the leaves.
6. Sorting: The tea is graded by size, from whole leaves to fine particles for tea bags.

Most Cameron Highlands tea is black tea, but you’ll also find green tea and flavoured blends in the shops.

Tips for visiting

• Go in the morning. You’ll get the best light, cooler air, and fewer crowds before the tour buses arrive.
• Check opening days. Tea centres and factories often close one day a week, and factory production doesn’t run every day. Check before you go.
• Walk carefully. The paths between the tea bushes are steep and slippery after rain. Wear proper shoes.
• Respect the workers. Many estate workers live on site. Ask before taking close-up photos.
• Buy tea at the source. Estate shops have varieties you won’t easily find elsewhere, and they make good gifts.

Getting there

A car, Grab or a half-day tour from Tanah Rata or Brinchang is the easiest way to visit. Tours often combine the tea estates with the Mossy Forest, strawberry farms and markets.

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Want another hill station? See Fraser’s Hill.