Cool Cameron Highlands

Any apparent glorification of colonialism stirs strong emotions in Europe. Malaysia, however, has experienced colonialism firsthand: the Portuguese arrived in 1511, followed by the Dutch, and from the end of the 18th century until the 1950s, the British, who were temporarily displaced by the Japanese from 1942 to 1945. Nevertheless, Malaysia has a less troubled relationship with its colonial history than we do.

Certain cities like George Town or Butterworth and many streets have retained their British names. This also applies to a popular travel destination for Malaysians, which I reached by coach on January 29, 2025, about 100 km from Ipoh. It is named after the British geologist, war reporter, and banker William Cameron (1833-1886), who explored the area.

The winding drive into the mountains was supposed to take two hours, but it took twice as long as we encountered a traffic jam just before arriving at the Highlands and their holiday resorts. It turned out that tens of thousands of Malaysians were using the Chinese holidays to head up from the humid, hot cities to the cooler mountains.

More than 70 percent of the Cameron Highlands are covered in rainforest, including the region's highest mountain, the 2030-meter tall Gunung Brinchang. On an educational trail at the summit, we explore the flora and catch glimpses of the valleys in between. These are partially laid out in a light green grid: The Scot John Archibald Russell established Malaysia's first tea plantation here starting in 1929. Today, Caroline Russell, Archibald's granddaughter, runs the company. In a visitor center, we learn all about the cultivation and history of tea. Additionally, we let our eyes wander over the harmonious synthesis of nature and culture created by tea cultivation.

Father's Guesthouse

In Cameron Highlands, I checked into “Father’s Guesthouse,” a pleasant and affordable accommodation just a few minutes' walk from the center of the main town, Tanah Rata. A picture of the French priest Nicolas Barré (1621-1686) adorns the reception desk, and it dawns on me: “Father’s Guesthouse” is a Catholic institution.

Barré promoted the education of poor children, especially girls. In 1662, he founded the institute “Sisters of the Child Jesus,” which today provides education in 18 countries, including in Malaysia in Cameron Highlands. So, it’s quite Catholic in the guesthouse, I ask a receptionist. “Not at all,” she laughs. “I myself believe in nothing. My colleague is Muslim. And at our school, girls and boys are taught together” — which is not a given in conservative Malaysia.