National Science Centre, Kuala Lumpur

The National Science Centre, or Pusat Sains Negara in Malay, was opened in 1996 with the goal to promote and excite visitors, especially school-children with learning about Science and Technology.

 

This is generally done with the use of interactive exhibits and fun programmes and activities.

 

 

There are various exhibition halls with different themes and exhibits.

 

 

There is even an overhead aquarium tank with 32 different species of freshwater fish swimming around.

 

 

 

Other exhibition halls include Wonderspark, Pathway to Science and Eureka. In the gardens outside, there is a small zoo and butterfly enclosure and an outdoor water park for children to plunge in.

 

 

There are usually some special exhibitions also on at various times of the year.

 

All in all, it can be an interesting time for kids to spend half-a-day at. It must be noted that the Science Centre is showing signs of its age, and some of the exhibits are under repair or not working.

 



 

The Lakehouse, Pahang

Named after the British Surveyor Sir William Cameron who mapped out the region in 1885, the Cameron Highlands cooler climate made it a welcome retreat for homesick colonialists from the hot and humid climate of the lowlands of British Malaya. By 1931, the road up to the highlands was completed, and bungalows and cottages were built, many in a mock Tudor style to remind the expatriates of their faraway homeland.

 

Foster's Lakehouse by comparison, was a much later development, a residence constructed in the late sixties. Located in Habu, between the townships of Ringlet and Tanah Rate, the Lakehouse was and still is a charming mock Tudor building located on a commanding hilltop overlooking the Sultan Abu Bakar lake.

 

The late Colonel Stanley Jack Foster, a retired British Army Officer, was the original builder and owner of The Lakehouse in 1966. The construction of the building took four years and in 1970, the property started its operations as a boutique hotel.

Between 1970 and 1977, Colonel Foster was running both The Lakehouse and The Smokehouse in Tanah Rata. In 1977, he sold The Smokehouse to a local businessman but continued to manage The Lakehouse till his demise in December 1984. As the colonel's grown up children were not interested in running a hotel, The Lakehouse was then put on sale and in 1989, HPL Hotels & Resorts took over the property and has been managing it since then.

 

Over recent years, Cameron Highlands has been increasingly over-developed for mass tourism and agriculture, with many large and uninteresting hotels blotting the countryside as well as an over abundance of vegetable farms with their visually unappealing sheds and shacks all over the hillsides.

 

Therefore places like the Lakehouse fulfil a need, providing a smaller and more intimate scale of accommodation, a connection to the past as well as preserving a slice of England in tropical Malaysia.

 

 

 

Even if you do not chose to stay at the Lakehouse, dropping by for an Afternoon Tea is a great way to experience and appreciate this quaint little building and just for a moment, imagine yourself as being not in Malaysia but somewhere in England.

 

 

 

 

 

For the quintessential feel of old Cameron's, a visit to the Lakehouse is recommended.

The Lakehouse, Cameron Highlands

Address:  30th Mile, Ringlet, 39200 Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia 

Tel: +605 495 6152  

Fax: +605 495 6213 



Boh Tea Garden, Pahang

BOH is today Malaysia's biggest tea producer. Its story begins when its founder, the then 7 year old J.A.Russell arrived in Malaya with his father. 

Beginning his career in the Straits Trading Company, he eventually became a businessman in his own right, with interests in mining, rubber and construction.

But it was his business venture in 1929 that has left an indelible mark on the country. J.A. saw the potential of tea as an important crop for Malaya which until that time had been substantially dependent upon rubber and tin.

Equipped with a single steamroller, some labourers and several mules, J.A. proceeded to transform steep virgin jungle slopes into the tea garden we now know as the Boh Tea Garden, in the Cameron Highlands.

From these small beginnings, BOH Plantations was born. Today, besides Bukit Cheeding in Selangor, BOH has three tea estates in the Cameron Highlands, Boh Tea Garden, Fairlie and Sungai Palas.

Most visitors to Cameron's would visit the more popular Sungai Palas tea estate which has a modern Visitor's Centre; but the Boh Tea Garden which is the original tea estate can also be visited.

Located in Habu, which is a small township between Ringlet and Tanah Rata, getting there is straight-forward, especially if you are coming up to the Highlands from Tapah. After passing by the Lakehouse and crossing the bridge over the lake, you will come to an intersection to the right. Take this turn to the right (which is sign-posted with the BOH sign) and follow the road to the end. Initially you will pass by some vegetable farms before you come to the sentry post to enter the BOH Tea Garden.

First view of the BOH Tea Garden plantation

The road up is narrow and winding, which is part of the overall experience! At parts, only one car may pass, so be sure to sound your horn at blind corners.

Eventually you will come to the top of the hill where you may park your car and have a cup of tea at the ummph! Tea Shop.

The Tea Shop

If you are up to it, you may also trek up to viewpoint at the top of the hill behind the tea factory.

The sign says it all.

This sign says even more.

The trek up won't take long, but may be a bit strenuous if you are seriously unfit. But if I could do it, most people should be able to trek up the steep slope.

A telecommunications tower stands at the top of the hill.

From the top of the hill, the view to the surrounding valleys on both sides is spectacular, with tea plantations on both sides.

At the top of the hill is this lone solitary tree growing on the rocks.

View of the tea factory down below.

Tea plantations all around the viewpoint.

View towards the Fairlie estate.

View towards Habu.

The spectacular views are a reward well worth trekking up the hill for!