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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.

Nestling the borders of Pahang and Perak provinces are the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia's most popular hill station destination. It is actually an area of tremendous natural beauty, encompassing tea farms, vegetable fields, flower gardens and challenging hiking trails with rushing waterfalls. It also finds tremendous favor with many budget travelers because of its cool climate which is in stark contrast to the hot, humid weather in most parts of the region.

Because of its cool climate, many different crops can be grown in the area that could not be ordinarily harvested in the country. These include carrots, cabbages, strawberries, chili, durian, tea and even many types of fresh flowers. Flowers, in particular, are a main attraction for Malaysians and prior to many festivals including the Hindu Deepavali, many come here to buy flowers and then resell them in KL. Malaysia also produces a fair amount of renowned teas, all of which come from this area. This provides tourists a rare opportunity to see the plantations and witness the actual picking and processing. The tea plantations also provide an awe-inspiring view as you go up the hill.

Furthermore, the Cameron area is heavily populated by indigenous peoples (Orang Asli) so it's a rare opportunity to actually see how these people live. Quite a number do live on the sides of the road, many selling cassava, flowers, durians & etc.....

With Cameron Highlands' varied natural landscape, visitors often find themselves here for several days, using their time as an opportunity to wind down and relax, swap travel stories in the homely guesthouses and do some light trekking. At the same time, because of the steep climb and mountainous terrain, the ride to and from the area is one of the great thrill rides in all of Peninsular Malaysia.