We made an excursion to Fraser’s Hill, located on the Titiwangsa Range at the border between the states of Selangor and Pahang. The drive to the destination took exactly 3 hours. The last stretch was an hour of puke-inducing dizzy drive on a long winding narrow road. We rented a spacious bungalow in a secluded area from the same Airbnb owner that rented us a place when we stayed in Bentong a year ago.
My sister and I remember visiting this place when we were kids and interestingly enough, we shared the same vivid memory of our dad having a sleepless night in Fraser’s Hill because he thought he saw a ghost in a hotel. Through the gap underneath the door, he noticed some shadow outside the room but discovered no one at the hallway when he opened the door. Besides this funny memory, none of us had any recollection about this place.
Fraser’s Hill, named after a Scotsman who set up a tin-ore trading post in the 1890s, is one of the few cool climate destinations in Malaysia. The town center is surrounded by Tudor-style buildings. Not much has changed here since the state government ruled out further development almost a decade ago to preserve the pristine forest.
What strikes me the most is how small and secluded the area is. At the same time, the surrounding atmosphere was tranquil and relaxing. There are a few dated attractions where we visited a paddock, an archery range, a big fish pond, and hiked one of the trails. Every morning, we relaxed at the patio listening to the chirping birds and the howlings from a troop of monkeys echoing loudly in the forest. Due to the monsoon season, it rained frequently in the afternoon. We hung out in the house playing cards, reading books, watching TV and napping to past our time while enjoying the cool breeze.
