Travel advice for Ipoh

Hi,

I’m planning a trip at the end of October/beginning of November to meet up with friends in Penang. My itinerary includes 2 days in Singapore, 2 days in Kuala Lumpur, 2 nights in Malacca, 2 days in Penang, and 4 days in Bali. Originally, I had planned a side trip from Ipoh (1 night) to pass through Cameron Highlands and especially to see Mossy Forest. But I just realized it’s not Taman Negara. So now I’m not sure if I should just cancel this excursion or still go to Mossy Forest. Is Ipoh worth it, Cameron Highlands (knowing I’ve already visited tea plantations in Sri Lanka), and the primary forest? Thanks for your help

Hi, I’ve traveled to Malaysia several times but haven’t visited the Cameron Highlands yet. So I can’t really say much about them. However, Taman Negara is totally different—it’s deep, humid jungle, and if you can get a guide, that’s a good idea. You can stay there for several days in the jungle. So it’s up to you—maybe the Cameron Highlands can be done in a day... If you’ve already visited tea plantations, you might want to skip the Cameron Highlands.

Thanks so much for your reply. You're right—I think I'll skip Cameron Highlands since it's not new to me. The jungle is tempting, but I have a *tiny* (very big) fear of little critters like spiders. I imagine sleeping there could be risky? If you've done it, where did you stay? Otherwise, I might skip that part entirely and spend more time in Penang or Bali instead. Thanks!

hi there, if you're phobic about critters, then don't go unless it's just for a boat trip. Because if you walk on the trails, it's full of voracious leeches. There are guesthouses at the park entrance, otherwise you can rent a tent (check first) at the entrance. Otherwise, where did I sleep? Right in the jungle next to the Gua Kepayang caves—tiny insects totally devoured the floor of my tent, ha ha

oops! Good thing I asked. I’ll pass on this one—it’d ruin my vacation. Thanks for your honesty. 🙂

Taman Negara is a real green hell. So it's better to head to the Cameron Highlands instead