That stretch is really a bore ! Sometimes when you see those 4WDs from Cameron speeding down, it really boils you up. You just cannot resist hitting the accelerator. I mean the road is so open and last stretches with concrete dividers and downhill. Sometimes patrol car hides among the shrubs there and at times the traffic policeman hides atop some of the slopes with their radar guns. 80kmh or 90kmh is OK but 50kmh really kills your patience !

Update from Cameron Highlands on the Sg Koyan-Ringlet new highway:

About 9km remains uncompleted, at the Bertam Valley end of the highway; a mix of partially paved and completely unpaved (red earth, sometimes muddy, with deep ruts). The security guards there now say that the construction site is now closed to all traffic without permits (no idea where to get a permit, but I presume from the construction company), or unless you have construction site related business. I managed to get through because there were a bunch of SUVs and cars that came up around the same time, and I think the security guard took pity on us and didn't want to send us back.

Some parts of the red earth section have quite deep muddy ruts and one of the Wiras managed to snag a big branch under the exhaust. Generally the sedans got through ok, but I think they probably scraped the bottom on some of the deeper ruts. There were occasional traffic jams with the construction lorries as some parts of the red earth trail was narrow (also one steep section). SUVs should have no problems crossing this stretch.

From the Pos Betua side to where the construction is, the road is generally very nice (one lane each side) and smooth, with many bends (not as bad as the Tapah-Tanah Rata stretch, more like going up to Genting Sempah from KL, but not as steep). I was cruising around 80-100km/h most of the way. Could have gone faster but was on a relaxed drive.

However, a few km into the highway from Pos Betua, there has been a massive landslide that has blocked the entire highway. To get around, there is a makeshift earth/gravel detour (about 100+ meter long) that goes around the landslide. Sedans should be able to do this detour, although any car that is lowered, may face difficulty. Some other minor parts of the highway had also collapsed but did not impede traffic.

Total time from Sg. Koyan to Ringlet and then to Tanah Rata was around 2 hours, which included 15 mins waiting time for the security guard to let us through at the construction site, and some time for slow traffic at Bertam Valley due to a Thaipusam procession. I think once the highway is fully completed, you can probably do Sg Koyan to Ringlet in an hour, maybe add 15 mins if there's traffic at Bertam Valley.

I will post pictures on Monday when I get back to KL. The hotel PC I am using doesn't have a card reader.

A side note:

KKB-The Gap - nice road in good condition, very windy
The Gap-Raub - almost as good as KKB-The Gap, but narrower; and one 50m stretch was being repaired (red earth, steel planks on bridge).
Raub-Sg Koyan - nice road, with the last 2/3 of it being newly surfaced and smooth. Better than many roads in KL.

All in, it was a nice drive from KL this morning. Only used 1/3 of my fuel tank for this 280km drive (actual distance should be slightly shorter, as I had to take a detour at the Batu Caves area).

Tnx for the interesting update..meaning the 9km unpaved has been left status quou since my last in 2007

Yes right..its about 9 Km to complete...yesterday,I'm drive from Kuala Tahan ( Taman Negara ) > Jerantut > Kuala Lipis > Sungai Koyan > Ringlet..its take 6 hour include lost,refill and makan....today..weather cloudy..just come back from Sungai Palas...BOH..

Some pics of the road condition from Sg Koyan to Ringlet

Sg Koyan to Pos Betau - generally quite good


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Pos Betau to Ringlet:

Landslide near Pos Betau side of the highway, blocked the road completely. Detour around the landslide, around 100-200m in length. Non 4x4 should be able to get through ok, but lowered cars may find it bumpy.


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Pos Betau-Ringlet:

Last 9km of road at the Bertam Valley side still under heavy construction with much of it still red earth, muddy with deep ruts, and filled with construction traffic. Security guard now says road is closed to unauthorised cars (need permit - but I don't know from where; maybe construction company?). We managed to get through after waiting and negotiating for 15mins. I think the security guard took pity on us since there were a bunch of cars and 4x4s that happened to arrive at the same time.

Pic #9 is where we were stopped by the security guard (about halfway through the construction site). From there onwards, the "road" got a lot worse (the muddy deep ruts, etc), but unfortunately, not many pics as my front passenger was not well versed in using my camera and wasn't able to get pics while I was driving through the very bumpy, muddy and deep descent stretches. So the worst parts of the "road" are not shown here.

The Protons got through ok (one managed to snag a tree branch that was stuck underneath the car) by carefully maneuvering the cars but it looked to me that they probably scraped the bottom many times. 4x4s should have no problems just going through the "road". Some of the deep mud parts can cause a car to get stuck, if the driver went through it (4x4 should be ok).

The construction ended right where the Bertam Valley farms and shops started.

This post has been edited by Traveler: Feb 2 2010, 11:57 AM


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all u need is plenty of speed !

Free Wifi Internet Service available

Brinchang

1. Hotel Titiwangsa
2. Hotel Remix

Some Hotelier will charge RM7.00 per hour..minimum..RM40.00 maximum per day...

Quite funny..Hotel De La Ferns have LAN for every room..!!!Haiyaa..nowdays everybody using Wifi...

I had a Garmin GPS, so I didn't get lost . But given the lack of signs at the turning to the Pos Betua road at Sg Koyan, I think it would be very easy to miss the turning and get lost.

Funny that you went to Sungai Palas, I went to the other Boh plantation below Tanah Rata, around the same time as you went to Sg Palas.

I also prefer the Habu Boh plantation rather than Sg Palas. The view on top of the summit much better than Sg Palas...

BTW, traveler, Do you have the exact coordinate of the location of the unpaved road? Thinking of reporting a warning at MFM site.. That road in the maps is 100% paved which is very misleading..& where is the location of Pos Betua? (The coordiante -bcos can't find it in MFM)

This post has been edited by stimix: Feb 4 2010, 11:49 AM

Sorry la, it was my first trip using the GPS (I just got it less than a week earlier), and I was still learning how to use it, so didn't take note of the coordinates. I did however measure the length of the unpaved road using the car's odometer, and it was about 9km in length. The construction ended right at the first farms of Bertam Valley. Not sure if that helps.

Pos Betau - same as above, didn't note down the location, but there is a proper exit from the highway into Pos Betau (not sure if the GPS database has any POI for Pos Betau, as the place has a few buildings - think there was a clinic, not sure - that was visible from the highway. Pos Betau was quite a distance from Sg Koyan. I do notice that Google Maps shows C156 ending midway between Sg Koyan and Ringlet. If I had to guess, I would think Pos Betau is somewhere near that point.

Sorry not very helpful. Still newbie at using this Garmin GPS (and now will remain a newbie, as I have given the GPS to my parents for use in their SUV).

This post has been edited by Traveler: Feb 4 2010, 05:33 PM

went using the tapah road and going back kl use simpang pulai

tapah road condition make everyone inside car dizzy and simpang pulai road is much better and safe =)

http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1322841

okay im planning to go and celebrate my CNY/ vday with my GF this weekend. the thing is i still havent doen any plans yet. so... ive decided to celebrate it in cameron on the 14th.

the plan is.. we both will go to genting from KL central on the 13th around 4 5pm.
1st question is.. are there any genting buses from kl central at that hour? if yes how long will it takes to reach genting?

2nd question is... ive made a reservation in cameron highlands on the 14th so.. are there any way to go from genting -> cameron highlands other than taxi? if taxi.. how much should i prepare for the fare?

3rd question is.. my hotel is IRIS hotel which i believe located in brinchang. and am planning to have a valentines dinner with her there but sadly to say that hotel doesnt provides any candle lite dinner or such. are there any recommended place to have that dinner around brinchang?

help is very much appreciated. thanks guys!

Most romantic place for Valentines dinner near Brinchang would be YTL's Cameron Highlands Resort. They have a nice romantic Japanese restaurant at the back of the hotel, nestled next to the hill, and also another restaurant facing the front that serves western food.

yes CHR is the best place to stay in camerons.

guys...i need help

my department is planning to go for a trip to cameron on May 1 n 2. im in charge for accommodation. so, any suggestion for accommodation in cameron which meet criteria as below:

1st....can accommodate 30 people
2nd...prefer bungalow
3rd...near to cameron attraction places like strawberry park...BOH plantation...pasar malam and etc
4th...near to grocery shops..so that we can buy some stuff

i also need some suggestion for group activities for 2 days and 1 night trip....
is it ok if we do BBQ...or mayb karaoke...please advise...thanks in advance....

BTW, CH attractions all far apart.

There are few bungalows for rent at Puncak Arabella near Tanah Rata Town but 1.5km away from Tanah Rata

Otherwise you can look for apartments at Tmn Royal Lily which is nearer to town

Probably u can google for those areas

I think for 30 pax. it is better to stay lodgings like Strawberry Park. Seems with that crowd you probably travel with a coach, so travelling will not be much of a proble. It will be better if the organiser travel with a mate in a car independantly as it makes organising easier.

As for bungalows in Puncak Arabella, I have forgotten the contact but you can call the grocery shop, Excel Trading in Tanah Rata. No. 05-4911186 ask for Mr.Chong. They supplies most of the frozen food in CH. You can also buy your beef fillets, chicken wings, breast etc. from him for BBQ. For stuffs like these, better to check with locals. Mr.Chong is a nice man and friendly, maybe you can ask for his suggestion and maybe you can get to rent his bungalow.

You can try the below:
http://spmresort.blogspot.com/
http://www.highlandcameron.com/s2w/c_defau...x?seller=100094

I stayed at Arabella Holiday Home in 2009, good for 30 pax with ample parking if you booked the whole bungalow. I prefer to stay in hotels, more privacy for all and it comes with breakfast.

Note the 2 bungalows are in Tanah Rata, near to residential apartments occupied by locals. Lots of mosquitos when I was there, do bring insecticide.