1) Normally I'll choose Thu-Sat, to avoid the crowds.

2) The nearest is about 200-300m (or more?) walking distance away along the main road (the junction to Sg. Palas tea farm, are some stalls selling trinkets, strawberries, flowers, and a farm downhill, on the way towards Kg. Raja.
You've to drive (the other direction) downhill towards Brinchang, and further down to Tanah Rata. That's why I suggest going on Thu-Sat. Easier to find parking on Thu & Fri.

3) Stroller - depends on you, useful in some places. But other places, you've to carry it up and down.
Most restaurants will have baby chairs, generally.

4) Can't help much on this.

2) Bro, walking distance with baby stroller, from Equatorial to Brinchang night market ? I did a google map search on distance, and it is 3.7km along dark road at night, no streetlights

I know it can be done, but . . .

LOL, no worries.

Actually, some people and foreigners do that, of course without small kids or babies.
They do walk from Tanah Rata <-> Brinchang, and all other roads and jungle tracks, etc.

The few times I'm there during non-weekends/holidays, it's easy to find parking within <5 minutes at Brinchang night market.
Sometimes we go there 6pm+ to take dinner first, before walk around, so parking is even much easier.

Hotel : is up to you, but it's the same thing, you still need to park your car at the hotel, right ?

Just laze around and relax. After all, you go there to relax, right ? Or to fill up full with activities ?
There is Starbucks at Tanah Rata, to hang around with hot coffee.
Otherwise, try rent an apartment, more expensive, with balcony, then you can enjoy hot drinks and laze there, bundle up in blankets.

Nov - school holiday. Generally monsoon season, can be rainy days, possible unreported landslide.

Won't jam on the way up, since it's opposite traffic coming down will be heavier.

I think I mention before. Steamboat in cool place is nice, but uphill in Cameron ?
It'll be better to eat more vegetables, but then, people will complain eat vege only ? No seafood ? meat ? Not worth it wor...

Cameron is plantation. All fishballs, processed meat, etc. are brought up from Ipoh/KL/etc.
If expect whole fish (small size) or freshness, I say ... forget it. Eat in KL/Penang is more fresh.
If expect cheap and comparable size, taste and freshness with KL/Penang, I say ... forget it also.
Best is, bring own stuff up, and make in apartment/balcony/garden.

Strawberries are ok.

Define "nice" in your own terminology.
Easy access to shops/food ?
Coolness ?
Environment like european ?

Brinchang + night market maybe nice to some, but others may hate the rush of people, jam, traffic, noise, smoke.

From KL/Penang until Cameron ? Or just at Cameron ? Can ask taxi drivers, but be prepare get chop, as usual.
Else, do own reading, R&D, this thread, etc. and plan for own activity.

My usual way, arrive in Ipoh at 8-9am, breakfast dim sum or old town (the actual one).
10-11am start to leave Ipoh, reach Brinchang/Tanah Rata around 12-1pm to check in.

On the way back, depends on you. If you leave Cameron in late morning, can plan detour for lunch in Ipoh also.
If leaving evening 4pm+ , can plan detour Ipoh, relax, then dinner before proceed straight highway home at night.
Assess based on your own driving skills/fatigue.

Generally no. From lowest to highest:
Ringlet -> Tanah Rata -> Brinchang
If you want highest/coldest, go rent a hut inside Sg. Palas tea farm (the ones high above, inside the hills, not along the main road into the cafe, and not the quarters parking there). Very basic hut type, and very cold, misty in the morning. May not have water heater also have to boil using kettle. Don't expect even 1-star hotel as comparison. But the view, 360 degrees of tea leaves in the early morning + mist + no other big buildings/cars/people ...

This post has been edited by cute_boboi: Oct 11 2012, 11:32 AM

The weather is nothing new. It's been like this since years ago. Not sure I mention in this thread before.

20-30 years ago, you need to wear jacket (even a thin one) in the afternoon. At night, sure super-cold. Face/cheeks is pink/reddish, very nice. Even in afternoon, you blow out breath, got that "smoke".
10-20 years ago, no need wear jacket. Just long sleeve working shirt is fine in afternoon. Night just wear any jacket + blanket. No more pink cheeks.
10 years ago, afternoon wear short-sleeves without jacket is fine. At night sleep with t-shirt only + blanket. Face red due to hot sun & weather + sweating.

My relative working there, is wearing the same clothing as KL people. No jacket.

It's subjective to say safe or not. My advise is don't. Latest, leave Tanah Rata/Brinchang at 5pm. It will be already dark before you reach Tapah/Simpang Pulai.

With current rainy weather, there are a lot of small landslides here and there, and I've mention it won't publish in newspaper as afraid affect tourism. Those who went up in recent 1-2 weeks, can concur my statement or not.

At night, you won't be able to see small landslides and immediate action/panic, may swerve off-road.

My 2 cents.

Most (if not all) apartments are 3 bedrooms. But if don't mind, can bunk in living room. Bring own sleeping bag.
Room no heater. Bathroom got water-heater, but take turn to bath... can be ... 2 hours

But for your huge family, I suggest rent a bungalow. Nice.

My relative used to own a kancil. Drive down & up every weekend, for the past like .... don't know how many years.
Last time use Tapah road, after that use Simpang Pulai.
Carry whole family with kids. Any problem ?

yep... I've posted my comments several pages back also.
It's nothing new, has been happening drastically since 20-30 years ago. Actually land clearing started even much earlier like 40-50 years ago, but people at that time are not that greedy, just small portion and not so big impact.

What will come in future?
- temperature getting higher
- more unpublished landslides
- ecology problem
- bla bla bla ...