This was my itinerary when I bring my friends to Cameron, I'm working there, start at Ipoh because we all meet in Ipoh and spend one night. I'd advice you also do the same (spend 1 night in Ipoh) or have a very early start to go up from Simpang Pulai, don't take the old road. The bold parts are my thoughts.

FIRST DAY:
1) Very light breakfast in Ipoh at 7.30am
2) Start journey at 8am
3) Sungai Palas Tea Plantation - proper breakfast (reach there around 10am) - don't need to come here, it's very miserable due to the super narrow roads and the traffic jams. U can go to Tringkap for a heavier breakfast and coffee though, not many tourist stops here because this place is the center of vege collection, and it's exactly why u have to stop here, this place defines Cameron Highlands. When u just reach the town, there is one road on your right which is quite a big road, leading uphill to some flats, there are a lot of speed bumps on this road. Turn right again to enter the flats area, u will see a restaurant, behind there got lots of coffee shops and restaurants that only locals go to.
4) Check in (12.30pm) - Equatorial Hotel apartments, the coldest place in Cameron
5) Lunch in Brinchang (1pm)
6) Big Red Strawberry Farm (2.30pm)
7) Bharat Tea Plantation (3.30pm) tea time - MUST GO!
8) Kea farm for some shopping (6pm)
9) Return to apartment for rest (6.30pm)
10) Dinner steam boat (7.30pm) - Jin Jin restaurant, when going out from Equatorial, at the T-junction of the main road turn right (head to Tringkap direction), drive for 1-2 minutes, you will see the sign board (red color) on your right, very near. Please bring your own chili sauce if u are a chili freak because the only thing bad about their steamboat is their chili sauce, other stuff like food quality, quantity, soups (tomyam and herbal) are top notch, and it's pork free

SECOND DAY:
1) Brunch (12 noon)
2) Butterfly farm (1pm)
3) Strawberry moment in the middle of no where on return trip (2.30pm) - MUST GO! it's on the new road / highway when you come up from simpang pulai before reaching the junction to turn into Kg. Raja. I think it's got Avant Chocolate banners all over the place, you MUST TRY the Strawberry Chocolate Fountain.

This post has been edited by stormlcc: Dec 31 2011, 01:15 PM

This was my itinerary when I bring my friends to Cameron, I'm working there, start at Ipoh because we all meet in Ipoh and spend one night. I'd advice you also do the same (spend 1 night in Ipoh) or have a very early start to go up from Simpang Pulai, don't take the old road. The bold parts are my thoughts.
It only takes 3 hours the most to drive from KL to Ringlet and another 20 minutes to Tanah Rata via the Tapah road, but to spend a night in Ipoh for such a short trip is a damper unless you are interested in discovering Ipoh at night. The road is not really that bad as most perceived it. Afterall it is the third week of February and very likely to be a quiet time as most of the time the days after CNY is the slowest.

If u r driving SUV or pick up truck then the tapah road won't be a problem, but for my car, it's a freakin' nightmare, the holes are huge and very bumpy, u'll be heart broken after driving on this road because the suspension of your car will be ruined. I'd prefer to travel far a bit for a better, smoother, easier and safer road. plus, it isn't THAT far to get to Simpang Pulai from Tapah, and u'll be travelling at a much faster pace on the new road, so the travel time isn't that much of a difference.

I suggested to spend the night in Ipoh, because, well, u've already reached there, why don't spend an extra day in Ipoh to enjoy the food? U'll be killing 2 birds with 1 stone. If not interested, then as u've said, there's no problem travelling from KL directly to Cameron. And I suggest to get an early start to drive up because there won't be much traffic, even though it's a quiet period with minimum tourists, sometimes the road can be very congested also, I know because I drive up from Ipoh once or twice a week, every week for more than a year.


FIRST DAY:
1) Very light breakfast in Ipoh at 7.30am
2) Start journey at 8am
3) Sungai Palas Tea Plantation - proper breakfast (reach there around 10am) - don't need to come here, it's very miserable due to the super narrow roads and the traffic jams.
I don't think there will be traffic jam at this time of the year as mentioned earlier.

If there is not much traffic then it's ok, but in my personal opinion, it's not really worth the time and effort to go there, the Bharat Tea plantation is more impressive and doesn't have to navigate the narrow roads although it's a bit far.

U can go to Tringkap for a heavier breakfast and coffee though, not many tourist stops here because this place is the center of vege collection, and it's exactly why u have to stop here, this place defines Cameron Highlands. When u just reach the town, there is one road on your right which is quite a big road, leading uphill to some flats, there are a lot of speed bumps on this road. Turn right again to enter the flats area, u will see a restaurant, behind there got lots of coffee shops and restaurants that only locals go to.
There are 4 restaurants here altogether. One is the first corner lot ( Ai Chai as we call him) and his specialities is the " Chui Pea Kai" or crispy skin chicken . Behind this row there are three eateries. One of them is closed with only the Bak Kut Teh left on the doorstep.(I don't know if there are new takers yet) and the second one is another coffee shop selling lousy noodles (Ah Mui) and the last is the famous Tringkap Restoren where it is used to be on the main road. It is the only two shoplot restaurant, so it is not hard to miss. I too recommend this restaurant ( Ah Kow) and try his famous speciality ( Chew Pai Yee ) and his "Pak Cham Kai". Also try his famous deep fried abalone oyster.


4) Check in (12.30pm) - Equatorial Hotel apartments, the coldest place in Cameron
5) Lunch in Brinchang (1pm)
6) Big Red Strawberry Farm (2.30pm)
7) Bharat Tea Plantation (3.30pm) tea time - MUST GO!
8) Kea farm for some shopping (6pm)
9) Return to apartment for rest (6.30pm)
10) Dinner steam boat (7.30pm) - Jin Jin restaurant, when going out from Equatorial, at the T-junction of the main road turn right (head to Tringkap direction), drive for 1-2 minutes, you will see the sign board (red color) on your right, very near. Please bring your own chili sauce if u are a chili freak because the only thing bad about their steamboat is their chili sauce, other stuff like food quality, quantity, soups (tomyam and herbal) are top notch, and it's pork free
To me , steamboat is just the same every where in Cameron Highlands. Just make sure they don't slaughter you. Tanah Rata eateries prices are more decent compared to the tourist trap as mention in Sg.Palas junction or in Brinchang.

I completely disagree, some steamboat shops just doesn't get what is the most important, the soup. if u got this wrong it will ruin the experience. The shop i recommend is one of the best in Cameron in terms of everything including the pricing. If u r not living near this area then it's not worth the travel time to get there, but if u r spending the night in Brinchang or Equatorial Hotel area, then this is definitely the place to have steamboat. It's got a nice farm view, outdoors with a roof and quite clean. Not to mention the free wifi. fyi i'm not the boss there. Just remember to bring your own chilli sauce, LOL!

There's also another good eatery where you can sample the best river fishes caught by the orang asli. It's " Ngau Kee" min Kg.Raja but be prepared to pay premium prices. It's not cheap. Food is OK here too.
SECOND DAY:
1) Brunch (12 noon)
2) Butterfly farm (1pm)
3) Strawberry moment in the middle of no where on return trip (2.30pm) - MUST GO! it's on the new road / highway when you come up from simpang pulai before reaching the junction to turn into Kg. Raja. I think it's got Avant Chocolate banners all over the place, you MUST TRY the Strawberry Chocolate Fountain.

This post has been edited by stormlcc: Dec 31 2011, 06:59 PM

yeah, all of them don't have premium meat, and most of them are pork free, too bad. But as i've said, the one i recommend is really wallet friendly (plus the quantity is really generous) and the food is considered fresh. The soup is nice, but it's pork free, so Muslims can also go there and enjoy.

This post has been edited by stormlcc: Jan 1 2012, 08:42 PM

don't bother, it'll be a nightmare

agree. worst case scenario, from K. Terla until Tringkap jam all the way, u'll waste half day in your car stuck

try Tringkap if u want cheap and nice local breakfast

boh plantation i don't really like it during peak period because u'll need to q up and wait. low season is ok