Hiking and a picnic in Fraser’s Hill

Fraser’s Hill is one of those quaint hill station-type villages with an odd mix of jungle and colonial black and white cottages crumbling in the tropical humidity. It takes about two hours of driving from KL, with the last half an hour or so being very unsuitable for those with motion sickness…

Nevertheless we had a nice day out with a picnic and no plans. The biggest draw of Fraser’s Hill – other than the slightly cooler air – is of course hiking.

Hiking trails at Fraser’s Hill

We tried out some of the easier trails with the kids. Abu Suradi is a 500 metre one-way trail that is suitable for everyone. The entrance is opposite the mosque at Fraser’s Hill on Genting Road. You can either walk back to the start, or continue on to the Marger Trail.

Mager Trail (1 km) is another easy path. There is one rocky decline that was not an issue with mountain goat-like kids, but those with bad knees would find it a bit tricky. Once you reach the end you can turn back or walk to the village along the main road.

The trails are named after figures in the colonial past of Fraser’s Hill. Some interesting history can be read in a guide published by WWF – it’s available online here. Mr. Fraser himself was apparently a slightly shady character who not only ran a tin business with an army of coolies in this remote and hard-to-reach location unknown to the colonial powers until then, but also resourcefully set up a bustling opium and gambling operation in the camp. Like many other famous characters of such misty hill stations, he vanished without a trace – and it was those looking for him that thought it a suitable place for relaxation.

As you would expect, there is a place to have your chowder and afternoon tea – threadbare tablecloths and all. Ye Old Smokehouse, a Bukit Fraser legend, offers the usual suspects. The grounds are lovely, and sitting out in the garden after a refreshing drizzle of rain was just lovely.

A fun surprise for the kids were the paddling boats at Allan’s Water, an old reservoir. You can get a packet of fish food and feed the gigantic fish and tortoises if you need a break from paddling. There is a small strawberry farm/plant nursery next door for a quick plant fix.

The drive is a bit borderline for a day trip, but we loved the nature. If anyone has good suggestions for accommodation, leave them in comments so that next time we can spend the night!