Fraser's Hill

Frasers Hill

Fraser's Hill has always been one of the known places to get away for the weekend or even a day trip place to visit by most local Malaysians and some travellers. Another reason to visit Fraser's Hill would be for the rich nature, and Eco-tourism offered here.

Bird watchers and nature enthusiasts are a common sight here, especially on weekends. This old British Colonial Hill Resort was discovered by Louise James Fraser, a Scotsman who in the 1890s found tin and gold on this 1524 meter hill and hired Chinese miners to prospect the natural minerals here.

In 1922, a road was cut through the hills, which eventually developed into a favourite getaway where bungalows and even the countries first golf course was designed and made here.

Since then, nothing much has changed in Fraser's Hill as development has been pretty much controlled, making it one of the last few original British towns out of England. This place is also known as 'Little England' as most of the buildings don the famous mock Tudor with granite coloured walls.

Fraser's Hill or Bukit Fraser

Fraser's Hill Photography
The main Fraser's Hill town center

What to do in Fraser's Hill?

This would be a common question by most locals, but if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, this is where you should be heading and if you have a passion for nature where temperatures range from 18° C to 21°C.

Bird Watching is one of the highlights here, where there are over 250 species of birds to spot here. There are eight Nature Walk Trails available here, ranging from easy to hard for those who enjoy walking in the wild. Below are the names of the Nature Hikes;
  • Hemmant Trail. An easy 20-minute trail along the north side of the golf course. 
  • Bishop's Trail. This is a continuation of the Hemmant Trail, this is a slightly more challenging half-hour track through the jungle. 
  • Pine Tree Trail. A challenging 6 kilometre trail up and down hills where it is a full-day hike that will take 7-8 hours at a moderate pace. Only for seasoned hikers and requires a nature guide. 
  • Maxwell Trail, Mager Trail, Kindersley Trail, Rompin Trail, and Abu Suradi Trails are various other trails here. 
  • You are advised to bring leech socks if you want to go for the nature walks
The old English clock tower that stands in the middle of town serves as a roundabout as it reminds you of the old English village squares; the clock tower is covered with creepers and is probably the most photographed icon of Fraser's Hill.

You will not miss the clock tower as it will be the first thing you see as you make your way into Fraser's Hill.

Jeriau Waterfalls Frasers Hill
Jeriau Waterfalls at Fraser's Hill

Fraser's Hill waterfall is located about 5km from the town centre, so you would most likely need to drive there unless you are pretty fit and take a hike to the waterfalls. Called Jeriau Waterfalls, the local council maintains this picnic area, so there are pathways and shelters along your trek.

When you reach the entrance to the Jeriau Waterfalls, you need to continue by foot for about 15 minutes via a concrete path. Surrounding this area is the lush tropical forest. The 6 meters (18 feet) waterfall is right at the end of the track and falls into a pool suitable for swimming and a nice place for a picnic.

Another waterfall located 15km from town is called the Telaga Waterfalls and this is more scenic than Jeriau Waterfalls.

Nature Trails at Fraser's Hill
Nature trails at Fraser's Hill

Bird Watching at Fraser's Hill 

This is another of the highlights as this place is world renown for the variety of birds that can be spotted here. Some of the species spotted are the rhinoceros hornbill, mountain tailorbird, mountain imperial pigeon, silver-eared mesia, long-tailed sibia and chestnut-capped thrush.

One of the annual events held mid year is the Fraser's Hill International Bird Race where participants will try to outdo each other to sight, identify and record as many local species as possible. Someone actually managed to spot 70 different bird species within 24 hours at one of the events held here.

For those interested in Bird Watching at Frasers Hill, you can contact;

Fraser's Hill Bird Race Secretariat
c/o Perbadanan Kemajuan Bukit Fraser
JKR300, Jalan Masjid, 25000 Kuantan
Pahang Darul Makmur
Telephone: +6 09 5171 623, +6 09 5171 624

Allen's Lake
Allan's Water or Lake

Visit Allan's Lake or Allen's Water 

This is a former reservoir which has turned into a family attraction where one can go boating, fishing or simply picnic by the lake. A fee applies for those interested in the paddle boats while for fishing here, you can inquire with the caretaker at the lake.

Old colonial buildings at Frasers Hill
Old colonial buildings
Activities in Fraser's Hill 

Among the many activities, you can do horse riding, archery, woodball, flower nursery visit and walking around doing nothing but breathing the fresh hill air here. 

Golf at Fraser's Hill

This is another main reason to visit Fraser's Hill. Dad hits the golf course while the rest would lounge around and enjoy the nature and cool air up here.

Royal Fraser's Hill Golf Club which was designed by Frank Hemmant in 1925 with undulating fairways and rolling greens bordered by pine trees. This is a 9 hole walking course which is a short but very tight course. It was once an 18-Hole golf course back in the day.

The course opens daily from 8.00 AM - 7.00 PM, and green fees are RM30/40 weekdays/weekends. Caddy fees are RM10, while golf sets are available for rent at the Sports Complex. Telephone +6 09 362 2129

Eating at Fraser's Hill

There are only several restaurants located in the main town area so don't expect any fast food or Starbucks there. Aside from the local restaurants, there are the hotel restaurants and Ye Olde Smokehouse. For those who want something strong to drink, try the hotels or the Smokehouse of Fraser's Hill.
 
Silverpark Resort at Frasers Hill

Hotels at Fraser's Hill

Because the area is really small, there are only a few hotels and private bungalows here. Around the main town, there is the;

  • Jelai Highlands Resort (Telephone: +6 09 3622 600)
  • Fraser's Silverpark Resort (Telephone: +6 09 3622 888)
  • Fraser's Pine Resort (+6 09 362 2122)
  • Peninjau Aprartments (+6 09 362 2500)
  • Sri Intan Hotel (+6 09 362 2400)
  • Shazan Inn (+6 09 362 2300)
  • Ye Olde Smokehouse Hotel and Restaurant (+6 09 362 2226)

All of these lodgings range from two to three stars. There is no hostel lodging here for the backpackers, while camping can be arranged with the local authorities.

There are a number of bungalows for rent but you need to book way ahead while there are two resthouses, one at the bottom and one at the hill. These are more suitable for students or group bookings.

Nightlife at Fraser's Hill 

There is none! Only those provided by the hotels, which are straight forward and basic. If you are lucky, you may see a solo singer perform. Alcohol is available at some of the hotels. 

Rumah Rehat Bukit Fraser
Resthouse (Update 2017 - This place is no longer operational)

Getting to Fraser's Hill

Getting here is relatively straightforward via driving as it takes about two hours from Kuala Lumpur; therefore, many people would opt for a day trip here.

The famous 8-km road leading to the top of Fraser's is called The Gap, which is traffic. Ever since 2001, an alternative route was constructed to ease the traffic flow up and down.

No petrol stations at Frasers Hill so fill up before you come here.

How to go to Fraser's Hill?

By Car - Fraser's Hill is 100 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur can be reached via the Karak Highway. Turn left at the Bentong junction and proceed to Teranum. At Teranum, take the left turn towards Gap before the short ascent up to Fraser's Hill.

Alternatively, you can take the old trunk route heading north towards Ipoh and turn off at Kuala Kubu Bharu (KKB) for the drive to the Gap. The last 8 km from the Gap to the top of Fraser's Hill 9 scenic, narrow winding which carries one-way traffic 7.00 AM to 7.00 PM.

If you are driving, I would seriously advise you to fill up your petrol tank to full as there is no petrol station at Fraser's Hill. Your last resort is to buy petrol from the grocery shops which sell them at double the price per litre in plastic bottles. 

Old bus service to Fraser's Hill

By Bus – There are buses from the Duta Bus Terminal in Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Kubu Bharu, where you have to board another bus to Fraser's Hill at 8.00 AM and 2.00 PM daily.

Taxi or Ride-Hailing - Taxis are also available in Kuala Lumpur, but please double-check the rates before committing a fare.

Renting a Car - If you are a visitor, I recommend you rent a car and self-drive here. Make sure you have your international driving license.

Hitchhiking – You can try it but not many people will stop. Not advised if you are a single traveller.

Tips – Best to avoid going up on the weekends as the place can really get crowded, especially on the Malaysian school holidays. If you have no choice, please book ahead to avoid disappointment.

Conclusion

This article was written based on my several trips to Fraser's Hill over the last 10 years. For more information, you can contact the Pahang Tourist Information Centre Tel: +609-517 7113 / 7115.

Fraser's Hill can also be visited on a day trip, provided you leave Kuala Lumpur early in the morning to arrive here by 7.00 or 8.00 AM. But if you genuinely want to enjoy the place, I recommend you spend a night or two here.

Malaysia Asia

Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school. Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards). After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

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