For decades, Lavender Garden has been one of the go-to stops in Cameron Highlands. But how is it holding up with new competition popping up?
Is it still worth the ticket fees to see this place? And what can you do here that is unique to other places?
What else is there to see at this park besides its namesake? Find out in this post.
Table of contents:
Where Is Lavender Garden?
You can find this park along the main road right between the two villages of Tringkap and Kuala Terla. It is 9 km from Brinchang town.
They have a huge signboard in front that you cannot miss. And the number of cars in front of this place will slow you down anyways.
Location: 59, Taman Tringkap, 39100 Brinchang, Pahang
Note: Parking is limited especially during the peak season (e.g. weekends and school or public holidays)
How Much Are The Entrance Fees?
Prices to enter the garden have been steadily increasing throughout the years.
We remember when entrance fees used to cost RM8 per adult! But they now cost ~RM20 each for Malaysian adults.
PS: There are no discounts for seniors.
These are the current prices (as of December 2023):
- Adult: RM20
- Child (5 to 12 years old): RM10
Note: Only cash payments in Ringgit are accepted.
Because of the high prices, some visitors do have the expectation that there will be a lot of lavender to see. But there are no endless fields of lavender here, like in France or UK.
The park is open from 9am to 6pm daily.
Recent additions to Lavender Garden include a new level for strawberries as well as an extension of the garden on the lower level.
The strawberry section is not always open to visitors so you might want to give them a call before dropping in.
Things To Do
Besides looking at their different types of lavender (e.g. Hokkaido and Taiwanese lavender), what else is there to do here?
Taking photos is the main activity you can expect to do although we do find some of their decorations tacky and outdated. The owners just seem to add on whatever is trendy (e.g., wishing trees with love locks).
What we do appreciate is they haven’t picked up the cruel trend of mini zoos that are popping up all over Cameron Highlands.
1. See Their Other Flowers
Lavender Garden has different levels to climb. Some of the paths are steep and dimly lit so watch your step. To be fair, they do have a lot of railings around the place that you can hold on to if you need the support.
The central garden to the side of the ticket counter has other flowers besides lavender. But you can only look at the flowers from the perimeter.
Throughout the park, these are the different flowers we saw:
- Gerbera daisies of assorted colors
- Hydrangea
- Japanese rose
- Morning glory
- Dwarf chenille (the red fuzzy pointed flowers)
- Periwinkles
- Calla Lilies
- And more!
2. Check Out Their Souvenir Shop
As with many places in Cameron Highlands, there is a souvenir shop strategically placed just before the exit.
You can get various strawberry-themed items. As well as lavender-based products like lavender oil or lavender perfume.
Other souvenirs that they sell include:
- Fridge magnets
- Plush dolls
- Strawberry jam and other kinds of berry jam
- Honey
- Body wash and shampoo
- Umbrellas
- And so on!
And there are even more independent stalls outside of the official gift shop before the exit of the park too. Despite being here many times though, we have never found anything to buy.
3. Admire Their Decor And Landscaping
Landscaping (excluding all the vines) is mostly tidy at Lavender Garden. But we do find some of the decoration tacky.
There is a big purple castle that hides part of the souvenir shop. And some fairy-tale inspired seats and a swing.
Besides these, there are white picket fences, signboards for the flowers (most are now inaccurate), a vintage car, colorful wooden windmills on the balcony of the on-site café.
And some random panda and Hello Kitty like statues.
If you’re not stopping to shop or pick strawberries, it should take less than 30 minutes to see everything.
This also doesn’t include the time to stop and take photos!
4. Taste Lavender Flavored Ice-cream!
It might seem like just a gimmick but that doesn’t stop people from wanting to sample the homemade lavender flavored ice-cream!
A cone of the specialty ice-cream sells for a steep RM8 each!
What does it taste like?
This unusual flavor honestly takes just like soap. In a way that mint ice cream tastes like toothpaste. Which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Note: The strawberry flavor is available at RM8 too
5. Enjoy The View From The Cafe
At the top floor, the simple on-site cafe (Lavender Cafe) sits on a viewing deck that overlooks the main road and surrounding farms and hills.
Although the view is not nearly as pretty as the view at BOH Sungai Palas tea plantation:
You can sit here and enjoy the breeze. While trying some more lavender-infused treats like lavender cheesecake. Or have a comforting cup of strawberry tea.
We usually prefer to have our tea time elsewhere but they do sell some pastries at the counter here as well.
6. Pick Strawberries
Picking strawberries is another activity you can do here! It is, however, subject to availability and when you visit. Coming here during the local school holidays means more eager little hands.
But you can always head over to the other strawberry farms in Cameron Highlands if you’re really keen on picking your own fresh strawberries!
What sets the strawberry section apart from other places though, is that you need to walk on metal scaffolding to get to the strawberries.
For those scared of heights, this could take a while to get used to.
It costs RM10 per 200g of strawberries you pick. The lady at the counter told us to pick 15 to 20 strawberries to reach that weight.
We ended up picking more than that (because it was fun) but the total cost was still below our expectations.
7. Have Fun Taking Photos With Their 3D Mural Art
To further add to the photo opportunities within the premises, there are some 3D murals by the walls at the flower section on the upper floor of the park.
Some are a bit cheesy but that’s part of the fun if you’re with your family or friends. The murals are by the Gerbera daisy section.
There are more murals to see inside the purple castle. And these are in better shape since they are newer and don’t get as much sun exposure.
Tips For Visiting
- In case you need it, there is a small prayer room (or surau) at the park
- It gets very crowded during the weekends and public holidays. Crowds can start pouring in as early as 10am!
- It’s best to visit this place during a weekday when there are not so many people
- Expect to spend at least 30 minutes here
- The ideal spot to take a photo with the lavender field requires you to pay at a photo booth where a staff member will help you to take a photo.
- Don’t worry if it rains, there is a roof over the whole farm!
- This place is not convenient if you have a large stroller with you
- Elderly folk may have trouble exploring this place – there are steep walking bits as you climb higher up!
- Strawberry section may be closed
Overview
Lavender Garden is not the most expensive place to visit in Cameron Highlands. But it’s not the cheapest either.
If you have not been here before and really do enjoy taking photos and looking at flowers, it’s not bad if you need a place to pass time.
But do not come here expecting actual lavender fields or you will be very disappointed.
Pros:
- Fully sheltered from rain
- Different flowers to see
- New garden extension is attractive
- Numerous photo opportunities
- Half the price of CH Flora Park
- Opportunity to try lavender flavored ice cream and pick strawberries with an unusual perspective
- They don’t close as early as other attractions
- You can buy strawberries and other typical souvenirs here
- With facilities like toilets, a surau and an on-site cafe
- Well-maintained grounds (although some plants don’t look so good)
- Strawberry ice cream is delicious
Cons:
- Not much to see if you don’t like flowers or selfies
- Steep in places (not suitable for elderly)
- Cafe seats are worn out, and views are not great (main road and signs of overdevelopment all around)
- Many flowers are mislabelled
- Can be hard to park your car (on public holidays and weekends)
- Very crowded on public holidays
- They don’t have a huge field of lavender despite what their name implies
- Lavender flavored ice cream doesn’t appeal to many
- Tacky decorations
How To Get To Here (Besides Driving Here On Your Own)
If you’re looking for a way to get to this place (and other attractions) without having to worry about parking, consider going for a private tour!
RayTheTour has tour packages for Ipoh too that include free pick-up and drop-off at your Ipoh hotel or the Ipoh Airport if you take a tour on the same day!
Message them for more details on WhatsApp.
Conclusion
If you have seen real lavender fields like the ones in France, UK, Hokkaido, Japan or Xinshe, Taiwan, you’ll not be impressed with Lavender Garden in Cameron Highlands.
Moreover, the place is looking very outdated next to new competitors. We find it difficult to recommend this park since their café and gardens are not as attractive.
But we will say that picking strawberries from their raised platform was quite thrilling and hence, unique from other strawberry farms.
Green View Garden
Green View Garden is one of the first places you can stop before reaching the main towns. They have paddle boats, a budgerigar aviary, and some farm animals. And it’s currently free to visit. Plus, they have a lot of seating at their outdoor café section. If you have elders with you, this is a more comfortable place for them to explore than Lavender Garden.
O&R Garden
If you want to see a huge variety of flowers in a nice layout and not spend too much, then we recommend a visit to O&R Garden. Just beware that the animals in their mini zoo do not have ideal conditions to live in. This park is also more flat than steep if you don’t count the road immediately in front of the small attraction.
Agro Market
Agro Market is a great one-place attraction to see things like flowers, sheep, birds, and more. They have a huge car park (no parking fees applicable), two on-site cafes, and the entry fees are like Lavender Garden. And outside are more market stalls and a plant nursery to browse.
CH Flora Park
CH Flora Park is massive. And they have a very beautiful layout for their many flowers. This park requires you to take their shuttle up from behind Kea Farm Market. Entry fees are the highest in Cameron Highlands for now.
