In 1885, William Cameron, a British colonial government surveyor, "discovered" the plateau that is now known as the Cameron Highlands.
During a mapping expedition in the Banjaran Titiwangsa area, he stumbled upon the plateau at an elevation of approximately 4,500–5,600 feet above sea level.
William Cameron (1833-1886), along with his assistant, Kulop Riau (a Malay guide and local warrior), who accompanied him when mapping the Pahang-Perak border area (from 1880), eventually discovered the highland plateau for the British Crown.
Together, they reached the peak of Gunung Pondok Challi, where Cameron first sighted the high plateau that now bears his name.
While William Cameron, a British surveyor, is credited with "discovering" and mapping the plateau in 1885, he was not the first to live in or know of the area.
Indigenous peoples, specifically the Orang Asli (Semai people), inhabited the region long before his expedition.
He died in Singapore at the age of 53, reportedly from an accidental overdose of insomnia medication (?).
The normal temperature in Cameron Highlands is significantly cooler than the rest of Malaysia due to its high elevation.
On average, the daily temperature is about 18°C (64°F).
