Great Asian Railway Journeys

S01E16 Kuala Kangsar to Cameron Highlands

Michael Portillo continues his rail journey through Southeast Asia, this time exploring Malaysia. He begins in Kuala Kangsar, where he delves into the origins of the thriving rubber industry that flourished during the era of his 1913 Bradshaw’s Guide, when Malaya was under British rule. He discovers how modern rubber engineering contributes to a comfortable ride for train passengers. In the vibrant food haven of Ipoh, Michael tries his hand at making a popular Chinese delicacy at a renowned bakery and witnesses an impressive dragon dance. At a colonial hill station in the Cameron Highlands, he learns how the British adapted to their surroundings while visiting a tea plantation near a golf course, savoring this quintessential British beverage.