Berjaya Hills and Colmar Tropicale: The French Village Near KL

An hour north of Kuala Lumpur, up in the cool hills of Pahang, there’s a French village. Cobblestone streets, half-timbered houses, a clock tower, the lot. It’s called Colmar Tropicale, it’s a genuinely charming photo stop, and whether it’s worth the trip depends entirely on what you’re expecting.

Let me be straight with you from the start, because most articles about this place won’t be. Colmar Tropicale is a novelty. It’s a pretty, cool-climate replica village that’s wonderful for an hour of photos and a coffee, and thin on things to actually do beyond that. Go in knowing that and you’ll love it. Go expecting a full day of attractions and you’ll be checking your watch by lunch. Here’s how to get it right.

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The short version

• What it is: A French-themed hilltop village at Berjaya Hills, Bukit Tinggi, modelled on Colmar in Alsace. Part resort, part photo attraction.
• Where: About 60 km northeast of KL in Pahang, roughly an hour by car.
• Cost: A modest entrance fee that also covers the Japanese Village and Rabbit Park. Cashless payment only.
• Time needed: The village itself is 1 to 2 hours. Add the other attractions and it’s a half day.
• The catch: There’s no easy public transport. You drive, take a paid shuttle, or book a tour.
• Best for: Couples after photos, families with young kids, and anyone craving cool air and a novelty afternoon.

On prices: figures below are indicative and change, and entry is cashless, so check the official Berjaya Hills site before you go and don’t rely on carrying cash.

What it actually is

Colmar Tropicale opened in 2000, built by the Berjaya group and modelled on the real Alsatian town of Colmar, borrowing details from nearby French villages too. It sits at around 800 metres up, on forested land, which is the underrated part: it’s noticeably cooler than the city, so it makes a pleasant escape from KL’s heat even before you get to the theme.

The village is a compact cluster of cottage-style buildings with shops and eateries on the ground floors and hotel rooms above. A cobblestone street runs through the middle, ending at a watchtower you can climb for a view over the whole thing and the hills beyond. That street, the clock tower and the facades are the attraction. It’s built for photos, and on that front it delivers.

Colmar is the headline, but it’s one piece of a larger resort called Berjaya Hills, and your ticket gets you into more than just the French bit.

What’s included, and what costs extra

The standard entrance ticket covers three things: Colmar Tropicale itself, the Japanese Village, and the Rabbit Park. That’s the good-value part, and the Japanese Village in particular is worth the walk. Everything else is a separate charge.

• Colmar Tropicale (French Village): included. The cobblestone street, clock tower, shops and restaurants.
• Japanese Village: included in the standard ticket. A calm Japanese garden with a tea house, tatami spa and koi, a genuine change of mood from the French kitsch. Some sources list a small separate fee for parts of it, so check on arrival.
• Rabbit Park: included. Simple, and a hit with small children.
• Botanical garden walk: a pleasant stroll near the Japanese Village.
• Extras that cost more: horse riding, the little road train that trundles up the street, a virtual-reality ride, and the golf course. None essential.

One important practical note: payment is cashless. Bring a card, because cash won’t help you at the ticket booth. A few of the small in-village machines, like the token ride, may still be coin-operated, so it’s a slightly awkward mix, but the main gate is cards only.

How to get to Berjaya Hills from KL

This is the trip’s main hurdle. There is no direct public transport to Bukit Tinggi, so you have three realistic ways up.

Driving

The straightforward option. From KL you take the Karak Highway (E8) east toward Bentong and come off at the Bukit Tinggi exit, then wind up the hill to the ticket booth. Reckon on about an hour without heavy traffic. A word of warning from every local: fill your tank before the Karak Highway, because there are no petrol stations up near Bukit Tinggi. Parking at the resort is free, though on weekends the lot fills by mid-morning, another reason to arrive early.

The resort shuttle

If you’re not driving, this is your best bet. Berjaya runs a shuttle between Berjaya Times Square in central KL and Berjaya Hills, on a set timetable with morning and evening departures. It’s affordable and it solves the whole problem, but it ties you to fixed times, so check the current schedule and book ahead, especially at weekends.

Grab, and why to avoid relying on it

You can Grab up, but getting one back down from a hilltop resort in Pahang is genuinely difficult, and you may be stranded waiting. If you don’t want to drive, take the shuttle or a tour instead. Our Grab guide explains the app, but no app fixes thin rural coverage.

Getting around once you’re up there

Good news here. A free safari shuttle loops between the attractions inside Berjaya Hills at roughly hourly intervals from about 9.30am, so you don’t have to hike between the French Village, the Japanese Village and the rest. You can walk if you prefer, but the shuttle saves your legs on a hot or wet day.

What to do once you’re there

Realistically, here’s how a good visit goes.

• Walk the village and take your photos. This is the main event, and an hour or so does it. The cobblestone street, the clock tower and the coloured facades are the reason you came. Climb the watchtower at the end for the best overview.
• Cross to the Japanese Village. Genuinely the highlight for a lot of visitors, and a complete change of tone. A quiet Zen garden, a tea house, koi ponds. Take the free shuttle over.
• Let kids loose at the Rabbit Park. Small, simple, and reliably a hit with under-tens.
• Have a coffee or a meal. There’s a Starbucks and convenience snacks for a quick stop, plus sit-down restaurants doing Malaysian, Japanese and French-ish food if you want a proper lunch.
• The paid extras, if you fancy. Horse riding, the road train up the street, a VR ride. Nice-to-haves, not reasons to come.

In the evenings the village runs the occasional stage show and outdoor Zumba, but those are aimed at overnight guests. As a day-tripper, you’re here for the daylight and the photos.

An honest take: is it worth it?

This is the part most guides skip, so here it is plainly.

Go if: you love a good photo spot, you’re travelling with young children, or you simply want a couple of hours of cool air and novelty an hour from the city. On those terms it’s lovely. The setting is scenic, the weather is a relief, and because there’s no easy public transport, it’s usually far less mobbed than attractions closer to KL.

Skip it if: you’re expecting a full day of things to do, or you’re the kind of traveller who finds a themed replica village a bit hollow. Be honest with yourself. Several visitors describe it as charming but thin on activities for adults, and that’s a fair assessment. It is a photo attraction with a nice climate, not a day’s worth of entertainment.

And if you’re weighing this against the other hill trips, know that Genting Highlands offers far more to actually do (theme park, casino, cable car) while Colmar offers charm and calm instead. Different moods entirely. If you only have a few days in KL, this probably isn’t a priority over the city itself, but as a relaxed half day it’s a pleasant one.

Make a proper day of it: Bentong and Janda Baik

Because the village itself is short, the trick to a satisfying day is pairing it with what’s nearby. Both of these fix the “it was a bit thin” problem.

• Bentong town is about 20 minutes downhill and is a genuinely good food stop. It’s known for its silky bean curd (tau fu fah), ice kacang, and, in season, some of the most sought-after durian in the country. A meal in Bentong turns a half-baked half day into a proper one.
• Janda Baik is a green valley of cafes, glamping sites and streams a little further south. If you want to slow down after the village, it’s a lovely second stop, especially for a coffee with a view.

Alternatively, since it’s on the same road out of the city, plenty of people pair Colmar with Batu Caves on the way back, which is exactly what most day tours do.

A half day that works

Mornings are best: cooler, quieter, better light for photos, and you beat the weekend parking crunch. KL’s rain tends to come in the afternoon, so an early start dodges that too. See our best time to visit guide for the seasonal picture.

Common mistakes

• Expecting a full day of attractions. The village is a 1 to 2 hour photo stop. Pair it with Bentong or Batu Caves.
• Bringing only cash. Entry is cashless. Bring a card.
• Not filling up on fuel. No petrol stations near Bukit Tinggi. Tank up on the way.
• Relying on Grab to get back. Coverage down from the hill is unreliable. Drive or take the shuttle.
• Going on a weekend at midday. Busiest, hottest, and the car park is full. Arrive before 10am.
• Skipping the Japanese Village. It’s included and it’s the best part for many visitors.
• Overpaying for the extras. The rides and horse riding are optional novelties, not the point.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Colmar Tropicale from KL?

There’s no direct public transport. The easiest way is to drive, about an hour via the Karak Highway to the Bukit Tinggi exit. Alternatively, take Berjaya’s shuttle from Berjaya Times Square on its fixed timetable, or book a day tour. Grab works going up but is unreliable for the trip back down.

How much is the entrance fee?

There’s a modest entrance ticket, in the region of RM14 for adults and RM7 for children aged 4 to 12, which also covers the Japanese Village and Rabbit Park. Prices change and payment is cashless, so bring a card and check the official Berjaya Hills site before you go. Day visitors pay at the ticket booth on arrival.

Can I visit Colmar Tropicale for the day without staying overnight?

Yes. Plenty of people visit just for the day. You pay the entrance ticket at the booth on arrival. Overnight guests get the entrance fee refunded against their room, but day trips are completely normal.

How long do you need at Colmar Tropicale?

The French Village itself takes one to two hours, as it’s mainly a photo attraction. Add the Japanese Village, Rabbit Park and a meal and you have a comfortable half day. To fill a full day, pair it with Bentong town or Batu Caves.

Is Colmar Tropicale worth visiting?

It’s worth it if you enjoy photo spots, you’re travelling with young children, or you want cool air and a novelty afternoon near KL. It’s less worthwhile if you expect a full day of activities, as several visitors find it charming but limited for adults. Treat it as a scenic half day, not a headline attraction.

Is it good for kids?

Yes. Young children tend to love the themed streets, the Rabbit Park and the little road train. The novelty carries them further than it does adults. See our guide to KL with kids.

What should I bring?

A card for the cashless entry, a light layer since it’s cooler up there, a camera or charged phone, and a small umbrella in the wetter months. It sits at around 800 metres, so it’s more pleasant than the city but can be misty or wet. Our KL packing guide has more.

Explore more

• Day trips from Kuala Lumpur, with everything compared
• Genting Highlands from KL, the busier hill option
• Batu Caves from KL, an easy pairing
• Visiting KL in the rainy season
• How to use Grab in Malaysia
• Best time to visit Kuala Lumpur