Days 1–16 of a solo cycling trip from Singapore, through Malaysia, into Thailand.
Day 1: Singapore to Kota Tinggi (75 km)
Left Aakash’s at 8:30, hardly slept the night with the anticipation. The crossing through Singapore was fortunately a breeze.
Johor Bahru was an ugly concrete pit with roads and buildings and petrol stations. At the Malaysian checkpoint I was told that I needed to book future return tickets to India. With the poor network and the search through MKT, that consumed 30 minutes.
Cycling across highway number three in high humidity and traffic was bothersome. Fortunately most drivers were quite respectful of the distance.
I moved into the interior roads and was initially quite happy. But asphalt roads turned to gravel and stone, trash was strewn all along the palm plantations, I was chased by dogs, and crossed through shacks where plantation workers live. To top off the dead-ends that I kept getting, I had major trouble with the bike when the chain got stuck bad between the rear cogs and the spokes. Decided to go back to the highway and power through. Passed through the industrial area that manufactured and used palm oil.
The high humidity had me overheating, and I had to take breaks every hour to get some electrolytes in the body. Reached Kota Tinggi around 4:30 and rewarded myself with some coconut, pizza and beer.
My bum is so sore that while checking in at a hotel and told to sit and wait, I bellowed tiny shrieks. That was expected, good to know it will get better from here.
Day 2: Kota Tinggi to Mersing (105 km)
Started the day with a delicious coffee from Zus Coffee in KT at 8:15. The next two hours were a breeze - great music, smooth roads, and overcast weather made for a perfect ride.
I stopped at a local eatery and had a tasty roti egg roll. The owner, Mad Man, kept me entertained - making fun of every youngster visiting his food stall.
The road kill on the highway was sad - saw dead monkeys, monitor lizards, snakes, birds, and hundreds of frogs.
I’m loving the people in Malaysia - everyone’s so friendly and welcoming. I arrived in Mersing at 2:30 and had a big lunch. Unfortunately, the ferry to Tioman Island had already left in the morning, so I had to stay overnight in Mersing. On the bright side, I met a lovely lady at the harbour centre who asked me what plans I had now that the ferry had left - I said I had none, and she suggested this place to me to learn batik. I spent the afternoon learning batik and getting to know the family who ran the place.
Day 3 and 4: Tioman Island
Got up early morning in Mersing and went to the Harbour Centre to get a ticket out to Tioman. Due to the monsoon, the ferry schedule was severely restricted. One operator refused to carry Autumn but the operator Bluewater agreed with an extra surcharge. It rained most of the time until Tioman. Got down at the Tekek village, the biggest of the seven villages in Tioman.
Because of the rainy season, the streets were mostly empty and many shops were closed. In fact, there seemed more police and navy people than tourists. Cycled along to the next village called ABC - Air Batang and then hiked to the ghost resort village of Panuba. The beach here was lined with dead corals and plastic bottles.
On the way back, police told me to get off the road because the King of Pahang was passing by with his entourage. While riding in his scooter, the majesty and I exchanged brief hellos.
At night the heavens opened up and it rained like there is no tomorrow. I chilled on a hammock listening to the roar of the skies. Was very soothing.
Next day got breakfast at a local joint - met cadets of the RSS Fearless from the Brunei navy that had docked on the island.
Did a jungle hike in the afternoon, unnerving walking through the dense jungle, especially during the monsoon. Mosquitoes tried to kill me and have now tattooed my body. Cool was walking to the source of the river that feeds Tioman - the river had swelled up! On the way back took the long road that runs from Juara in the west coast to Tekek. Tried snorkelling in the evening but the water was too muddy to see anything.
Relaxing two days at Tioman.
Day 5: Tioman to Mersing to Pekan / 155 km / Start of Ramadan
In Tioman, it was announced that due to an upcoming storm, there would be no outgoing ferries for the next four days. Luckily, I had already booked my return ferry for today.
In Mersing, I visited Nadia again and collected my finished Batik - the last version with wax had been dipped in baking soda and boiled for many hours to remove the wax. By the time I had left, it was 10:55 and I was eager to make it to Pekan.
Back on highway no 3, the shoulder had again disappeared and I cycled carefully near the white strip of the road. Traffic was heavy.
With the start of Ramadan, all eating joints were closed except big food and cafe chains. However, from around 3/4 pm onwards numerous roadside stalls started selling chilled drinks and fried and sweet goods. Along with ice creams and isotonic drinks, this kept me going in the hot, humid weather.
Just before Pekan, an Uncle from a roadside stalls called me in and asked if I want to eat anything. For a veggie like me options were rare - i saw the meat and declined but asked if they had ice tea. This was brought out to me but before I began to drink the old uncle told me to drink behind the stall since they were observing a fast. He refused my money and I cycled the remaining 6 km to Pekan. The heat, driving with heavy traffic on the highway, and the long distance had greatly strained my body and I dropped dead on the bed almost immediately.
Day 6: Pekan to Kampung Telut near Maran / 111 km
I had originally planned to stick to the east coast for some time before heading west to Penang but the busy highways on the east side, without a shoulder to drive on, were stressful. So I decided to go inland, following the wide, placid Pahang river.
This was a great decision as with less traffic, narrower roads I started enjoying the ride. The interior roads were in good condition and people smiled and waved at me time to time. These small acts of kindness but immensely heartwarming - and isn’t this the fuel that keeps you going?
Most monkeys and dogs scuttled when I sped past them except the alphas who showed their scorn, sometimes quite indecently.
The quiet roads, the sound of birds and insects, the cute houses, the river appearing and disappearing from view, the cool shade of the trees, and the rhythmic movement of the pedals - these were the reasons why one cycled.
In Maran, I had the tastiest late lunch of rice and veggies. People got food and drinks packed before breaking their fast around 7:30. Unable to find any suitable place to stay in Maran, I cycled to a homestay I had found 14 km away. These last kms on highway 2 were excruciating. My body had packed up and left in Maran and this extra distance required lot of pleading.
Day 7: Maran to Kuala Lipis / 133 km
Morning time until the first 30-40 km is becoming one of the hardest to cycle. As most shops are closed for Ramadan, I get neither coffee nor food. Small mini marts along the way provide some ultra processed cakes for calories along with water and electrolytes. My first real meal is often only dinner.
On the way I pass by Jengka city, which seems to be a central hub connecting all plantations - of palm and rubber mostly but also smaller scale of fruits - coconuts, bananas and mandarins.
I take a bypass of the city of Jerantut and enter into the quiet road no 234 to Kuala Lipis.
The days are now blurring into one - can’t keep track of what I did when. For now, I enjoy looking into the distant sky, the green foliage that accompanies me always, and the cute rural villages. I sometimes laugh from good memories, break into a dance when a good soundtrack shuffles through the headphones but mostly it is shifting my hands and bum ever so slightly to ease the strain. But the body is becoming stronger.
Upon reaching Kuala Lipis, I spot a big market where people buy food and drinks before breaking the fast. For me, as a veggie, options are really limited but I like looking at the sights!
Day 8 and Day 9: Kuala Lipis to Ringlet (122 km with 2500 m gain) and Ringlet to Ipoh (110 km) - crossing the Cameron Highlands
The long climb up to the Cameron Highlands was the toughest of the cycling days. Sun beating down, no shade on the roadside, no water or food for hours - just a long, slow torturing climb. The evening rain brought much relief.
10 km before Ringlet, the dense jungle canopy gave away to mega scale agro industry. Massive greenhouses draped the steep slopes - many of them torn and tattered by the rain and winds. Toyotas with symbol CH wheeled in and out of the tracks carrying produce from farms to bigger trucks waiting at the roadside of Chinese companies and trade houses. The transformation was ugly but the scale impressive. As the evening worn down, lights came on in some of the greenhouses, which later someone told me, was for growing flowers.
I reach Ringlet by 8, the last few kms grunting and cursing to power through. My first stop was a kind lady from Kuala Lipis selling coconuts from whom I bought the biggest coconut I’ve ever had - the water was sweet and the flesh creamy! She asked for a picture of me with her and posted it as her whatsapp update - cute!
The next day I climbed further into the Highlands with the vibe changing from cute colonial hill stations to agricultural hubs with large markets to administrative centres. The highlands grew pretty much everything - from tea to strawberries to vegetables. Many new parts were being flattened for residential housing.
The roads were quite busy and I was glad for the steep decline getting away from this decimation to the city of Ipoh.
Day 10 and 11: Ipoh to Taiping (90 km) and Taiping to Georgetown (90 km) - Still in Malaysia
Still in bed until 11 in Ipoh, I was in no mood of leaving but with the checkout time out drew nearer, I decided to move on towards Georgetown.
I followed the busy highway no 1 all the way - with the late start the sun was beating down hard. I crossed Kuala Kangsar by 4:30 around this time it started to rain heavily. I cooled off in the rain and still cycled but the puddles on the road became so large that passing cars and trucks through bucket loads of water straight at my face. This was time to stop.
Just after the expressway and the highway tear away from one another, the rural roads were quiet and beautiful. I’ve had bad times riding on Malaysian highways and the peaceful moments on the countryside - the contrast is wild!
After some fresh watermelon juice, I continue on at such a nice pace that i skip the turning for the city of Taiping. It’s dark now - almost 7:30. I check Gmaps and there are no hotels around but I see a mosque and decide to go there.
Inside the mosque, around 50 people are sitting near the entrance and eating - their iftar. Upon seeing me, all heads turn. A man near the head of the table gestures me to come - eat, help yourself he says. I ask him if I can stay the night - sure he says. And so I get a plate and eat the rice and a coconut sauce with what looks like bitter gourd, some watermelons, salad, and sugary drinks. People come up to me to ask if I am eating properly, where I am from, where I am going. Then there is another call for prayer and they all go in while I am left eating the dessert cakes and then take a quick shower.
At night, with the mosque empty, I sleep on the ground under the fan in a big hall. Still twisting and turning one hour later, I feel something and realise that red ants are crawling over me. I dust myself and look for a cleaner part in the centre of the hall. Sleep comes late and by the time I am asleep, the morning call from prayer is announced. I get up and leave.
The ride to Butterworth is those roads that you have to do before entering into a big city. Wide roads, construction, sun pelting on you with no shade. But the ferry terminal gets closer, the hills of Georgetown are now in the background, and soon its the last push.
I take the ferry and enter into Pulau Penang, the famous city of Georgetown. The west to east coast of Malaysia is done - a major milestone reached.
Day 12 and 13: Georgetown and Georgetown to Alor Setar (100 km)
The Georgetown old city was lined with narrow streets and cute tiny houses which reminded me of Venice. Especially liked the drawings and advertisements on bamboo chiks.
Did a tour through a Chinese palace the next day. But after walking in enough circles around the old city, I was eager to move on. It would have been a good place to see and visit but it was not for this trip.
Cycling towards Alor Setar and for the first time no rubber or palm plantations but fields of wheat with small hills in the distance.
Found a nice homestay next on a canal and the sunset in total silence brought some time for reflection on the journey of the past weeks.
Day 14: Alor Setar to Langu (158 km) Crossing Malaysia and entering Thailand / “Solo Ranger”
Eager to reach the border in the afternoon, still 90 km away, I hit the road early. It turned into one of the most beautiful cycling days in Malaysia: quiet country roads with canals on either side and paddy fields stretching into the distance. Cranes and cormorants perched in the water catching fish, while houses sat among mango, papaya, and banana trees.
Soon the paddies gave way to forest as the road entered Perlis National Park. Signboards pointed to the home of the stump-tailed macaque. Before long the road climbed steeply, around a 15 to 20 percent gradient, and under the intense sun it quickly became exhausting. After about 1.5 hours of climbing I reached the top and stopped for water at a small shop where two men were sleeping on the floor among souvenirs and buggy tickets to a viewpoint. One woke up and asked if others were coming behind me.
“No, just me,” I said.
“Ah… a solo ranger.”
A little further ahead two policemen stopped me and showed a printed card warning that the road ahead was under construction and suggesting an alternative route. “I will be fine,” I said, handing the card back. I might ride through jungles and bogs, but I am not doing another climb. In the end the road was not nearly as bad as advertised.
Before the last village of Wang Kelian I passed a police and military checkpoint. After checking my ID they remarked on the brutal heat and offered me two chilled bottles of water.
Wang Kelian, the last village, felt almost abandoned, colorful buildings standing in stark contrast to the jungle around it. After passing Customs and filling out a form at Border Control, with a few questions and fingerprint scans, I was in Thailand.
The signboards turned from blue to yellow and the road shoulders suddenly became much wider. Around 4 PM a heavy afternoon squall forced me to shelter under a roadside stall. The owners invited me under their house, gave me a chair and water while they prepared vegetables for their stall. A woman arriving on a scooter from the market even offered me chocolate mousse.
Later another stall called me over when I mentioned I had not eaten all day. They prepared fresh vegetarian spring rolls from taro, a tofu salad, and orange juice. When I tried to pay, they refused. It was on them.
Already loving Thailand. Warm people, good roads, great food, and the thrill of a new country. In Langu I found a slightly run-down hotel and ended the day with the customary beer.
Day 15 and Day 16: Langu to Trang (98 km) and Trang to Koh Lanta (110 km)
Cycling through Thailand’s countryside is as beautiful as it can be - on some stretches tall rubber trees lean inwards to create a huge arched gateway, providing shade. People wave from outside their homes - the dogs those are a nuisance and I’ve been chased so many times. I am always anticipating one running through a house or a bush barking at me.
I reach Trang comfortably around 4 and while sitting at a restaurant ordering lunch, I meet cdxbikly from China who is also on a bicycle - starting in Singapore and cycling his way through the west coast of Malaysia.
I go to my hostel and then explore the night market just outside it. Later I go to my first Thai massage of my trip which significantly eases the pain i am having between my neck and shoulder blades.
Love the markets that come across on the way - selling fresh, vegetables, meat, juices and cooked foods.