Top 5 Malaysian Driving Roads

We've all heard of the Autobahn and the Isle of Man, places where the laws of Physics are simply ignored. However, you don't need to be in Europe to enjoy driving your car as there are many driving roads in our country that offer nearly equal driving pleasure for both car and SUV owners a like. We shortlisted five such roads that you need to know about.

Bukit Putus

Bukit Putus is a notorious stretch of nearly abandoned road which once connected Paroi to Ulu Bendol in Negeri Sembilan. You get there Lekas highway from Kajang all the way to the last exit called Ampangan. Or you could get on the north-south highway, head south, and exit at Senawang and follow the road signs to Kuala Pilah.

There's barely any traffic these days ever since a new bypass was constructed and opened to traffic in 2009. Except for a few slow moving trucks and villagers, this stretch of road is driving heaven. The road is beautifully curvy with a variety of camber change. However because there isn't a lot of traffic, there's a lot of leaves on the road and that means a lot of moss growing everywhere. An SUV would be a handful here, with the AWD system working overtime to ensure you stick your desired line.

It's not a very long stretch, maybe a little less than 10km of snaking black top, so perhaps you would want to take a slow drive at first to learn the road and the many drop offs into the ravine below, then turn around and go completely ballistic with it. But watch your wheels though; one of the members of our team once had a Lotus Exige S bite him when he least expected it.

Bukit Tinggi

Bukit Tinggi is a popular tourist attraction in the state of Pahang, and is popular among drivers and riders as well. Located about an hour out of Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Tinggi is well known for its Colmar Tropicale, a replica of a northeastern French village from the 16th century.

Besides the lush greenery and serenity, Bukit Tinggi is popular for its collection of corners that are both extremely engaging and varied. There are some that can be conquered without too much thought, while others are off-cambered and slippery. The roads are notorious and many a mighty supercar met an unfortunate fate.

However, the beautiful sceneries and great golf courses make it a worth while drive up the hill.

Cameron Highlands

Cameron Highlands is one of the most visited hilltop resorts in Malaysia. Known for its serenity, great tea, scones, fresh vegetables and a beautiful golf course, Cameron Highlands is also a haven for drivers looking for amazing roads to drive hard on. Until recently that is.

Before Simpang Pulai, there was only one way up to Camerons, and that was via Tapah. The extremely narrow and curvy roads with very little safety features was one of the most dangerous roads around. For fast drivers back then, it was perfect.

Today however the road is in shambles and its condition is extremely bad. When we visited the road recently, we were doing so after a very long time and were not ready for what awaited us. The potholes and badly tarred roads were absolutely brutal but thanks goodness you will be in an SUV so no worries about the bad roads unless you are running low profile tyres, in which case you should avoid this road at all cost.

So thank goodness then for the smooth, wide roads of Simpang Pulai. No potholes, well planned roads that are wide enough to overtake slower traffic and beautiful scenery make the Simpang Pulai - Cameron Highlands stretch one of the best roads in Malaysia.

And the roads in and around Cameron Highland lead to other great destinations on some equally amazing roads as well. Take a drive to Blue Valley and you will be welcomed by even more smooth curvy tarmac. Or you can head up to Ringlet then divert to Kuantan from there for some straight line fun. The roads there are incredible as well, but there are more straights than curves, so just be wary of fast corners. The area is also pretty remote so help won’t be available fast.

Penang Island

If you’re up for a weekend drive to Penang for some R&R and some motoring fun, then the Teluk Bahang road is the most drivable stretch of tarmac the ‘Pearl of the Orient’ has to offer. Loved by locals and outsiders alike, the road is accessible via Batu Ferringghi or Balik Pulau and stretches for close to 20km to either destination. The entire stretch of road basically wraps around the island but is at its most fun around the Teluk Bahang dam on towards Balik Pulau.

The condition of the road is not exactly perfect, but you don’t have to worry about potholes wrecking your tyres. You do however need to be careful here as the road gets terribly narrow especially on the bridges, so watch your speed when approaching any bridge, and do also be wary of the fruit stalls and such.

The other downside is the sheer number of traffic, during the days and weekends there are plenty of cars, bikes and buses that use the road to visit the fruit orchards, the scenic dam, and other touristy places. “We usually drive here at night because there are very few cars, and it’s easy to spot a car coming out of a corner because of the headlights,” said a local friend who’s a regular at ‘touge’ sessions. So if you’re in Penang for a drive, then perhaps it would be wise to stick to advice from the locals.

But be wary as it can be quite deserted at night and there are no street lamps. Like every other stretch of road we have recommended, drive within your limits, get into trouble in a deserted area like this and you could be in for a long wait before help arrives.

Other than all that though, the Teluk Bahang to Balik Pulau road can be some serious fun and it’s definitely worth a visit for every motoring enthusiast.

Semenyih Dam

This stretch of road is close to the city as it starts at Kajang, stretches on for over 50km and on the right time of day it’s completely empty! The tarmac is decently smooth but you have to watch out for a few potholes that almost always seem to be conveniently placed at the apex of a corner.

Timber trucks plough this road in the mornings and afternoons, so don’t expect the roads to be circuit-smooth, the trucks are also painfully slow at the uphill climbs, get stuck behind one and you might have to wait for quite a while before an opportunity to overtake presents itself. The corners around here are tight and plentiful, that also means blind entry’s and massive oversteer, or understeer if your car or driving style so inclines.

The road begins in Kajang, goes past the Semenyih dam, and goes on to Kuala Klawang in Negeri Sembilan and beyond. It’s the old backroad that connects the two towns, and it goes past some native settlements as well, so be wary of people randomly appearing out of nowhere. Other than that though the road is simply beautiful to drive on, it’s very quiet so do be careful when you’re out of your car. Do also ensure your SUV is in top condition and that your bladder is empty, get in trouble here and it will be some time before help comes along.