Mountainbiking Malaysia-style!

There is probably no better way to explore Malaysia’s back country than to ride the steamy single tracks that criss-cross the jungles around KL. To many, it comes as a surprise how quickly the concrete jungle transforms to a natural one. You may find yourself splashing through streams in a quiet pocket of ancient rainforest, with clusters of bemused monkeys looking on, with highways and condos less than 1000m away!

To help you choose from the wide array of biking choices in Malaysia, here are three ways to get spinning:

Bike touring is a new trend in mountain biking in Malaysia. For a reasonable fee, you get to ride all the ‘secret’ trails that only the local bikers know about. All you have to do is bring your own gear, and the courage to face mud bogs that can and will swallow you whole. The touring company provides transportation to and from your hotel, a support vehicle, a mechanic, and a guide for every four riders. The local guides pride themselves on being able to show you only solitary single tracks, and won’t demean you with fire-roads or (gasp!) paved ones.

Depending on your skills, time, and budget, you can go on the half-day Batu Dam ride, around a beautiful reservoir on the outskirts of KL. Feeling more ambitious? How about the Janda Baik Trail, a 2 day/1 night on top of a nearby mountain that is so tough, it’s been known to make grown men weep.

Camping gear is provided, and strategically delivered to a trailhead. An exciting alternative to camping is to stay in a rattan hut deep in the rainforest with Malaysia’s aborigines, the orang asli. They are shy but welcoming to bikers who are a familiar sight out there.

But if you’re up for a combination of challenging terrain, spellbinding vistas, culture and comfort - all without the stifling heat of the lowlands – consider the Jim Thompson Trail high up in the cool Cameron Highlands, just 3 hours’ drive from KL.

It’s basically 2 days’ biking crammed into one. The ride starts at 7a.m. at the bottom of this long valley, famous for its tea. The trail leads ever higher with regular drops down to refreshing streams, where you can have a dip and lunch. You might even come across some orang asli hunters along the way. Atop every ridge, a cool breeze blows across even cooler views across the vast swaths of tea plantations where Malaysia’s famous BOH tea is grown.

The goal is to make it up to the cosy BOH Tea Factory for high tea before they close at 5PM. If you make it – don’t worry, you will -  there’s an outdoor café that serves heavenly scones and tea, that’ll do more for you than an energy bar ever will.