Its a weekday / weekend night, you want to take a quick drive or ride to enjoy the open road and get away from the city. You want to enjoy the views featuring lush greeneries, quaint villages, gentle streams and mountains. But you do not want to spend more than an hour away from the city. Nor do you want to crowd up Genting Highlands. Where can you go?
A getaway right near the city….
Pekan Batu 18
This quaint spot in Hulu Langat is only 26km or 35 odd minutes from KLCC. Or about 40km (40 minutes) from PJ. But in that quick journey you get a spectacular night view of the KL skyline from a safe viewing spot, a mountain pass, and a river that runs right alongside a stream. Plus you have the option to take a lovely 25km loop that brings you right back to Pekan Batu 14. Here’s how you can make best use of this drive route.
Starting from the Klang Valley.
If you’re coming in from the Klang Valley, specifically from PJ or Cheras, we highly recommend using the SUKE highway to get to the start point of this drive. Simply because this route avoids the million traffic lights you will have to encounter in order to get to the start of the route, which is the B62 from Ampang to Hulu Langat. Plus the fact that this highway offers a killer view of the city Skyline from whichever way you take it is an added bonus.
Your first stop
At the start of the route you have a beautiful lookout point called the Ampang Lookout Point. It could be busy on some days but most days especially when you’re on bikes it’s the perfect place to soak in the lovely views of the city, especially after sundown. Take plenty of pictures from this point. Just make sure you dont park your vehicle in a manner that’s inconveniencing others.
The changeover
The uphill side of the mountain is very much an urban space. You know you are at a close proximity with the city. But once you cross over this mountain and reach the traffic light, its like you’ve gone to another state altogather. No skyscrapers, no busy business centres, just a lovely atmosphere between village and small towns. Route B52 towards Pekan Batu 18 is a nice wavey drive and the route runs alongside the Langat River. There are loads of small stalls and event spaces that give it a unique ambiance. Sit at one of the riverside stalls and enjoy a lovely kampung style dinner here.
The extended path
If you want to do more than just hang out at a riverside stall, you can do a quick drive or ride on a 28km loop which will start from Pekan Batu 18 and end at Pekan Batu 14, where you started the journey in the first place. The fact that a lap of the Nurburgring is 20.8km is just a coincidence. This lovely route starts with the B19 which passes a cluster of houses and still goes alongside a river. There’s reasonable amount of lighting but be mindful of the locals, its not a place you want to be speeding. Just enjoy the crisp air and lovely roads.
The road soon gets alot more lonelier mid way. This will be from the junction that goes to the Kuala Klawang road (B32). The road takes you down the B19 right next to the Semenyih dam lake. Finally the last dash would be across another hill, via the B116 or Jalan Sungai Tekali.
The last dash
This section of the road gets really lonely, we highly discourage you from riding here alone at night. Even driving at night can get a little sketchy. This roads have no lights, vehicles passing at night, or even mobile reception. You’d be a sitting duck in the event of a breakdown like even a puncture. But beyond that its a twisty and tight uphill – downhill stretch. Its also got the illuminated road markings that went viral months ago. The entire stretch is surreal to experience at night, with virtually no cars in sight. The route ends at Masjid Al-Amin. The final 5km to Pekan Batu 14 is a usual commute road amongst civilisation.
Return journey
Pekan Batu 14 is only 30 mins away from the city. When you take the B62 you have a myrad of options to travel across the Klang Valley. Plus its usually congestion free at this hour, unlike the Karak Highway on some days. For those who are adventurous, wanna blow off some steam midweek or fancy a weekend drive or ride during sundown, this is the route we recommend. Like all good things, its more fun when you do it with friends. Drive and ride safe.