Cycling Gunung Jerai in Kedah, Malaysia
Gunung Jerai is an imposing figure that reaches 1,175m high, presenting an irresistible challenge for many cyclists in Malaysia of different disciplines. The mountain is a massive limestone outcrop surrounded by miles and miles of flat terrain, and features either one of the most arduous and relentless uphill climbs for road cyclists in the country, or deliciously untamed forest trails for mountain bikers.
After a number of local ride features for Cycling Plus Malaysia magazine, I finally came to a point where I was looking for new routes to explore. Between Folding Tales and the magazine, we’d already covered a number of locations including Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Hulu Langat, Langkawi, Terengganu, Morib (Selangor), Kuala Kubu Bahru, Teluk Intan + Ipoh (Perak), Kuala Selangor, Parit + Kuala Kangsar, Malacca (write up coming soon) and many more.
This time we decided to head north once again, to conquer Gunung Jerai, one of the most brutal uphill climbs that exist in Malaysia despite its relatively short distance. Previously featured by our thrill seeking MTB friends Doowaroda, it was now our turn to make the journey to Kedah to put our legs to the test on the winding road. There is no doubt that you need a strong set of pins, good lungs and the mental strength to make it all the way up to the top of Gunung Jerai. After ticking that off your cycling bucket list, the surrounding foothills are perfect for a kampung exploration ride.
Getting to Gunung Jerai and where to stay
By road the route is fairly simple, head up north on the PLUS Highway until you reach the Gurun exit. From Gurun town, turn towards Alor Star and you will eventually find access to Gunung Jerai approximately two kilometres from town. If all else fails, any navigational app should point you in the right direction. You could fly to the Alor Star Airport or the Penang International Airport, but you would still need a vehicle to drive to the mountain itself. The same goes for getting there by bus or train, unless you plan to cycle the last stretch to Jerai itself, carrying all your gear.
Having procured two shiny Mercedes Benz vehicles for a local feature tie-in, you could say we rolled into the area with a bit too much style. Our first stopping point was a small roadside stall, and the sight of these two vehicles in showroom condition with bikes mounted on top must have been somewhat unusual, because everyone at the establishment turned to look. We were definitely earmarked as out-of-towners wherever we went, though the locals are a pretty relaxed and friendly type of folk who are used to seeing cyclists in the area.
Do remember though, the villages and neighbourhoods around Jerai are still fairly rural and you won’t have the normal 24 hour mamaks and convenience stores that stay open late like in the tourist towns in Penang and Malacca. Much like what we discovered cycling in Terengganu, the day starts pretty early in Kedah, and bedtime automatically adjusts accordingly. Even food is available up until a certain hour, so ensure you have procured everything you need in terms of supplies before everyone shuts their doors for the night.
There aren’t that many hotels to stay in there; the most luxurious one could very well be the Jerai Hill Resort itself at the peak of the mountain. Thanks to the digital age however, there are a number of homestays you can find and book online. These are scattered around the area, with the foothills largely divided into five mukims (administrative areas) namely Yan, Guar Chempedak, Gurun, Bedong and Merbok. You can choose to stay to the south of Gunung Jerai if you want to be closer to the Bujang Valley archeological site or to the west if you want to be closer to the coast and the fishing villages.
But since our idea was to cycle up the mountain first and then around it, we found a fairly large Airbnb homestay in Guar Chempedak run by an elderly couple but belonging to their kids who worked and lived out of town. They needed a house for when they came home to visit, but put it up for short term rent the rest of the year. The terrace house had a nice view of paddy fields and the kampung, plus Jerai itself, and was a very short drive or ride to the entrance at the foothills and the only road going all the way up.
Mount Jerai, the pride of Kedah
Located at the border of the Kuala Muda and Yan districts, Gunung or Mount Jerai forms part of the Titiwangsa Range, the chain of mountains that form the backbone of Peninsular Malaysia, and stretches all the way up to southern Thailand. Despite being a part of the mountain range, it is unique considering its geographical location - a lone rock formation near the sea surrounded by flatlands of paddy fields that appear to stretch all the way to the horizon. This gives the peak a magnificent unobstructed view of the sea, even Pulau Langkawi if the skies are clear. This made the mountain serve quite well as a navigational point for seafarers more than 1500 years ago.
Gunung Jerai covers a total of 8,560ha, almost all of which was gazetted as a permanent forest reserve in 1953. Due to the unique terrain and its flora and fauna, as well as the history of the place, Gunung Jerai is a favourite spot for hikers too. A range of outdoor activities can be enjoyed there besides cycling and jungle trekking, including waterfall hunting, flying fox or abseiling, paragliding and camping. For nature buffs, Jerai is home to medicinal plants and herbs not found elsewhere, and several rare orchid species. There is also a Forestry Museum, if you’re so inclined. Even the forest landscape changes from lowland to montane conifer forest as you go higher.
As the highest peak in Kedah, Gunung Jerai has a history that dates back centuries. Considered sacred by ancient Hindus, many temples were built on the mountain, which was also a focal point for prayers by Hindu-Buddhist priests for the safety of nearby Bujang Valley, the sprawling archeological complex that is the largest and richest in Malaysia. There is an archeological museum there that holds the remains and cultural artefacts from the thriving Hindu-Buddhist civilisation that existed there until the early 1100's.
Of course, the mountain comes with rich tales of folklore, including some related to the fanged king Raja Bersiong as well as Merong Mahawangsa; there’s even a myth of a bathing dragon that lends its name to a beautiful and pristine waterfall. Locals will tell you to proceed with caution, after many tales of how people have gone missing at the mountain. Just like many other remote and wild places in Malaysia, elves and spirits are believed to dwell on Gunung Jerai too. Whether you believe in any of these tales of the supernatural, it is always good to have a local guide before starting any such excursions up in the mountain that go off the paved path.
Cycling up Gunung Jerai
For the road cyclists, the climb features a relentless ascent with no breaks in between and a descent that is steep and peppered with hairpin switchbacks. With a total distance of 12 kilometres, the gradients average at between 9 and 15%, with the last 3 kilometres to the summit the hardest at 11% to 14% gradients. For first-timers attempting the road climb, there are a few things to be wary of.
Start early - How long it takes for you to finish this climb will largely depend on your physical and mental state, so it is tough to determine a proper general or average duration. Our advice is to start early morning in case you need extra time to complete the ride, and also give yourself time to snap a mandatory photo at the top, as well as enjoy a cuppa at the open air cafe attached to the resort.
Disc brakes vs rim brakes - There are some cyclists who will only do this on MTBs so that they have the benefit of strong brakes and bikes specifically geared for climbing. Some cyclists will opt for lightweight climbing bikes, some only disc brake equipped bikes of whatever sort, due to the steepness of the descent. Regardless of whichever you choose, make sure your brakes are in working order before attempting this ride, because this is one mountain where brake fade could very well spell disaster.
Gearing for climbing - Gearing that allows you to spin up comfortably will differ from cyclist to cyclist, but generally anything bigger than a 28T cassette in the rear should get you up this hill with the right pacing. Unless you’re an elite athlete, a 1:1 gear ratio would be ideal, or anything close to it. If you’re a fan of grinding, keep in mind that even a local pro cyclist who regularly competes in Le Tour de Langkawi rode up this climb with a speed of less than 10km/h.
*Pictures courtesy of Doowaroda.
For the mountain bikers, Gunung Jerai is also equally appealing; the long trails that snake through the lush forest are extremely technical, covered in a maze of roots and the terrain steep to boot. There are a number of trails maintained by the local MTB community, but even so, these are all pretty unique in the sense that they have been left natural and wild with no removal of tree roots, mature trees or significant soil movement.
If you’re a cyclist of the adrenaline seeking persuasion, you might want to keep in mind that these trails aren’t for the faint of heart. They are considered some of the toughest in Malaysia, or so we’ve been told. For more info, do check out what our friends at Doowaroda had to say about Gunung Jerai’s MTB trails.
Exploring the foothills of Gunung Jerai
For those who are not really keen on testing their limits cycling up Gunung Jerai, it is possible to get some decent mileage on the roads surrounding the mountain. The five main areas I mentioned above, namely Yan, Guar Chempedak, Gurun, Bedong and Merbok, have a range of different road conditions that go through some pretty scenic rural areas, with Jerai as a backdrop.
At the time, we needed a gran fondo for July, so we set about plotting a roughly figure eight course that would take us around the base of the mountain, and the kampung locations surrounding it. There are many variations that can be made to this route of course, but this should hopefully give you an idea of what kind of cycling is possible in this area. Using our Airbnb in Guar Chempedak as the starting point, our route would take us through a loop heading northwest, before riding south down to Yan somewhat parallel to the coastline and having a brief stop for a quick drink at the beach itself.
Once on the southern foothills of Jerai we entered Merbok and then crossed through Bedong in the southeast corner, before looping back up to Gurun in the eastern side and finishing back at our starting point of Guar Chempedak. Overall, the ride could be divided into two parts, namely 50km of flat terrain riding through kampungs and paddy fields, coming near to the starting point at which you can either call it quits or continue for another 50km around the base of Jerai, with some really gentle rolling terrain around the foothills and eventually a busier road with more traffic.
Overall, most roads or paths are accessible by road bikes so it is all up to you what kind of bikes you are more comfortable with. I have to admit however, that we did wish we had a full group with wider tyres that were able to go straight into the paddy fields itself! If gran fondos are not your thing, just spending a day or two exploring at a leisurely pace is perfectly fine too. If you find yourself getting lost and have trouble navigating, don’t be shy to ask for directions or for any help from the locals.
To be honest, there are many days when I wish I had more time to amble along rather than ride like my life depends on it, but our trips are often more brief than I prefer them to be because ultimately they were work assignments and not actual holidays (a workcation is not a real one , lol). Obviously I do feel the need to head back there and do a lot more exploring. For the intrepid cycling adventurer, there’s infinitely a lot more to Kedah than the tourism brochures, something that applies to the rest of Malaysia as a whole too. If you make it to Jerai, do let us know if you’ve made any more discoveries yourself, we always love to compare notes with fellow riders!
If you haven’t had enough of Kedah, read up on how we did the infamous Langkawi round island ride.
For a true coastal ride, you can also check out our trip to the Terengganu coast.
*Special thanks to the folks at Mercedes Benz Malaysia for hooking us up with the cars for this trip, while Thule Southeast Asia supplied us with roof racks. Special mention goes to Adam Aubrey, Hafiz Jelir and Zahir Zaini who made it a fun weekend and helped contribute photos for our write up.
