West Malaysia loop ride

We started early in the morning, while it was still dark. I met Tony and Alex at the car park at Jurong McDonald’s.

We gathered quickly, exchanged a few words, and just like that — we were off.

It was the perfect morning to ride. Cool, dark, light traffic. The crossing at the Tuas Checkpoint was smooth — surprisingly so. There were barely any motorcycles out, and we breezed through in no time at all. A quick fuel stop, then we were on our way towards breakfast.

The ride up was uneventful in the best way. No drama, no issues. Just smooth roads and time to reacquaint ourselves with our steeds. None of us had ridden in a while — Tony, almost a year. Myself, several months. Alex… maybe even longer. This was a reawakening of sorts.

We eventually arrived at Fang Hui, a coffee shop nestled inside a pineapple plantation. I’d been there before with Amelia and remembered how good the breakfast was. It didn’t disappoint. We were served rich, thick black coffee — no sugar, just the way I like it — and some of the best traditional toast I’ve had in a while. Charcoal-grilled, generously buttered, and layered with kaya. Soft-boiled kampung eggs completed the set. A breakfast worth riding for. Incidentally, it was also during breakfast that we decided on our destination – Kuantan!

Afterwards, we rode through a bit of the plantation to get back to the main road and began making our way across the Malaysian peninsula. Traffic started to pick up as we got closer to Kuantan, and the heat began to rise. The afternoon sun made the ride more draining than expected, but the roads remained smooth and the mood high.

We did have one slight detour — Alex’s bike, as cool as it looks, has a limited range, and we knew we’d have to find fuel around the 200 km mark. The route we’d chosen was more of a rural trunk road, and petrol stations were few and far between. At around 230 km, we spotted a sign pointing left toward a petrol station — 6 km in.

Unfortunately, we didn’t make the turn, thinking the station would be somewhere 6 km further ahead on the same road. Eventually, with fuel starting to run low, we made the call to U-turn and backtrack. Thankfully, we found it without issue, filled up, and got back on the road. Just one of those little things that reminds you — riding is as much about paying attention as it is about enjoying the view.

We reached The Charisma Hotel in Kuantan and checked in. A corner unit shophouse — three floors, we took three rooms. My room was simple but perfect. King-sized bed, attached bathroom, strong air-conditioning, hot water, clean towels — what more could one ask for?

Alex had some trouble with his headlamp, so Tony got to work on it. After a long while of fiddling, we realised it was an intermittent problem — something we couldn’t fix on the spot. We might have to make a stop at a Harley-Davidson dealership at some point on this trip.

Lunch was just around the corner at Lotus, a local shopping centre with a food court. I had Ayam Penyet. Tony went for chicken cutlet with fries. Alex had salmon. Maybe it was the hunger, maybe it was the food — either way, we cleaned our plates without a trace. It hit the spot.

And then, of course, we went to Tea Live — now a WMLR tradition. A ride just isn’t complete without a stop there.

Later in the afternoon, we wandered around the shops. I found myself drawn to all sorts of cute and quirky things — I don’t know why, but they captivated me. Something about being in a different space puts your mind in a different gear.

Dinner was at Restoran HLS, a Chinese restaurant that turned out to be a gem. We had Pao Fan, a hearty rice dish cooked in broth and in earthenware pots, filled to the brim with prawns, crabs, and flavour. We added some steamed ladies’ fingers and braised pork belly — the kind that melts in your mouth. It was all superb. The restaurant had medals on display — well-earned, it seems.

After dinner, we walked to the Kuantan Esplanade. The evening was cool and dry, families were out, and it felt good to just stroll. We saw the Kuantan 188 Tower — tall, glowing, impressive. There’s a skywalk up there, but it was closed. Maybe next time.

We kept walking and stumbled into a beautifully lit backstreet, the backs of shophouses painted with creative murals — reminiscent of Penang, but with their own unique charm. We took many photos before winding down the day with some dessert — a mix of waffles and icy goodness, shared as always.

“The road was smooth, the coffee was hot, and the company was solid. Day 1 delivered.”

It’s been a wonderful start to this year’s WMLR. It feels great to be back on the bike — to hear the engine, to feel the throttle, to ride long, quiet roads with time to think, to reflect, and just be in the moment. These rides are a gift.

I’m grateful to be doing this again — and even more so to be doing it with Tony and Alex. They were part of the very first WMLR ride, and though it’s been years since we last rode together, today felt like no time had passed at all.

Here’s to Day 2.