Scariest routes for a night ride in Singapore.

Covid has certainly re-ignited hobbies! Take cycling. I became a “victim” of this increasingly popular pastime. But hor, everybody also has the same idea, so the parks, trails, PCN and even small roads are crowded with cyclists!

But luckily, one of my garang cycling buddy suggested night cycling – it’s cooler, no one can see the unfit cyclists, but also less crowded. But not just night cycling hor… cycling at scary places! Let me take you on a journey to the twilight zone.

1. Rifle Range Road

This rather twisty stretch of road is a firm favourite for cyclists as you can see groups of them, especially on the weekends. For drivers and riders, this is one enjoyable route if you love winding turns and bends. But here’s where it gets scary. Come nightfall, it takes on a more “sinister” scenery – scary siah! All thanks to the stretch after the army camp that is devoid of street lamps. So imagine riding when you can’t even see ahead of you! My strong advice: bring a lamp as bright as headlights!

👻 Spooky Rating 👻

2. Punggol Road

Punggol – the land of mangrove swarms of the past, now rebuilt into a crowded town. When you ride here, it is like riding into a murky history filled with atrocities. Take Punggol Road  – a narrow two-way road, which leads to the furthest end of Punggol, Punggol Beach. This is one of the sites of the Sook Ching massacre by the Japanese soldiers during the Second World War. Need I say more?

Human remains have also been found on Punggol Beach back in the 90s. It may be a new town, but its dark past looms over Punggol Road and anyone who has tried cycling down this road at night would attest to its sinister atmosphere, undoubtedly making it one of the scariest roads to travel alone in Singapore.

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3. Lim Chu Kang Road (Cemetery)

Even at daytime, this long road already looks eerie! It’s located far away from civilisation! It’s a straight section that’s also a hotspot for illegal drag racing. So do watch out. But watch out also for the scare factor – the numerous cemeteries! The flora adds to the tranquil but sinister ambience which will certainly makes for a ride that toys with your imagination. But wait!

There has been many accounts of ghostly encounters, from the cliched taxi uncles picking up human-but-not human beings, to drivers seeing spirits at the numerous bus stops along the road. Perhaps, they need a ride from you… on your bike!

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4. Old Upper Thomson Road

Before F1, this famous stretch of road had it’s fair share of Grand Prix excitement in the 1960s to 1970s. Marked by challenging sections with menacing names like 'Devils Bend' and 'Murder Mile', it was notorious for claiming seven lives during the 11 years of the Singapore Grand Prix held there. You get what’s coming next right? Eerie factors plus the dark of the night makes it a Grand Prix circuit from “Hell” Muahahaha!

There have been stories of taxi uncles cabbies picking up passengers who pay with 'hell notes' and claims of ghostly sightings, this is certainly a road that both the faint-hearted and inexperienced riders should avoid. You have been warned. Muahahaha! P.S. Motorised vehicles are banned from 7.30pm to 6am daily, so as not to disturb the animals in the forested area. But you might be “lucky” enough to encounter other forms of “animals”. 

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5. Mount Pleasant Road

Urban legends has it that if you are here at night on its winding, narrow paths, you can smell the sweet fragrance of Frangipanis. Do not stop and smell the Frangipanis! The smells signals a Pontianak (Malay mythical vengeful female ghost) nearby. Google online and you will find stories of an encounter with a floating lady in red on this road! (Check your shorts at this time).

Like Punggol Beach, this was also one of the sites where the Sook Ching massacre took place during the Second World War. Branching out from Thomson Road, it is situated in the vicinity of the former Bukit Brown Cemetery as well as the Old Police Academy, locations that are often mentioned in hair-raising horror stories here.

So riders, when you take a whiff of Frangipanis while cycling here, change gear and speed off! Maybe Mount Pleasant Road should change its name to Mount Not-So-Pleasant.

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6. Tampines Road

If you have travelled here before, you will realise how narrow and uneven it is. For drivers to drive at night, it can be dangerous. So for you cyclist… a lagi shiok challenge awaits! The story goes that many freak accidents have occurred on this stretch of road, resulting in deaths. This road also has its fair share of taxi uncles picking up other-worldly forms, until they find out too late! That should explain why there are numerous temples that line the road – to ward off evil spirits. So thrill-seekers, gear up, gang up and make a bee-line for Tampines Road!

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Let's hear from those who dared… and lived to tell the tale

We spoke to veteran rider Mike who belongs to the FNR (Friday Night Rides) group who has ridden on such routes before.  

“I use to go off-road in my younger days every weekend as it’s fun and challenging and quite technical, but now I have stop for a while now as I’m getting lazy to wash my bike and travel to the trail without a vehicle. Night time has always be my favourite time to ride as it is cool and there’s less traffic. Me and my friends like riding to cemeteries around Singapore and some of my friends claim to see figures sitting on trees, fireball floating around and even voices in our ears! Thankfully, nothing drastic happened to any one of us and we live to ride another day!”

These are just some of our suggestions. Of course there are scarier routes e.g. the old Changi hospital road. If you have been night riding, tell us your own “pee factor” via email at (address). We’d love to hear from you. As usual, please follow all the riding rules applicable and ride safely. In fact, you have to be extra careful since it’s dark at night. You’ll never know who’s riding along with you! Boo!