7 Most Haunted Roads In Malaysia That You’ll Want To Steer Clear Of At Night

Haunted roads in Malaysia

Ask a Malaysian what they find frightening on roads and they’ll likely share scary encounters with tailgaters and road ragers. But there seems to be more to fear than that. We’re talking about the allegedly haunted roads in Malaysia where multiple people have reported brushes with the supernatural that’ll send all sorts of shivers up your spine.

We’ve gathered a list of these roads below so you can steer clear of them on your night drives – or journey on through them if you’ve the guts to.

1. Karak Highway

Image credit: Lebuhraya Pantai Timur via Facebook

We can’t begin this list without mentioning Karak Highway. This notorious road is often dubbed the “most haunted highway in Malaysia”, thanks to the many supernatural tales linked to it. 

The long and winding road stretching 60km gets you fairly quickly to popular destinations in Pahang – not the least of which is Genting Highlands. However, it is known to have claimed the lives of numerous road users over the decades. The most infamous tragic accident that occurred here, referred to as the 1990 Highway Crash, involved a staggering 12-vehicle pile-up and 17 lives lost in total.

The popular highway has even inspired multiple movies – the most famous one is the horror-thriller, ‘Karak’.
Image credit: KRU Studios via YouTube

The many road accidents that have taken place on this highway have inevitably contributed to the high number of supernatural sightings by travellers through here. The most well-known story involves a driverless yellow Volkswagen that is said to mysteriously appear in front of drivers before vanishing into thin air. Those who frequent the area advise against overtaking the phantom vehicle, as the car would only keep distressingly reappearing in front of you.

Other road users have also claimed to see a flying pontianak seeking revenge after her death, and a wandering schoolboy looking for his mum after perishing in an accident.

2. Bukit Tunku

Image adapted from: Google Maps

Most people around KL know Bukit Tunku, or Kenny Hills, for the many luxe bungalows and condominiums tucked away here. But behind the affluent facade of this exclusive residential area are some pretty spooky stories that have led road users to avoid coming here at night.

There are a handful of abandoned mansions throughout this hillside neighbourhood that undoubtedly contribute to its mysterious aura. However, the stories surrounding one incident in particular that occurred here in 2017, are likely the reason why the road up this hill came to be known as the “scariest road in KL”. 

The viral dashcam footage of the supposed apparition.
Image credit: YouTube

In a widely-circulated video from that time, a motorist documented his encounter with a mysterious cross-legged entity while on his way down a bendy road here. The source of the video claimed that his car’s emergency lights turned on by itself and the dashboard camera started malfunctioning during the encounter. The incident was so notorious it was even covered by the British tabloid, The Mirror.

One of many abandoned structures in Bukit Tunku.
Image credit: Amy’s Crypt

While many have casted doubt on the video’s authenticity, there have been other scary accounts – one of these tells of a phantom motorcycle that lurks Jalan Tunku after its rider met with their tragic demise on the hill. There’s also an infamous story attached to one of the abandoned mansion here – legend has it that the woman who once lived there committed suicide and continues to lurk the house.

3. Jalan Gombak

Jalan Gombak is the twisty road on the lower part of the map.
Image credit: Google Maps

Before there was Karak Highway, Jalan Gombak was the main connector between Gombak, Selangor, and Kampung Ketari in Bentong, Pahang. Today, most opt to take the newer and more straightforward Karak Highway to skip the long, winding, and sharp bends of the former route.

And, of course, to avoid potentially running into the otherworldly entities that allegedly haunt the area.

The bends here make it hard to see far down the road, adding to its eeriness.
Image credit: Google Maps

Flanked by dense forests, the narrow and quiet Jalan Gombak nevertheless remains in use today by a small number of cars and cyclists. However, the old road takes you past some of Malaysia’s most famous abandoned structures and places, helping to give rise to many spooky legends in the area.

Image credit: YouTube

The typical ghostly apparitions and mysterious night scents aside, one video clip from 2019 went viral for showing white willowy “fingers” dropping a car mat from the window of a wrecked vehicle being lifted from the side of a cliff. The video-taker claimed that he saw nothing suspicious while he was filming the tow operation – only later when he uploaded the video did he notice the creepy and baffling appendage.

Image credit: Azizan Osman via Google Maps

Along this road you’ll also find a creepy abandoned building known as the Gombak Police Station. Rumour has it that the building was constructed during the Malayan Emergency to house a British office overseeing a nearby dam before it became known as a police station – likely due to the blue paint accents on the exterior of the structure.

Many curious individuals have ventured into the derelict structure, hoping to catch a glimpse of the entities said to reside within. 

Interestingly enough, the famously abandoned theme park Mimaland is also situated along Jalan Gombak.

4. Jalan Bukit Putus

Image credit: @firdauszulfaa via X

During its heyday, Jalan Bukit Putus was the only road that could get you between Kuala Pilah and Seremban. It’s dubbed “serpentine road” by locals for its infamous 32 twists and turns and is still used by cars and cyclists. But the new federal road to bypass the sharp corners and common landslides of the area has led the road to become an alternative route during congested traffic. 

The presently less-travelled Jalan Bukit Putus, which remains flanked by dense greenery and deep gorges, has a pretty rich history. In 1875, the area saw the legendary Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Antah Yamtuan and his 4,000-men force take on the British to fight back against colonial rule. 

Image credit: N9 INFO TRAFFIC via Facebook

Given the bloodshed the area has seen, it’s no wonder the road racked up its spooky reputation.

Among the mysterious legends attached to this area is one of a Chinese man who put a cat in a chicken coop. The cat later shapeshifts into a fierce tiger, or creature known as Tok Paroi. Another tale tells of a Chinese man living under a bridge, who mysteriously disappears after being given food by the locals. 

5. Gambang-Kuantan Highway

Image credit: Google Maps

Nothing might seem amiss when you’re travelling along Gambang-Kuantan Highway, also known as Jalan Gambang among locals. But along this stretch of road sits a mystifying restaurant that has sparked most of the toe-curling tales surrounding this area – Restoran Adik Manja.

Image credit: Nik Ifran via Blogspot

According to locals, the restaurant opened sometime in the 1990s under a different name. It has since been left abandoned, and is now devoid of activity – though it allegedly comes to life at night. 

The chilling accounts linked to this eatery generally go like this: an unsuspecting driver would stop here for a meal past sundown, attracted either by the restaurant’s bright and lively atmosphere or unique name – only to learn that the place is abandoned when they return during daytime. 

The restaurant now attracts budding paranormal investigators looking to catch a glimpse of the entities that supposedly haunt the place.

6. Yong Peng-Pagoh

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Yong Peng-Pagoh road looks like any other Malaysian road in the day. But many locals claim that this route is just as haunted as Karak Highway, their stories corroborated by several bloggers who have shared their firsthand eerie experiences from their travels down this road near midnight. 

The road has pretty much seen it all – from a lady in white and her son asking for help to fill their petrol tank, to a stalled white Daihatsu Charade and hitchhiking entities. While these encounters remain largely unexplained, some speculate that the road became ‘haunted’ due to the numerous tragic accidents that have taken place here. 

One recent case involved a car crash victim whose body was found 10 months after driving into a ravine, 67 metres from the highway. A skull was found near the accident site, separated from the rest of the corpse. In 2023, another incident saw the tragic deaths of three passengers locked inside a vehicle parked at the Yong Peng R&R. 

7. Bukit Bauk

Image credit: Mohd Firdaus Mohd Pouzi via Google Maps

Just a short drive from Dungun, Terengganu, is Bukit Bauk – a road once widely used by locals before it was replaced by the newer LebuhRaya Pantai Timur 2 (LPT2). While the area is known for its scenic hiking trails that lead up to lookout points, many claim to feel their hair stand when travelling along its narrow, meandering roads.

Various haunting tales have been told about the road, including a widely circulated story of a taxi driver who picked up what he believed to be a wandering soul. The story goes that he was stopped by a long-haired woman wearing strong perfume, who could not afford a ride home. He kindly drove her to her home without charging her, only to find out the next morning from her parents that she had passed on a month earlier.

Haunted roads in Malaysia that’ll make you want to U-turn

Whether or not you believe in the supernatural, these haunted roads in Malaysia have certainly racked up a notorious reputation for themselves both locally and abroad. Needless to say, you’ll want to drive safely if you decide to journey on any of these roads – especially past sundown. 

If you enjoyed reading about these roads, you’ll want to discover these 7 abandoned places in Malaysia and these 14 haunted hotspots in Malaysia.

Cover image adapted from: Google Maps, @firdauszulfaa via X, Nik Ifran via Blogspot