Northbound Gravel Grinder | Racing Through the Heaven of the North, Perlis, Malaysia

The first-ever gravel race held in Perlis, Malaysia’s northernmost state. The Northbound Gravel Race features a 134 km course with an 80/20 mix of gravel and paved roads. While the route is considered relatively flat, the relentless headwinds made it anything but easy. I rarely cramp during gravel races, but this one pushed me hard. I had to dig deep just to make it to the finish. That said, the landscape here is truly something else. Riding through long stretches of paddy fields and alongside dramatic limestone mountains, it’s easy to see why Perlis is called the Heaven of the North. Fun fact shared by Dzul: these limestone formations were created from ancient marine deposits, meaning this land was once part of an ancient sea millions of years ago. Knowing that made riding through these landscapes feel even more surreal. Huge thanks to the team and race organisers for making this event happen. What a beautiful way to close out the 2025 Malaysia gravel racing calendar. Grateful for a fruitful year in the Malaysian gravel scene. Onwards to the next one Thumbnail portrait by: @selowmelow