Team Events · ALA Road Trip

12 DAYS, 3,300KM: THE SINGAPORE TO PHUKET ROADTRIP

01 – 12 Nov 2026 · Singapore to Phuket, Thailand · 10 min read

12 days. 4 cars. 9 people. Over 3,300km conquered. From 1 to 12 November, we traded the office for the open road and drove from Singapore to Kuantan and Penang, across the Thai border to Krabi and Phuket, and home again via Hat Yai and Kuala Lumpur.

It was a different kind of team event. No more work, just long drives, good food and the kind of conversations that only happen when you spend twelve days on the road together.

DAY 0: IT STARTED WITH ONE CRAZY QUESTION

The highlight was not just the drive. It all began with one crazy question back in our office: is it possible for us to drive to Phuket? Too far, too troublesome, too time-consuming. And how would we ever find 12 days to do it?

Sometimes, all it takes is the right people around you to stretch you and turn the impossible into possible. So we said yes, mapped out the route and started counting down to 01 November.

THE ROAD NORTH STARTED AT 6:30AM

Group selfie at a Petronas station at night

Every car had its role. Vincent led the way in the Mercedes-Benz S320, with Valerie organising all our food and accommodation. Alex and Jane added a little AMG thrill in the Mercedes-AMG GLB35. Daniel Lee and Rachel's turquoise Porsche Macan was our beacon on the road. And Daniel Phua and Alan brought up the rear in the Land Rover Defender as our sweeper for road safety, while Boon Kheng recorded all the action.

We set off from Singapore and headed up the east coast to Kuantan, then cut across the peninsula to Penang before making our way north to the Thai border.

Hours on the road turned into conversations about family, business and the year ahead and every stop are moment to remember.

The hidden viewpoint at Penyabong

Our first big stop up the east coast was the Hidden Viewpoint at Penyabong in Johor. A narrow road cuts between pale rock walls and drops towards the sea, with a small green island sitting just offshore.

At the top, a signpost points the way to Johor Bahru, Mersing and beyond. We parked the cars, raised our hands under the Malaysian flag and took the first group photo of the trip.

The whole team waving at the signpost behind the GLB and Macan

A couple on the cliff road at Penyabong with the island behind — Penyabong's Hidden Viewpoint: rock walls, open sea and our first group photo.

Two of the team beside the S-Class on the cliff road — Penyabong's Hidden Viewpoint: rock walls, open sea and our first group photo.

Kuantan by the sea

Our first night was at the Hyatt Regency Kuantan Resort. Before checking out, we took a group photo under the palms at the entrance, then a few car portraits against the green hillside.

Lunch was a proper Malaysian spread: nasi lemak with crispy fried chicken, mee goreng and char kway teow. Then we lined the cars up along the beachfront for one last look at the South China Sea.

The team under the palm trees at the Hyatt Regency Kuantan Resort — Kuantan: the Hyatt, a Malaysian lunch and the convoy by the beach.

The Porsche Macan crew against the green hillside — Kuantan: the Hyatt, a Malaysian lunch and the convoy by the beach.

RIP DRONE AT KUANTAN
(FINAL VIDEO BEFORE EAGLE ATTACK)

At Kuan Tan beach, Boon Kheng sent his drone up to capture the convoy from above. Within minutes, eagles swooped in and attacked it mid-air. It was over almost before we could react.

Drone shots of the convoy parked along the beachfront

EAGLES 1 VS DRONE 0

Sadly, our drone did not survive the encounter. Lesson learned: up there, the eagles rule the skies. Not ready to give up on our aerial shots, we went out and bought a new drone, and the journey carried on.

Our new drone and controller, ready to fly again — Our new drone, ready to take to the skies again.

ROLLING INTO PENANG

Penang was our last stop in Malaysia before before the drive to the Thailand border, we lined the Defender, Macan, S-Class and GLB up outside the hotel for a send-off photo. Late-night fuel stops became part of the routine too, with the whole crew squeezed into one selfie.

Along the way, we stopped for a cup of Chang Jiang white coffee, and one night ended in a cosy lounge with bottles on the table and stories from the first few days on the road

Group selfie outside Chang Jiang White Coffee — White coffee by day, a quiet drink together by night.

The team gathered around a table in a whisky lounge — White coffee by day, a quiet drink together by night.

The team waving in front of the Defender, Macan and S-Class at the Penang hotel — All four cars and the whole crew, ready for Thailand.

Eating our way through Penang

No trip to Penang is complete without its food, and we made sure to eat well. We started with a morning feast of dim sum, with steamers of siew mai, har gow, chicken feet and fluffy char siew bao filling the whole table.

Then it was on to the hawker classics: a bowl of tangy assam laksa from Penang Road Famous Laksa, smoky char kway teow with fat prawns, crispy oyster omelette, and a plate of rojak buried under crushed peanuts. To cool down, we finished with icy bowls of cendol.

The team gathered around a dim sum table in Penang — Dim sum, laksa, char kway teow, oyster omelette, rojak and chendol: Penang on a plate.

Picking up siew mai with chopsticks — Dim sum, laksa, char kway teow, oyster omelette, rojak and chendol: Penang on a plate.

Welcome to Thailand

Crossing at Sadao, the Thailand flag and the Welcome to Thailand arch told us we had made it over the border. After the paperwork, we gathered in the customs car park for a photo before heading on.

From here, the real adventure began. Over the days that followed, we navigated unfamiliar bumpy roads, detoured around floods and rode out some very unpredictable weather. Sounds crazy? It was. But we did it, together.

Sadao customs house, the Welcome to Thailand arch and the Macan on the highway — Over the border at Sadao and into southern Thailand.

The team waving in front of the Sadao customs checkpoint — Over the border at Sadao and into southern Thailand.

ACROSS THE THAILAND BORDER TO KRABI

Once across the border, the scenery changed. Rainforest and towering limestone cliffs lined the roads into Krabi, and every roadside stop was a chance to stretch, refuel and take in the view.

Aerial view of the four cars at Samet Nangshe with the karst islands behind

KRABI LIFE: AO NANG AND SAMET NANGSHE

A morning walk along the Ao Nang beachfront

The team waving on the Ao Nang beachfront with the islands behind — Ao Nang by the sea and the convoy at Samet Nangshe.

In Krabi, a morning walk along the beachfront in Ao Nang, with limestone cliffs rising out of the water, set the pace for the days ahead. Krabi also gave us one of the most memorable nights of the trip: a blackout at our resort, which only gave us more stories to tell.

On the way to Phuket, we pulled into a gravel lot at Samet Nangshe in Phang Nga. From above, the four cars sat in a neat row, with the bay's karst islands stretching out behind them.

KICKstart PHUKET: ATVs and a sunset dinner

Our first full day in Phuket started off-road. We took a convoy of ATVs up muddy jungle trails to a lookout over the island, arms out for the photo at the top.

That evening, we booked a long table on a hillside terrace above Kata and Karon. Storm clouds rolled in over the Andaman Sea, and the sky turned gold, then pink, as the lights came on along the bay.

The team standing on their ATVs at a jungle lookout — Off-road in the morning, a sky like this by night.

The team at a long table on the hillside terrace — Off-road in the morning, a sky like this by night.

OUR HOME BASE POOL VILLA FOR 4 DAYS

In Phuket, we settled into a private pool villa that became our home base. Mornings started by the pool, afternoons were for exploring the island and evenings ended around the pool table with stories from the day. We also found quiet moments at a hilltop café overlooking the Andaman Sea.

After days of long drives, unpredictable weather and bumpy roads, the villa was exactly what we needed. Thanks to Valerie's planning, we had space to slow down, share meals together and end each night with a glass of wine by the pool, swapping stories and laughing about everything the road had thrown at us.

The private pool villa in Phuket — Our private pool villa in Phuket, by day and by night.

Poolside at the villa — Our private pool villa in Phuket, by day and by night.

PHUKET ISLAND HOPPING

One of the highlights of the trip was a full day cruise out on the water in Phang Nga Bay to James Bond Island. We cruised past limestone karsts rising straight out of the sea, stopped at the famous James Bond Island for a group photo and jumped in for a swim off the boat.

On board, the crew handed round frozen blue drinks while we stretched out on the deck cushions and watched the islands drift past. Life jackets on, we waded ashore beneath the overhanging rock at Khao Phing Kan to see the famous needle of Ko Tapu up close.

As the day wound down, the sky over the bay turned pink and gold. It was a fitting end to a perfect day at sea.

Limestone karsts rising out of Phang Nga Bay — Phang Nga Bay, James Bond Island and a sunset to remember.

The team on deck — Phang Nga Bay, James Bond Island and a sunset to remember.

Seafood and a last look at Phuket

For our final big meal, we picked our lunch straight from the tanks at a seaside market: river prawns, mantis prawn, squid, fish and clams. Minutes later it came back grilled, fried with garlic and stir-fried in curry, with cold Leo beer on the side.

On the way back, we stopped at a clifftop viewpoint on Phuket's southern tip for one more look at the turquoise water before the long drive home.

Seafood tanks and baskets of fresh catch at the market — Fresh from the tank to the table, then one last view of Phuket.

Stir-fried squid in curry sauce with a Leo beer — Fresh from the tank to the table, then one last view of Phuket.

The long way home

With one last jump by the pool, we said goodbye to Phuket and began the journey home. We headed south to Hat Yai, crossed back into Malaysia and made our way down to Kuala Lumpur before the final stretch home to Singapore.

Our four-car convoy parked under the trees on the drive from Hat Yai to Kuala Lumpur — The convoy home, from Hat Yai to Kuala Lumpur.

Our Porsche Macan crew beneath the limestone cliffs on the way to Kuala Lumpur — Every car, every crew, beneath the limestone cliffs on the drive from Hat Yai to Kuala Lumpur.

Our Mercedes-AMG GLB crew on the drive home — Every car, every crew, beneath the limestone cliffs on the drive from Hat Yai to Kuala Lumpur.

BACK TO CITY LIFE IN KL

Before the final stretch home, we spent a little time soaking up Kuala Lumpur. By night, the Petronas Twin Towers lit up the skyline, and we took them in from a rooftop view and from right beneath the towers.

Dinner was a wagyu feast, grilled right at our table. The last day, we strolled past the red-brick Diesel Room, and our last stop was Grumpy Bagels for coffee and bagels, including a chocolate hazelnut bagel worth the drive on its own. Then it was time to head south and back home to Singapore.

The Petronas Twin Towers lit up at night from a rooftop — KL by night, wagyu on the grill and bagels at Grumpy Bagels before heading home.

Bagels and coffee at Grumpy Bagels — KL by night, wagyu on the grill and bagels at Grumpy Bagels before heading home.

DAY 12: HOME SWEET HOME SINGAPORE

12 days, 4 cars, 9 people and over 3,300km later, we came home with a bucket-list trip checked off and closer as a team. We will remember the beautiful sunsets, a cruise that made us lose track of time, wine in our pool villa, live seafood by the beach and conquering new roads together.

Thank you everyone, for making these 12 days such a fun and memorable Phuket road trip. Would we do it again? Why not! Who's next with us?

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