diff --git a/google/cloud/spanner_dbapi/connection.py b/google/cloud/spanner_dbapi/connection.py
index efbdc80f3f..07f5f6d3f2 100644
--- a/google/cloud/spanner_dbapi/connection.py
+++ b/google/cloud/spanner_dbapi/connection.py
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ def connect(
     pool=None,
     user_agent=None,
     client=None,
-    route_to_leader_enabled=True,
+    route_to_leader_enabled=False,
 ):
     """Creates a connection to a Google Cloud Spanner database.
 
@@ -547,9 +547,11 @@ def connect(
 
     :type route_to_leader_enabled: boolean
     :param route_to_leader_enabled:
-        (Optional) Default True. Set route_to_leader_enabled as False to
+        (Optional) Default False. Set route_to_leader_enabled as False to
         disable leader aware routing. Disabling leader aware routing would
         route all requests in RW/PDML transactions to the closest region.
+        Inline Begin Transaction should be enabled to take advantage of the
+        the option.
 
 
     :rtype: :class:`google.cloud.spanner_dbapi.connection.Connection`
@@ -567,14 +569,14 @@ def connect(
                 credentials,
                 project=project,
                 client_info=client_info,
-                route_to_leader_enabled=True,
+                route_to_leader_enabled=route_to_leader_enabled,
             )
         else:
             client = spanner.Client(
                 project=project,
                 credentials=credentials,
                 client_info=client_info,
-                route_to_leader_enabled=True,
+                route_to_leader_enabled=route_to_leader_enabled,
             )
     else:
         if project is not None and client.project != project:
diff --git a/tests/unit/spanner_dbapi/test_connect.py b/tests/unit/spanner_dbapi/test_connect.py
index 86dde73159..a5b520bcbf 100644
--- a/tests/unit/spanner_dbapi/test_connect.py
+++ b/tests/unit/spanner_dbapi/test_connect.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def test_w_explicit(self, mock_client):
             project=PROJECT,
             credentials=credentials,
             client_info=mock.ANY,
-            route_to_leader_enabled=True,
+            route_to_leader_enabled=False,
         )
         client_info = mock_client.call_args_list[0][1]["client_info"]
         self.assertEqual(client_info.user_agent, USER_AGENT)
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ def test_w_credential_file_path(self, mock_client):
             credentials_path,
             project=PROJECT,
             client_info=mock.ANY,
-            route_to_leader_enabled=True,
+            route_to_leader_enabled=False,
         )
         client_info = factory.call_args_list[0][1]["client_info"]
         self.assertEqual(client_info.user_agent, USER_AGENT)