They think they have to pack their outdoors gear and travel for hours to some remote jungle to experience the exhilarating feeling of gulping huge doses of pure oxygen into their smog-filled lungs.
If you’re a KL denizen, the truth is that there is such a place practically just around the corner. But you’ll have to buy a ticket to stroll on the Forest Skywalk belonging to the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM).
Located inside the Kepong Botanic Gardens is a 250-metre-long suspended walkway from where visitors can take in the gorgeous forest view and, of course, breathe in some much-needed fresh air.
There are nine watchtowers here, ranging in height from 18 metres to 50 metres from the ground. The top of the tallest tower is 141 metres above sea level. Rising high above the FRIM forest, it’s definitely not for the acrophobic.
“It can be used for those afraid of heights to conquer their fears,” quipped FRIM’s ecotourism programme head Ahmad Azaruddin Mohd Noor, who took an FMT Lifestyle team on a tour.
If you’re willing to face your fears and climb the metal stairs to the top, you’ll be rewarded with the best view of the place. You’ll be able to take in not only the forest and park view below, but also the amazing KL skyline on a clear day.
Fret not about the structure’s integrity. Azaruddin said it’s made of sturdy material.
A printed guide gives visitors a brief explanation of the walkway’s history and tells them what they can and cannot do when they are on the skywalk. You can’t, for instance, lean on the rails and you can’t gather in a group on certain parts of the walkway.
Keep in mind too that only one person is allowed on every two flights of stairs and only five people can be on a bridge at any one time.
“We do encourage both students and adults to come and visit us so that they can learn more about the forest and its biodiversity,” Azaruddin said.
“This is to inculcate awareness of the importance of forest conservation. And they get to enjoy the calming forest ambience too.”
Visitors can also sign up for the Forest Skywalk at Night Tour, a guided walk that gives an experience that is totally different from a day tour. This is currently available only on weekends and you’ll have to pre-book it.
The skywalk’s construction began in December 2018 and was completed a year later. It was opened to the public on Merdeka Day 2020.
According to Azaruddin, the public’s response has been positive. He said it was because people from all walks of life like the idea of getting close to nature and of escaping from their busy city life.
The skywalk is actually FRIM’s second canopy walkway. The first, consisting of suspended bridges built between trees, was closed in 2017. While it gave visitors a more authentic experience of walking among trees, the bridges proved to be detrimental to the trees’ growth. The dismantling was to allow the trees to grow naturally.
FRIM intends to improve on its infrastructure and build boardwalks on the path leading to the skywalk. This is to prevent further compaction of the soil and make it safer for visitors since the path can get slippery during rainy seasons.
“We are planning to add more educational signage on the grounds too,” Azaruddin said.
Head to the Forest Skywalk’s website for more information.
FRIM Forest Skywalk @ Kepong Botanic Gardens
Jalan E 4/15, Taman Ehsan
52100 Kuala Lumpur
For location, click here.
Opening hours: 8.30am-3.30pm. (Closed on Fridays)
Contact: 03-62797000