Kuala Lumpur has much to offer its visitors, especially if you’re willing to take your time and pick your way through its maze of old buildings, steely skyscrapers, and loud traffic.

But, if you’re on a tight budget or if you’d rather spend your money on food (like I would), don’t worry; you can still explore KL to find out what lies in the heart of this post-colonial city without making a single dent in your bank account. So here’s a compilation of the top 10 things you can do to explore Kuala Lumpur for free.

1. KL Forest Eco Park

This is of the oldest permanent forest reserve in Malaysia, formerly known as the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve – and before that it was the Bucket Weld Forest Reserve (like the name of The Weld shopping mall nearby). This Eco Park, located right in the heart of KL city, is the only tropical rainforest left standing in the middle of KL and is fondly referred to as the ‘green lung’ of KL’s urban jungle.

First gazetted in 1906 as a Forest Reserve, it spans about 9 hectares. It has since also become a Wildlife Reserve in 1934 and Bird Sanctuary in 1950. There are about five hectares of the forest that remains untouched by civilisation, dubbed the Virgin Reserve. You can enjoy a canopy walk, herb garden, hiking trails and guided tours here, so you’ll have plenty to do and see.

Address: Lot 240, Bukit Nanas, Jalan Raja Chulan, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603- 2026 4741
Opening hours: Daily, 7am – 7pm
Website: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE)

2. Craft Complex

Only a 20-minute walk from KLCC – the KL Hop On Hop Off bus stops here as well – the Craft Complex (Kompleks Kraftangan Negara) is a must visit where you can learn about various traditional crafts, from batik to pottery, and woodcarving.

There is a Craft Village made up of little huts, each one focused on a specific crafts and manned by a talented artist who will most likely be working on a project as you visit. You’ll even be able to try your hand at making some of these crafts for a fee.

Apart from that, there’s also a Painters’ Village displaying the works of talented and rising local painters where you can strike up a conversation with any of the artists and get to know them and their work. The Craft Complex also has a Craft Museum as well as shops and a boutique where you can buy yourself a little souvenir.

Note: if you’re reading this article in Feb / early March 2016, there is currently a National Craft Day celebration at the Craft Complex until 6th March 2016.

There are plenty of activities to enjoy, like a craft demonstration, traditional cooking demonstration, a creative workshop and so much more. So if you’re in KL, this place should be at the top of your list right now.

Address: Kompleks Kraf Kuala Lumpur, Seksyen 63, Jalan Conlay, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 10am – 6pm (villages), 9am – 5.30pm (museum), 9am – 8pm (shops)
Tel: +603 2162 7533 / 7459
Website: Kompleks Kraftangan Negara

3. Heritage Guided walking tour

A great way to soak in some sun and learn about the rich heritage of KL is to join the Merdeka Square Heritage Guided Walking Tour organised by the KL City Council (Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, or DBKL).

Launched in 2012 by City Hall as a way to give visitors insight about the formation of early colonial KL, the tour reveals stories of how the architecture, community, traditions, and lifestyle was shaped by the community of the time.

The walk is thoughtfully planned and covers 11 heritage sites around Merdeka Square including centuries old buildings like the the KL City Gallery, St Mary’s Cathedral, Sultan Abdul Samad Building and the City Theatre. The tour begins at Merdeka Square and ends at the Royal Selangor Club.

Days available: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday
Time: 9am – 11.30am
Registration: call +60326980332 or email [email protected]

4. Galeri PETRONAS (PETRONAS Gallery)

For art fans, you can head on over to the PETRONAS gallery to gaze at some some fine art pieces. The PETRONAS gallery is run by Malaysia’s national oil and gas company of the same name and was opened in 1993 and it houses exhibitions and events that bring together local and international artists and provides a platform for local artists to showcase their works.

The current exhibition which runs until 22nd May is called Young Malaysian Artists III and showcases 40 new Malaysian contemporary artists who are radical in their expressions, ideas, and innovation. The exhibition ranges from new media art to conventional paintings that are expressions of young Malaysian artists.

Address: Level 3 Suria KLCC, 50088 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603 2051 7770
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am – 8pm (also open on all public holidays except the first week of Hari Raya Puasa (Aidil Fitri) and first day of Hari Raya Qurban (Aidil Ahda).
Website: Galeri PTERONAS

5. Railway Museum

The museum is actually in the main hall of the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, a colonial building erected in 1910 to replace an old railway station in the same spot.

The KL Railway station itself is an architectural sight to behold, with Eastern and Western influences, and is now owned by KTMB (Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad), the Malaysian Railway service.

The museum has a collection of memorabilia related to Malaysia’s railway dating back to colonial times. One interesting item is the bone of an elephant that was killed in 1984 while charging a train. Fans of trains and tracks will find this particular hidden gem quite a treat.

Address: Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, 50621 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: Daily, 9am – 6pm

6. National Planetarium

Located in the Perdana Botanical Gardens, the Planetarium boasts a space picnic area, a space theatre, an observatory, and an outdoor ancient observatory park. Tap into your inner sci-fi geek and explore the wonders of space.

While the planetarium shows do require a ticket, the exhibition gallery is free for all to enter and learn. However, the exhibition gallery is under renovation right now and will only be re-opened to the public in August 2016.

Address: National Planetarium, 53, Jalan Perdana, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2273 4301, +603-2273 4303
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 9am – 4.30pm
Website: National Planetarium

7. National Monument & ASEAN Sculpture Garden

These two sites are located in the same area, so if you want to see one, you might as well see both. The national monument, locally known as the Tugu Negara, is a bronze statue of seven soldiers standing and supporting their fallen comrade.

The 15m high statue was designed by Felix de Weldon, the noted sculptor who also worked on the Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington DC, and is dedicated to the 11,000 people who perished in the First World War, the Japanese occupation and the Malayan Emergency. Each figure on the monument represent on of seven qualities: courage, leadership, sacrifice, strength, suffering, unity, and vigilance.

Only 100 meteres away is the ASEAN sculpture garden. The opening of the garden in 1987 commerated the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Association of South-East Asian Nations as a representation of unity and co-operation amongst member nations.

There are six steel, bamboo, glass, and marble sculptures in the garden, each made by an artist from an ASEAN nation: Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Philippines and Malaysia. Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and  Vietnam are not included as these nations joined ASEAN after 1987.

Address: 109 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 1 300 88 5050
Opening hours: 24/7

8. Perdana Botanical Gardens

The Perdana Botanical Gardens in part of the Tun Razak Heritage Park. This other ‘green lung’ of Kuala Lumpur was originally built in 1888 by the Selangor state treasurer of the time, A.R. Venning and was dubbed Lake Gardens.

Since then, it has been renamed to Perdana Botanical Gardens  and rehabilitated to now includes an extensive collection of gardens and parks that showcase many flora and fauna.

Some of these gardens and collections are the Plumeria Tree Collection, Heliconie Garden, Rare Fruit Trees Collection, Hibiscus Park, and Orchid Garden. There is also a Deer Park, Conservatory, Sunken Garden and two waterfalls.

If you’d like to know more about the Perdana Botanical Gardens, there is a comprehensive garden guide available here.

Address: Jalan Kebun Bunga, Tasik Perdana, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2617 6404 (KL City Hall)
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 7am – 8pm
Website: www.klbotanicalgarden.gov.my

9. Places of worship

Now, you’ve probably heard this before but I think it’s worth saying again: Malaysia is a melting pot of cultures! Naturally, there’s plenty of temples, mosques, and churches dotted around the capital of KL. Here are a few places of worship that you can visit to get a sense of KL’s culture and traditions:

Thean Hou Temple

This is a six-tiered Chinese temple built by the Hainanese community in 1987. The temple is frequented by people who practice Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, and is dedicated to the the Heavenly Mother, the Goddess Tian Hou.

Masjid Jamek

Design by British architect Arthur Benison Hubback, this is one of the oldest mosques in KL, built in 1909 on the first Muslim burial ground in the city.

Sin Sze Si Ya Temple

Built by the workers of Kapitan Yap Ah Loy, who played a major role in developing KL, this Taoist temple is one of the oldest temples in the city. It was built in 1864 and is dedicated to patron deities Sin Sze Ya and Si Sze Ya.

Sri Mahamariamman Temple

This temple was founded in 1873 by K. Thamboosamy Pillai, the leader of the Tamil community at the time. Originally the private shrine of the Pillai family until the late 1920s, it is the oldest Hindu temple still in use in KL.

Masjid Negara

This was built in 1965 and designed by UK architect Howard Ashley, and Malaysians Hisham Albakri and Baharuddin Kassim. The mosque is easily identified by its turquoise roof that is shaped like a 16-point star and a 73m high minaret.

10. KLCC Lake Symphony

After you’re done shopping or sightseeing for the day, you can take a relaxing break by watching a spectacular water fountain show at the KLCC lake.

Throughout the day, the water fountain puts on a show of dancing water in a rhythm that is just hypnotic enough to be soothing. But at night, the show takes it up a notch with accompanying music. The Lake Symphony is a orchestration of water works and music that happens every night as the water fountain shoots out jets of water in time with the music, with a mesmerising light show worked into the routine as well.

You can sit by the steps just outside Suria KLCC Mall and enjoy the spectacle before you continue on for the night. Here’s a video of one of the shows uploaded by local blogger, Ramble and Wander:

Address: KLCC Park, Kuala Lumpur