The Lake Gardens has long been a popular tourist destination for the nature crowd. The area is a peaceful, green respite hidden away from the noise and concrete of Kuala Lumpur.  Lush, alive, and buzzing with life, the space contains many interesting and free attractions perfect for escaping the city one afternoon.  Landscaped gardens, a lake, even a miniature Stonehenge replica awaits – all for free!

Easily accessible by foot, train, or bus, the Lake Gardens are located just southwest of Chinatown near to the National Mosque and the KTM Old Railway Kuala Lumpur station.

There are seven great attractions around the Lake Gardens to explore, they are:

1) Perdana Lake Gardens Outdoor Park

Between the various attractions, the Perdana Lake Gardens are an enjoyable, shady place to simply stroll around.  Dating back to the 1880s, the park is built around an artificial lake, encompassing hectares of undulating greenery peppered with flowering shrubs, and exceptional botanical gardens, making it the city’s most popular park. The Panggung Anniversary, set in a secluded valley, is a regular venue for musical and cultural performances. There is also children’s playground, jogging tracks, exercise stations, and rowing boats, along with a variety of outdoor sculptures dotting the area, including an imitation of England’s Stonehenge.

2) Hibiscus and Orchid Gardens

The Orchid Gardens are beautiful, well-landscaped gardens showcasing thousands of international orchid varieties, some of which are up for sale on weekends. The national flower of Malaysia, the hibiscus, is proudly on display, along with a strikingly colourful panorama of countless varieties of hibiscus. Those seeking a soothing alternative to the hustle and bustle of the city can relax and enjoy the sound of water trickling over stones past vine-covered trellises on one of the many benches.

The gardens are open from 9am to 6pm and are free for all visitors except on weekends and holidays where the public pays RM1.00 to catch a glimpse of tropical trees with leaves larger than visitors themselves!

3) Kuala Lumpur National Planetarium

Kuala Lumpur’s national planetarium has interesting exhibits about the Malaysian space program and daily shows at an affordable price. With exhibitions that appeal to adults and children alike, visitors with a strong stomach can hop on a ride in the “space ball” which simulates the high G-forces of re-entry.

Open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, the planetarium is closed on Mondays. General admission costs RM1.00 but shows change periodically and can cost anywhere between RM3.00 to RM6.00.

4) Kuala Lumpur Deer Park

The Kuala Lumpur Deer Park is an enclosed space containing a groomed lake, jogging trail, and a variety of deer species.  Located in the undulating slopes and sprawling valley of the Lake Gardens, the deer park is home to several deer types including the chevrotain or mouse deer that is the smallest hoofed animal in the world and a popular figure in local folklore. Other species that call the park their home are the fallow deer (imported from Holland), axis deer and sambar deer.

The Kuala Lumpur Deer Park is open from 10am to 5pm and admission is free.

5) The Butterfly Park

The Butterfly Park houses some 6,000 butterflies from over 120 species. The park is an imitation of the butterfly’s natural habitat and includes more than 15,000 plants from 100 species that have been used to recreate a uniquely Malaysian rainforest atmosphere. There is also a nursery and breeding area for the butterflies for those who would like to learn more about the conservation efforts of the park.

The Butterfly Park is open from 10am to 5pm on weekdays, with admission fees set at RM4.00 for adults and RM2.00 for children.

6) Kuala Lumpur Bird Park

Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is the largest bird park in South-East Asia, playing home to thousands of birds representing nearly every major species of this part of the world. Experience the ambience of lush green tropical rainforest once inside the free-flight walk-in aviary. Reputed to be one of the largest in the world, this walk-in aviary sees birds flying freely and living together in harmony and balance, creating a unique ecosystem of its own in this semi-natural environment. Other highlights include the Flamingo Pond, Hornbill Park, Bird Gallery & Education Centre and the Waterfall Aviary.
The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is open from 9am – 6pm daily except on public holidays and entry is priced at RM48.00 per adult and RM38.00 per child.

Photo belongs to istolethetv, Flickr

7) Malaysian National Monument

Also within the Lake Gardens are lies one of the world’s largest freestanding bronze sculptures. The Malaysian National Monument commemorates those who died in Malaysia’s struggle for freedom, principally against the Japanese occupation during World War II and the Malayan Emergency, which lasted from 1948 until 1960. Commissioned in 1963 and constructed in 1966, the sculpture stands as a centrepiece of the monument at 49 feet tall, is made of bronze and was designed by Austrian sculptor Felix de Weldon, who was also responsible for the Marine Corps War Memorial in Virginia, United States. Beside the National Monument are the ASEAN Gardens and the Memorial Tun Razak, which houses memorabilia of the country’s second Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.

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