FRIM: a rainforest that people planted

A hidden gem on the city’s edge: a lush forest grown on old mining land, with trails, waterfalls and a canopy walkway high above the trees.

Area

Green KL

Start from

Central Kuala Lumpur

Distance

about 16 km northwest

Time needed

half a day

Best season

All year; early morning

Difficulty

Moderate

Transport

Grab, or KTM Komuter to Kepong and then a short taxi

Tickets & rules

Small entry fee; canopy walkway is ticketed and may be closed

Why go

Few visitors to Kuala Lumpur find their way to FRIM, the Forest Research Institute Malaysia in Kepong, and that’s part of its charm. Behind the gates lie more than 500 hectares of forest, with shady roads, streams and trails, where locals cycle, jog and picnic, and where you can walk for hours among giant trees.

The forest looks ancient, but much of it was planted. Here, a hundred years of research created a living library of Malaysian trees: dipterocarps that rise over 40 metres, rows of towering pines, and the airy crowns of camphor trees that ‘shy away’ from each other leaving lacy gaps of sky.

The trails range from easy loops to a steep climb up to the canopy walkway, a series of suspended bridges at a dizzying height, when it is open. Along the way are small waterfalls, a museum and old research buildings.

The story

FRIM was founded in 1929 during the colonial period, on land that had been worn out by tin mining and vegetable farming. Foresters began to plant native and exotic trees as an experiment, and over the decades the barren land turned into a dense forest, one of the first examples of rainforest regeneration in the tropics.

The site has been recognised as a national heritage site. Among the researchers’ discoveries was the phenomenon of ‘crown shyness’, the gaps between the crowns of trees like Dryobalanops, the Borneo camphor; there are spots in FRIM where you can lie on your back and see the puzzle-like patterns of the canopy.

Today, FRIM is still a working research institute, with laboratories, nurseries and a herbarium, and the forest is still a living experiment.

Getting there

Grab is the simplest option, about 30–45 minutes from the centre depending on traffic. Alternatively, take the KTM Komuter to Kepong station and a short taxi to the entrance. Inside, the main road is long, so a car or bicycle helps.

A suggested plan

1. 7:30Arrive at opening time to enjoy the cool morning.
2. 8:00Walk the main loop through the planted forest and to the waterfall.
3. 9:30If it’s open, climb to the canopy walkway.
4. 11:00Picnic in the shade, then visit the small forestry museum.
5. 12:30Return to the city before the afternoon storm.

Where to stay

Stay anywhere in the centre; it’s an easy half-day outing by car.

Good to know

• The canopy walkway often closes in rain, on certain days, or for maintenance; check before you go.
• Bring water, insect repellent and good shoes.
• Weekend mornings are busy with locals; weekdays are quieter.
• Look up for the crown shyness in the camphor stands.