FRIM Selangor

Tucked quietly on the northern fringe of bustling Kuala Lumpur lies the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), an ecological treasure that remains surprisingly unknown to many, even among locals. Despite being just a short drive from the city center, FRIM is often overlooked in favor of other well-known attractions. Yet it offers something far more meaningful: a rare, immersive glimpse into Malaysia’s forest conservation efforts and the quiet beauty of tropical reforestation. FRIM features two main attractions, the public Skywalk and the restricted Forest Walk on the Keruing Trail. While the Skywalk provides sweeping views above the canopy, the Forest Walk offers a more intimate, ground-level experience of the forest’s biodiversity and scientific significance. I opted for the Forest Walk, and it turned out to be the highlight of my visit though getting there took some effort. Booking the Forest Walk requires advance planning. The process is somewhat bureaucratic: you must email the FRIM office, await a reply, and then manually transfer the 150 MYR guide fee to a designated government bank account. There’s no online portal or instant booking system, which may feel outdated, especially for foreign visitors. However, once confirmed, the experience more than justifies the hassle. 

Our guide was outstanding, informative, passionate, and deeply connected to the forest. What sets FRIM apart is that it’s not just a recreational park or nature spot. And importantly, FRIM is not a botanical garden. Unlike botanical gardens, which often cultivate plants in manicured, landscaped settings for display and …

The site is in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur, just about 10 minutes of driving from famous Batu Caves. FRIM is acronym of Forest Research Institute of Malaysia and the site is quite a big park and botanical garden. Entrance fee is 5.3 RM per non-Malaysian plus 5.3 RM for the car.

The botanical garden is quite nice, although it is not European style one with mostly exotic species. In fact there are only domestic ones. There should be much more adventurous walks, such as canopy walking tour but, according to the provided information, they are closed until further notice.

Although the place is worth a detour if you want to take a break from big city climate of Malaysian capital, I found nothing outstanding in this place. I admit I have no knowledge of scientific work behind, which potentially may be the main reason for description (Malaysian government plans to propose it in 2020). Based on what I saw, that will not be a major addition to the List.