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FRIM Kepong

A working forestry research reserve with a canopy walkway and half a dozen easy trails, inside the city’s edge

Difficulty
Easy
Duration
A morning or afternoon; the canopy walkway alone takes about an hour

The Forest Research Institute Malaysia manages 544 hectares of lowland dipterocarp forest in Kepong, on the northern edge of Kuala Lumpur, and opens most of it to walkers. The Keruing, Salleh, Engkabang, Sebasah and Razak trails cover everything from a 30 minute loop to a half day walk, all well marked and shaded. The main draw for most visitors is the canopy walkway, a series of suspension bridges through the upper forest with views over the tree line towards the city.

Highlights

  • A suspension-bridge canopy walkway through the forest upper storey
  • Five marked ground trails from 30 minutes to half a day
  • Research arboretums planted since the 1930s alongside the natural forest
  • Easy access from Kuala Lumpur with no permit or guide needed

Getting there

FRIM is in Kepong, about 30 minutes from central Kuala Lumpur by car and a short taxi or rideshare ride from Kepong Sentral station on the KTM and MRT lines.

Safety tips

The ground trails are gentle and well maintained, with the main everyday hazard being the humidity and heat rather than the terrain. The canopy walkway is inspected and closed proactively in bad weather, so treat a closure as final rather than waiting it out at the counter.

What to bring

  • Comfortable walking shoes; trainers are enough for every ground trail
  • Water and sun protection for the open arboretum sections
  • A head for heights for the canopy walkway, which sways underfoot
  • Cash for the gate and walkway tickets