Tine for fun, fun, fun
Here are some suggestions in where to go around the Klang Valley during the school school holidays this week.
IT’S school holiday week! If you need help on how to keep the kids occupied this week, here are some ideas for fun activities and places to visit around the Klang Valley.
Theme parks
There are many theme parks in Malaysia, and you can find a majority of them in the Klang Valley. The most well-known on the list is
Sunway Lagoon in Subang Jaya, Selangor. This theme park has over 90 activities to check out, spread over several sections including a water park, an amusement park, wildlife park and Nickelodeon Lost Lagoon, the first Nickelodeon-themed attraction in Asia. For more information visit the official website (https://sunwaylagoon.com).
If you are not able to get tickets to Sunway Lagoon, head over to Bangi Wonderland, Selangor for a day of splashing fun. You can swim, play or just chill out at this water theme park which has 14 attractions and slides. You can actually find the longest water slide in Selangor here, a colourful and kid-friendly slide called Insane Racer. Visit the website (bangiwonderland.com.my) for ticketing, opening time and other information.
There’s also Wet World Shah Alam, a favourite with families with young children. Check out the Monsoon Buster ride, a 225m-long water slide that pushes riders up, instead of down. The water park is open daily except on Wednesdays; head to the website (https://wetworld.my/shah-alam/) for more information.
Nearby, there’s the Waterworld i-city Shah Alam water park, which has attractions like the Giant Jacuzzi, a Spiral slide and Rainbow slide. When you’ve had enough of splashing fun, head over to the i-city Leisure Theme Park and the City Of Lights in the evening to check out the beautiful LED light designs. Malaysia’s first interactive wax museum, Red Carpet 2, is also located here, as well as a super cool play area called the Snowwalk, where you can experience some winter fun. Head to the website (https://iticket.i-city.my/products/2022-02-waterworld) for information on tickets and opening times for Waterworld.
If your kids are game to try something more adventurous, then visit the Riverine Splash water theme park at Amverton Cove resort in Kuala Langat, Selangor. The tribal-themed water park is part of the resort but you don’t have to be a guest to enter. It features more than a dozen attractions, including Anaconda Tube Slide, Rimba River, Survival Park and Kiddie Beats. Check out the website (amvertoncove.com/theme-park/) for more information.
Indoor fun
For kids who love taking on physical challenges, perhaps the Escape Challenge Adventure Park (escape.my/pj) in Petaling Jaya would be a good place to visit. The indoor adventure park features obstacle courses, rides, slides, climbing walls and even acrobatic activities. The best parts of this theme park are that it is located in a mall, and the courses are designed for a wide range of age groups and energy levels.
Similar to Escape is Superpark Malaysia, and indoor activity park located within the Avenue K Shopping Mall in Kuala Lumpur. Some of the fun zones in this park include a Pedal Car Track, Skate And Scoot World, Street Basketball, Tube Slide and Ninja Track. Both kids and adults can have fun at Superpark at the same time (minimum age for ticketed entry is three years old).
Elsewhere, the Discovery Park at Gamuda Cove in Kuala Langat is an amusement park that features first-in-malaysia attractions and adrenaline-pumping activities. The place has two recreational zones – Adventure Park and Hangout Village – and plenty of fun activities to try.
You will also find the Paya Indah Discovery Wetlands here, where some wild animals (hippopotamus, crocodile, etc) reside. For more information on this exciting park, head to the official website (discoverypark.com.my).
Want more challenges? Try District21, which is located within IOI City Mall. It is a one of a kind, post-apocalyptic-themed sports and recreation park with more than 10 activities. Some of them are: Go-pedal, Pump Track, Power Station, Low Ropes, Launch Pad, The Maze and Free Fall. Check out the park’s Facebook page (@district21park/) for details.
At Jumpstreet Asia (https://jumpstreetasia.com) in PJ, you can jump to your heart’s content. This trampoline park is an urban playground dedicated to jumping, bouncing, rolling and any other anti-gravity activity. The are nearly a hundred trampolines available in this court, and they are all connected. There’s a special jumping area for younger kids too.
Get out there
At Skytrex Adventure Sg Congkak in Hulu Langat, Selangor, you can try Malaysia’s first “tree-totree sky-trekking” experience – the Flying Fox. Located in Congkak Park & Resort, the Flying Fox trek runs directly above Sungai Congkak and is surrounded by a lush tropical rainforest. For information on tickets and opening hours, go to the official website (skytrex-adventure. org/sg-congkak-pricing).
Of course, one of the most popular spots around the Klang Valley for nature lovers is the Forest Research Institute Of Malaysia ,or FRIM (frim.gov.my). This is where you go when you want to truly enjoy nature, yet don’t really have the time to journey out of the city for hours. FRIM is located in Kepong, a suburb in Selangor, and is only about 20 minutes’ drive from KL. Explore the many nature trails and learn about the local flora and fauna.
Stop by the information desk for a briefing on the forest and environment, and pick up some informative brochures too. Within FRIM you can check out the Kepong Botanic Gardens as well as the 250m-long Skywalk, a canopy walkway built 50m above ground.
You can also go to the National Botanical Garden in Shah Alam, one of the country’s top ecotourism and agritourism destinations, offering a variety of attractions for both nature lovers and thrill seekers. Traditional Malaysian agrarian practises are depicted in the botanical gardens in a lovely, natural setting. Rent a bicycle or just stroll along the walkways to explore this garden. For more information, visit the website (http://tbnsa.gov.my/en/waktu-operasi).
At night, head to the Fireflies Park in Kampung Kuantan near Kuala Selangor. There are many firefly nests in this nature park, but of course, you can only see the insects at night. The Pteroptyx tener species is the most commonly found firefly in Kampung Kuantan, and you can see them in action between 7.30pm and 10.30pm, when the park opens. Kampung Kuantan is situated about 9km from Kuala Selangor.
Nearby, you can find the Kuala Selangor Nature Park, which has a diverse range of flora and wildlife.
The park, part of the Selangor River estuary, is made up of a 201ha tropical rainforest, and a 296ha swamp forest. This place is perfect for birdwatching enthusiasts as there are more than 150 bird species living here like the milky storks and herons.
Rivers and waterfalls
Kanching Eco Forest Park is known for having the most number of waterfalls – seven! – in Selangor. During weekends and public holidays, families and groups of friends come by to enjoy picnics and swim in the cool waters. There are plenty of public amenities here too, including restrooms, changing rooms, benches and huts. Although all seven waterfalls are accessible, some are not that easy to get to. For more information, call Tourism Selangor at 03-5513 2000.
Another place that’s great for picnics is Sungai Chiling near Kuala Kubu Bharu, where you can find a massive 80m-high waterfall. The river and waterfall are located within the Selangor State Park, which is not too far from KL. To get to the waterfall, you must first hike through the jungle and pass by streams, rivers, as well as lots of wild orchids and bamboo.
Also part of the Selangor State Park is Sungai Tekala, located near the Semenyih Dam. This unspoiled lowland dipterocarp forest is a popular spot for locals to picnic by the gorgeous river and swim in its crystal clear water. This park provides limited amenities, such as rest huts placed near the steps leading to the waterfalls.
Although older, active kids will enjoy an excursion at both Sungai Chiling and Sungai Tekala, younger kids may find it physically challenging. In this case, take the younger ones fishing at the Sungai Pertak River, which flows through an Orang Asli community and into the Sungai Selangor Dam. This place is a favourite fishing and camping spot for families, especially during the weekends. The river flows through deep pools with tiny waterfalls in between, with the main one located near the Orang Asli settlement. The river also serves as a starting point for hikers to Bukit Kutu, an abandoned colonial hill station perched atop a 1,000m-high summit.
Furry friends
There’s lots of things to do at Zoo Negara, a 44ha property in Ulu Klang, Gombak in Selangor. Zoo Negara houses more than 5,000 specimens representing 476 different species of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish. There are numerous displays to check out, which are placed around a lake with free wandering storks, pelicans, egrets, ibises, and swans. There are a few animal feeding sessions too, which should be fun for the kids. Zoo Negara is open daily from 9am to 5pm.
For more animal-related activities, check out Farm In The City in Seri Kembangan. Here, visitors can learn about what life on a farm or fruit orchard is like, with many live farm animals roaming around. Kids are encouraged to engage with the animals by feeding them, or even playing with them. Visitors will also be educated on the various aspects of farming and about wildlife conservation and preservation too.
A similar concept can be found at the G2G Animal Garden at the Malaysia Agro Expo Park or MAEPS, in Serdang, Selangor. This petting zoo allows visitors to feed and hold some of the animals, as a way of bonding with nature. Among the animal stations found here are the Cat House, Bird Cage, Animal Therapy House, Rabbit Park, Reptile House, Pigeon House, Tortoise Park, and Village Pets.
Lastly, there is the Aviary ‘N’ Bunny Park at the National Botanical Garden in Shah Alam. The park is also a petting zoo for children, but here you can get your kids to join the “Pets Education” session, where they learn the basics of caring for animals, and how to appreciate animals more.