Malaysia Day 2025

As Malaysia Day this year was part of a long weekend, with many people traveling, Aric suggested to visit the Sky Walk in FRIM, expecting not too many visitors. It was many years since I visited FRIM, the last time was in 2015. After paying a few Ringgit for parking and entrance fee, you could roam around freely and enjoy the wonders of this man-made (!) rainforest. In 2005 I attended a weekend organized by the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) who had a bungalow in FRIM. It was about orienteering, and I explained how to use GPS. It was the first time I found the Kapur trees with the fascinating crown shyness Here is the trip report, MNS Orienteering weekend at FRIM

I was hoping to visit the Crown Shyness again, but friends told me that nowadays you have to book a guided tour (RM 150 for 10 pax). A lot has changed at FRIM. A small part has been rebranded as Kepong Botanical Garden; the main part can only be visited on a guided tour. In the GE screenshot, I have roughly indicated the boundary of the Botanical Garden. First, we went to the main FTIM entrance, where security guards told us that the Sky Walk was in the Botanical Garden.

After paying a few Ringgit , we entered the Garden. Well maintained, but without the charm of a rainforest.

Usually, you have to book tickets for the Sky Walk online, but the website was down, so we just tried our luck. When we arrived at the ticket office, we found that it was closed for a lunch break, from 12 pm to 2 pm. But there was a cafe in the garden, not far away, so we decided to have a drink and a snack there.

At 2 pm, we walked back to the Sky Walk. If you look closely, you can see one of the towers in the left picture..

We had to fill out indemnity forms first before we could buy tickets. Ticket price for locals/nonlocals is RM 15/40. RM 5 discount for local seniors. An extra RM 5/10 if you want to climb the observation tower, which of course we wanted to 😉

The Sky Walk has a total length of 259 m and is supported on 8 towers. When you look up under the towers, it is hard to believe that you can actually walk on those narrow walkways. On Google Earth, the circuit is clearly visible. The circuit is one way, anticlockwise, starting at 12 with the observation tower at 6.

This is the exit; the entrance is at the other side. There was one family before us and later a few more people arrived. A good decision to choose Malaysia Day.

It is a stiff climb first to reach the first walkway.

The Sky Walk is a solid construction, very different from the earlier canopy walk. Of course also less romantic.

Halfway, there is the observation tower, 50 m high. Not suitable when you have a fear of heights. Notice the Malaysian flag on top of the tower, and Aric next to it, proof that we actually made it to the top.

A spectacular view of the KL city skyline.

As there were no other people yet, we could stay for some time and take pictures.

What a wonderful view. We were so lucky that the sky was clear

Climbing down the tower and continuing our walk

Almost at the end of the Sky Walk.

Even with the solid construction, only 5 people are allowed at the same time on one stretch of the walkway.

We spent less than one hour at the Sky Walk. Worth the money, a memorable experience.. Before going home, we had a refreshing Ice Kacang near the main FRIM entrance. Ming’s Ice Kacang and Coconut Stall, very popular, people were queuing.

Later that evening, we walked to the Rymba R&R for a small celebration of Malaysia Day with a few Bukit Lankan hikers. The Rymba R&R is a nickname for a meeting place, just around the corner from where we live, lovingly created and maintained by Pathman (blue shirt) and his friends. Nice company.