FRIM Kepong

FRIM or Forest Research Institute of Malaysia is a must for all nature lovers who are in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. It is located in the suburb city of Petaling Jaya, approximately 16 km north west of the capital city. It was founded in the year 1929 and is one of the leading institutions in tropical forestry research both locally and abroad.

The attractions mentioned here which are located at FRIM Research Office compound are no longer open to the public. If you want to walk the trails here, you will need to organize a group and book in advance with a guide. Instead of coming here, you can go to Kepong Botanical Gardens which is located at the other side of FRIM Kepong.

This 600 hectares tropical forest contains a wealth of flora and fauna with approximately 15,000 species of plants though for a layman in botanic, all of them look like greenery.

As you enter FRIM, you will be amazed by the arboretums or living museum of trees. Walk through the many nature trails and discover the many species of flora and fauna here. Remember to go to the information counter for a briefing and purchase some brochures on the plants that you will encounter before you move out to explore the surrounding area.

Canopy Walkway

Of particular interest is the park's canopy walkway that you must not miss. This canopy is suspended 30 m from the ground and spans over 200 m. Be bold and walk through the hanging canopy and you will be able to see the breath-taking view of the city and the greenery of the forest.

Other activities that you can do include camping, family and team building activities, picnic near the waterfall and jogging.

FRIM Canopy Walk Signage and operating hours

The signage that shows you the direction to the canopy walkway.

One of the shortest track that you can use to go to the canopy walkway is by using the Rover Track.

In order to go to the canopy walk, you will need to purchase a ticket from the souvenir counter which is located in the same building as the information counter. The cost is RM5/adult and, RM1/child. The walkway is open everyday from 9:30am until 2:30pm. It is closed on Mondays and Fridays.

The reason for its closure in the afternoon is because of the strong wind that blows in the afternoon. In order to reach the canopy walkway on time before its closure, it is always advisable to allocate 1 hour journey from the information counter. If you are fit, you will probably reach the canopy walkway in 30 minutes time. For a big group, a guide can be requested for a fee of RM127.20.

Announcement: Unfortunately the 25 years old Canopy Walkway had been permanently closed to the public since 1 July 2017 as it had outlived its life span.

Panorama view of the city from the hill.

See the video of the canopy walk. Notice the background sound of the wind and cicada.

Waterfall

As you come down from the canopy walk, go towards the signage that shows the direction to the picnic area by following the water pipelines and you will soon encounter an area where you can have some fun in the water. The water is refreshing and cool.

Remember to wear a good walking shoes, bring along your towel, drinking water and some foodstuff as there are no shops up in the jungle. A can of insect repellent will come in handy especially if you encounter some mosquitoes or other insects along the way.

Hanging bridge being secured onto the Surian Batu Tree

The small waterfall at FRIM

Nature Trails

There are a few nature trails that you can explore. The popular ones are the Keruing Trail and the Salleh Nature Trail. Make sure you purchase the brochures for both trails that will show you what to see as you move along the trail. For those who are keen to learn more of the plants, prior reading before starting your journey is highly recommended. The brochure cost only RM1 per copy.

Of particular interest is the "puzzle-like" pattern of the individual tree crowns separated by gaps and outlined against the sky. This phenomenon is called "Crown Shyness". The reason for its name is because the leaf tips of the Dryobalanops aromatica appear to be shy towards their own kind, hence forming the gap.

This tree is also known as kapur tree and has a nice-smelling exudate known as camphor, one of the main component of making ointment. The ointment is used for stomach massages after child delivery.

"Crown Shyness" Phenomenon

See the giant bamboo trees along the Keruing Trail.

Operating Hours and Fees

The operating hours of the park is from 8:00am to 6:00pm daily. However, take note that the canopy walkway operating hours is from 9:30am to 2:30pm. If you are driving, the entrance fee to the park is RM5/car else the fee charged is RM1/person. The address and contact number of the FRIM Park:

Forest Research Institute Malaysia
Kepong, 52109 Selangor Darul Ehsan,
Tel : +603 6279 7000

Getting Here

FRIM is located along the Selayang-Kepong Highway. You can take the KTM Komuter train from the Kuala Lumpur Railway station or any KTM Komuter station that is in the vicinity and head for Kepong station. Once you reach Kepong station, alight from the train and take a taxi to FRIM.

Accommodation Nearby

If you are looking for a place to stay while visiting this rain forests, Petaling Jaya has many hotels that you can choose from. The higher end hotels are One World Hotel, Hilton Hotel, Royale Bintang Damansara, Armada Hotel and Eastin Hotel. There are also many boutique hotels and budget hotels that you can opt for.