See & Do
Lake Gardens
Most Malaysians know this area as KL’s ‘green lungs’ because of two artificial lakes surrounded by landscaped gardens and a few public recreational areas. While there are other parks in the city (KLCC and Lake Titiwangsa), this is the biggest. It was incorporated into the city as an open space back in 1889. The area was also designated as the official residence of the British Government’s representative (Carcosa from 1904) and the king’s House (Istana Tematu from 1913). They no longer serve as residences but Carcosa Seri Negara is considered one of the city’s most exclusive boutique hotels, with a grand restaurant serving excellent French cuisine in stylish surroundings.
Tiffin lunch is served in Gulai House from 12:00 to 15:00 every Sunday. The name tiffin is associated with the container that people used to take their lunch to work in, but in this instance refers to the excellent Malay and Indian cuisine served buffet style. Reservations are essential and seats on the open verandah are best.
Every day in the adjoining Drawing Room of Seri Negara, traditional English afternoon teas with all the trimmings are served to KL’s social set. This never becomes too crowded, so you could find yourself in luxurious surroundings with a battalion of waiters attending to your every need. This is the place to impress overseas friends and relatives when they drop by.
In the Carcosa section of the hotel (a 200 metre walk through the landscaped gardens from Seri Negara), The Dining Room is possibly the city’s most elegant dining space. Walking in past the grand staircase is like stepping into a museum, but the excellent French food and wines are fresh and full of life. It’s posh, and reserved by many for special occasions. Most guests arrive in their chauffeur-driven limousines or their own luxury cars. Very few arrive by taxi so drivers may not even know where the Carcosa is located – so if this is your mode of transport, have a good map available as you may have to direct the driver.
While few residents get to experience Carcosa Seri Negara, most have enjoyed the open spaces and recreational facilities in the rest of the gardens, which are divided by the main arterial road, Jalan Parlimen, leading to Parliament House.
Tugu Negara (National Monument) is located on the smaller, northern side of the park. There is a similarity between this and the famous Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington DC, as both were designed by sculptor Felix de Weldon. The 15.5 metre-high bronze statue has seven figures – five local servicemen from the various branches of the security forces and two fallen communist terrorists. The statue commemorates those who died fighting for the newly-independent Malaysia during the Communist Emergency from 1948 to 1960. It sits majestically on a white-tiled terrace backed by a pond and a curved pavilion with three golden domes.
Below the monument are various sculptures in the ASEAN Sculpture Garden. These are prize-winning efforts from leading ASEAN sculptors and provide a distraction for those relaxing in this part of the park.
Cross Jalan Parlimen into Jalan Cenderawasih which leads into the main section of the park. There are directional signs and maps to all the attractions in the park, but sadly some of these are in Bahasa Malaysia only. A few signs indicate that flowers are not to be plucked, there should be no littering, no pets and no close proximity between couples. While there are roads throughout the park, some of them are closed, but there are lots of carparks.
The eastern side of the area has the leafy appearance of being in the park but some of the attractions, like the Taman Burung (Bird Park), Muzium Polis (Police Museum) and the Planetarium Negara are just outside. Muzium Negara (National Museum, National Mosque and the Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia are on the park’s periphery so there are many things to do in the area, and while seeing them all involves some walking, it is not impossible to see everything on foot.
Fantasy Planet is a fantastic playground for kids, with swings, slides and magical castles to explore. In other parts of the gardens, there are wooden tables and chairs for picnics, shelters, expanses of grass and lots of shady trees. Small paddle boats can also be hired for a little exercise on the lake.
There are also several attractions with an entrance fee. The Butterfly Park is located on Jalan Cenderasari on the park’s eastern fringe. The covered area is full of plants and colourful flowers and, of course, butterflies (around 6,000 of them) and insects. There is an extensive souvenir shop at the exit and a place to buy cold drinks. The park is open daily from 09:00 to 18:00 and entry fees are RM17 for adults and RM8 for kids, but a family pass (2 adults and 3 kids) costs RM24. Additional charges are RM1 (camera) and RM5 (video), but tripods are not permitted. Within walking distance is the Bird Park which is well worth visiting.
The Orchid Garden offers visitors a very colourful display of 800 species of local and foreign orchids, as well as some good elevated views of the KL skyline. The garden is open daily from 09:00 to 18:00 and while entry is free during the week, there is a minimal entry fee at weekends and on public holidays. They also sell specimens of plants and flowers and offer useful advice on growing orchids.
Deer Park is located just below the Tunku Abdul Rahman Museum. Entry is free for those who want to see Malaysia’s mouse deer and rusa deer from a wooden boardwalk in a grassland setting.
Tunku Abdul Rahman Museum (03 2694 7277) on Jalan Dato’ Onn is a memorial to Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, who helped the country attain nationhood. Entry is free to what was once the residence and office of the PM. The museum is open from 10:00 to 17:30, except Fridays (10:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 17:30), and Mondays, when it is closed.
A short walk up the hill from the museum is the National Planetarium operated by the National Space Agency. This was established to educate the public about space exploration and the solar system. The displays are quite informative and good for children.
Tiffin lunch is served in Gulai House from 12:00 to 15:00 every Sunday. The name tiffin is associated with the container that people used to take their lunch to work in, but in this instance refers to the excellent Malay and Indian cuisine served buffet style. Reservations are essential and seats on the open verandah are best.
Every day in the adjoining Drawing Room of Seri Negara, traditional English afternoon teas with all the trimmings are served to KL’s social set. This never becomes too crowded, so you could find yourself in luxurious surroundings with a battalion of waiters attending to your every need. This is the place to impress overseas friends and relatives when they drop by.
In the Carcosa section of the hotel (a 200 metre walk through the landscaped gardens from Seri Negara), The Dining Room is possibly the city’s most elegant dining space. Walking in past the grand staircase is like stepping into a museum, but the excellent French food and wines are fresh and full of life. It’s posh, and reserved by many for special occasions. Most guests arrive in their chauffeur-driven limousines or their own luxury cars. Very few arrive by taxi so drivers may not even know where the Carcosa is located – so if this is your mode of transport, have a good map available as you may have to direct the driver.
While few residents get to experience Carcosa Seri Negara, most have enjoyed the open spaces and recreational facilities in the rest of the gardens, which are divided by the main arterial road, Jalan Parlimen, leading to Parliament House.
Tugu Negara (National Monument) is located on the smaller, northern side of the park. There is a similarity between this and the famous Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington DC, as both were designed by sculptor Felix de Weldon. The 15.5 metre-high bronze statue has seven figures – five local servicemen from the various branches of the security forces and two fallen communist terrorists. The statue commemorates those who died fighting for the newly-independent Malaysia during the Communist Emergency from 1948 to 1960. It sits majestically on a white-tiled terrace backed by a pond and a curved pavilion with three golden domes.
Below the monument are various sculptures in the ASEAN Sculpture Garden. These are prize-winning efforts from leading ASEAN sculptors and provide a distraction for those relaxing in this part of the park.
Cross Jalan Parlimen into Jalan Cenderawasih which leads into the main section of the park. There are directional signs and maps to all the attractions in the park, but sadly some of these are in Bahasa Malaysia only. A few signs indicate that flowers are not to be plucked, there should be no littering, no pets and no close proximity between couples. While there are roads throughout the park, some of them are closed, but there are lots of carparks.
The eastern side of the area has the leafy appearance of being in the park but some of the attractions, like the Taman Burung (Bird Park), Muzium Polis (Police Museum) and the Planetarium Negara are just outside. Muzium Negara (National Museum, National Mosque and the Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia are on the park’s periphery so there are many things to do in the area, and while seeing them all involves some walking, it is not impossible to see everything on foot.
Fantasy Planet is a fantastic playground for kids, with swings, slides and magical castles to explore. In other parts of the gardens, there are wooden tables and chairs for picnics, shelters, expanses of grass and lots of shady trees. Small paddle boats can also be hired for a little exercise on the lake.
There are also several attractions with an entrance fee. The Butterfly Park is located on Jalan Cenderasari on the park’s eastern fringe. The covered area is full of plants and colourful flowers and, of course, butterflies (around 6,000 of them) and insects. There is an extensive souvenir shop at the exit and a place to buy cold drinks. The park is open daily from 09:00 to 18:00 and entry fees are RM17 for adults and RM8 for kids, but a family pass (2 adults and 3 kids) costs RM24. Additional charges are RM1 (camera) and RM5 (video), but tripods are not permitted. Within walking distance is the Bird Park which is well worth visiting.
The Orchid Garden offers visitors a very colourful display of 800 species of local and foreign orchids, as well as some good elevated views of the KL skyline. The garden is open daily from 09:00 to 18:00 and while entry is free during the week, there is a minimal entry fee at weekends and on public holidays. They also sell specimens of plants and flowers and offer useful advice on growing orchids.
Deer Park is located just below the Tunku Abdul Rahman Museum. Entry is free for those who want to see Malaysia’s mouse deer and rusa deer from a wooden boardwalk in a grassland setting.
Tunku Abdul Rahman Museum (03 2694 7277) on Jalan Dato’ Onn is a memorial to Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, who helped the country attain nationhood. Entry is free to what was once the residence and office of the PM. The museum is open from 10:00 to 17:30, except Fridays (10:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 17:30), and Mondays, when it is closed.
A short walk up the hill from the museum is the National Planetarium operated by the National Space Agency. This was established to educate the public about space exploration and the solar system. The displays are quite informative and good for children.
