A forest in a big city, under a tall tower
This forest reserve is situated at Bukit Nanas which is also the foot of Kuala Lumpur Tower (KL Tower). Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, was used to be tin mines near the rivers and forests. Its name directly means “muddy estuary” due to the mines. Now, it is a well-developed city and still growing. Most of the people just know about Kuala Lumpur as a prosperous city with buildings all around the region. But, they do not realize the existence of a forest residing the heart of the city.Here is a brief history of the forest reserve.
1906 – gazetted as Bucket Weld Forest Reserve
1934 – recognized as a wildlife reserve and bird sanctuary
1950 - ~5 hectares was declared as Virgin Jungle Reserve
Now – the area is ~10.5 hectares
The main entrance to the forest is just by the parking lots of KL Tower. For those who take the train service, it is easier to access the forest through the side entrance (via MTIB Wariseni Gallery). Anyway, the whole forest paths are interconnected so I will start from the main entrance.
At the entrance, there is a forest map (photo above). Having a sketch or a photo snap of the map will easily guide you through the forest and identify some of the attractions. Two paths are available here. One is the Sindora Track and another is the Arboretum Trail. It is better to take the Sindora Track first then only backtrack to Arboretum Trail. This will directly lead you to another area of the forest. The Sindora Track is just pavement with staircases and will lead us to the Herbs Garden and the Wild Orchid Garden. Unfortunately, the Herbs Garden was still under construction so there is nothing to see for the moment. As for the Wild Orchid Garden, it is just an enclosed caged with some orchid plants. Nothing was really attractive. At the end of the track is the information center where you can ask about the forest and also get a brochure.
The Arboretum Trails is more interesting as you truly walk inside the forest. The trail is easy and the path is obvious. The only concern is mosquitoes, lots and lots of mosquitoes once you step into the forest. It is advisable to bring along insect repellant. Because it is a walk more than trekking, we could spend more time to look for unusual insects or animals. So far, we spotted a centipede in a dead bark, a lizard, an unknown insect hanging on a thin lining of silk, and a squirrel. We also saw some monkeys loitering around. It is best not to interact with them as in giving food or harassing them. This trail is a circle so we were back at the entrance.
By following the tarmac road, it will lead you to another area of the forest. You can choose either the Hopea Track or the Penarahan Trail. We did not enter the Penarahan Trail but choosing the track. Nothing much about the track until the Bamboo Walk. It is not what you imagine of a bamboo forest but a pavement with few bamboo plants at the side. After that it is another detour. Jelutong Trail or Shorea Track. Due to lack of time, we took the track.
The Shorea Track is just another usual track. It will lead to a hall and an exercising compound. The end of the track will the side entrance as mentioned above with MTIB Wariseni Gallery over there. After backtracking to the detour just now, there will be a large compound which is a camping ground. Here, you can see the tower clearly. Passing the compound is the suspension bridge which connects to the foot of KL Tower. That is all about the forest.
Upon exiting, there is a small bird park. However, visitors need to pay to enter. The last place to visit is the Jelutong century tree next to restaurants and cafes. A signboard states that the tree is around 95-year-old and RM 430,000.00 was spent to conserve it during KL Tower construction.
Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve is a good place to escape the city. However, constructions and roads around the forest disrupt the harmony of the forest. You can still hear cicada ‘singing’ but the pounding sound of piling machines and vehicles ‘roaring’ through the streets ruin the environment. I was a bit disappointed not to walk in the Penarahan Trail and Jelutong Trail because of the lack of time. Maybe a revisit in the future to finish both of the trails.
