Despite the growing number of skyscrapers and accelerated development, Kuala Lumpur is still a city filled with beautiful parks and gardens.
1. Perdana Lake Gardens
This is one of the premier green lungs of Kuala Lumpur, which is just right across the Parliament building and was once home a British colonial official. It is a 92ha parkland and a great to unwind and be one with nature right in the centre of the city.
2. Butterfly Park
Home to more than 6,000 butterflies of some 120 species, it is beautifully landscaped to include flower and fruit plants and some rare herbs that are important in the diet and pollinating activities of butterflies. It is an educational walk in the park in a simulated natural rainforest environment where one can learn about the life cycle and mating habits of these beautiful creatures.
3. Orchid Garden
Orchids have never failed to amaze the thousands of visitors who come to see the more than 800 species grown in this garden. On weekends, this garden turns into a beautiful and crowded orchid bazaar. Admission is free.
4. Hibiscus Garden
A garden to honour the national flower, this place has more than 2,000 varieties of the rare and exotic blooms. It is also an educational tour where one learns that the hibiscus is actually made up of many varieties and each is different from the next with some being a single petal variety and others, a multiple petal variety. Admission is free and weekend bazaars are also held here.
5. Kuala Lumpur Bird Park
One of the most popular tourist attractions of Kuala Lumpur, it is home to more than 5,000 birds of some 50 species, of which 90% are local species and the remainder imported.
6. Asean Sculpture Garden
This garden has a collection of prize winning sculptures by some of the finest artists in the Asean region. It is located behind the National Monument.
7. Kuala Lumpur City Centre Park
This beautifully landscaped park was the last inspired masterpiece of the late Roberto Burle Mark, a versatile and talented Brazilian master of gardens. A combination of trees, shrubs, structure of cement, stones and wood as well as water features were included to dispel the notion of a static garden. It is directly behind the must-visit Petronas Twin Towers and shopping heaven - the Kuala Lumpur City Centre or KLCC.
8. Titiwangsa Lake Gardens
This is one of the most popular metropolitan recreational parks, located in the northern part of the city. It features tennis courts, an exercise area, children's playground and other recreational facilities for water sports and jogging, and of course, the Eye on Malaysia!
9.Bukit Kiara Botanical Gardens
A designated green lung that is a beautiful sprawling park, it is a popular ground for residents of Damansara, Sri Hartamas, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bandar Utama. Its serene and captivating scenery soothes the mind, especially after a long and hard day at work.
10. Taman Tasik Permaisuri
This is one of the newest parks planned in the Cheras area and is one of the favoured areas for residents to jog and exercise, especially during weekends.