An evening stroll in a garden can be quite therapeutic every now and then. Diverse in flora and fauna, Malaysia is filled with different types of gardens, equally as beautiful as it is educational. Whether you’re on holiday or just looking for a nice place to visit, here are some beautiful gardens for you to explore, where you can literally stop and smell the flowers.
1. Entopia, Teluk Bahang, Penang
Calling itself “nature’s largest classroom” with over 150 species of flora and fauna on display, creatures of nature can be seen here living in their natural habitat. In Entopia, there’s The Natureland living outdoor gardens and The Cocoon indoor discovery centre. The former houses the largest butterfly and dragonfly garden in the country, while the living garden features plants, waterfalls, ponds, and caves, to name a few. The Cocoon is pretty much an indoor exhibition with interactive edu-stations as well as educational activities. Tickets range from RM49 (adult)/ RM29 (child & senior citizens) for MyKad holders to RM65 (adult)/ RM45 (child & senior citizens) for General admission.
For more information/to buy tickets, please visit the Entopia website.
2. Tropical Spice Garden, Penang Island
With over 500 species of flora, fauna, and herbs, this award-winning garden is set over 8 acres of secondary jungle, making the perfect setting for a cool, tropical stroll. Its great for a family holiday, as there are activities for children available as well, along with cooking classes available for adults. The Tropical Spice Garden is open from 9am to 6pm daily. For guided tour rates, check out their website.
3. Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple and Zen Gardens, Ipoh
Situated in Gunung Rapat, it sits on a 12-acre site and was used as early as 1920 as a place of worship. The name Kek Lok Tong is directly translated as Cave of Ultimate Bliss (or Great Happiness), a natural limestone cave which overlooks a large lotus pond. At the centre of the cave sits golden statues of Buddhist and Chinese mythological deities. The cave and the garden go hand-in-hand in creating a tranquil and peaceful setting with the view of the gardens, which also feature jogging and reflexology paths, even a ‘shoeless’ one. A perfect place for taking scenic photos and relaxing among nature.
4. Orchid Park, Kuala Lumpur
The highest point of the Lake Gardens, the garden showcases different orchid species found in the region. Orchid conservation works and stories are also carried out here, with thousands of orchids on display. Approximately sized at one hectare, there are over 800 species of orchids on display, and a total of 6000 orchids altogether. If you like, you can also purchase some flowers. There are also several areas in the garden where you can hire , at reasonable rates. For more information, visit their website.
5. Rose Centre, Brinchang, Cameron Highlands
Established since 1989, the rose garden started off as a vegetable farm. The Rose Centre Kea Farm Cameron Highlands, situated approximately 5 km from Brinchang, is spread over 10 levels of terrace with over 100 varieties of the blooming flower. Some flowers are locally potted while others are imported. For those looking to learn more about how to plant roses, this is the place to go.
6. The Secret Garden, One Utama, Petaling Jaya
One of One Utama’s best kept secrets, the rooftop garden spans an area of 30,000 square feet with a carefully curated range of tropical plants. According to their Facebook post, this ‘Garden in the Sky’ displays 600 species of rare and interesting plants. It was developed in secret for five years before it was opened for public viewing on 25th May 2009. Set up to promote environmental awareness and reduce the carbon footprint, this is also Southeast Asia’s largest rooftop garden. It’s also extremely Instagram-able with gondolas, cool walkways, and ‘hanging roots’! It’s open on weekends and public holidays from 10am to 10pm, and there are guided tours every first weekend of the month. It’s also available for wedding photography bookings. Admission is free.
7. Butterfly Gardens, Cameron Highlands
Image credit: Little Koo
A live insect gallery and zoological garden located at Kea Farm, it’s within the same vicinity as the Rose Centre. Regarded as one of Cameron Highlands’ oldest tourist attractions, Butterfly Garden is along a hill slope that contains butterflies and live insects displayed in aquariums. The garden features a variety of insects, reptiles, mammals, and birds housed on a landscaped garden, however, while butterflies are usually seen flying around, it happens in seasons. The Butterfly Garden is located right after the Butterfly Farm, so be careful not to get confused. It’s open daily, and tickets are priced at MYR5 per adult/MYR2 for children.For more information, please visit their website.
Sometimes, a little fresh air and some time with nature can do you some good. Any of these peaked your interest yet?