Forest reserves of Ampang and Kajang

Further South of Cheras Kuala Lumpur on the Federal road

from Kuala Lumpur to Kajang and Seremban are stretches

of forest reserves which serve as catchment areas for rainfall

to supply water for the rivers and dams serving the Klang valley.

Two of the famous dams are the Ulu Langat Dam and the Semenyih

Dam.

It is not surprising that the hills,waterfalls and streams are popular

campsites and picnic grounds for the locals, keen as ever to escape the

heat of the Klang valley.There is increasing growth in this area of

Eco-tourism.

The town of Kajang is famous for the local food satay which is basically

kebab grills which was probably introduced by visting Arabs in the past.

For a video tour:

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?ns=1&video_id=96M4FQcS9qM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZLNEKgKNAs

                                                          Well preserved jungle

                                                      A stream from the waterfalls

                                                            Tropical hardwood trees

                                                            The durian fruit and tree

                                              The Langat river,an important source of water

                                                             Unspoilt forest reserve

                                                        A camp-site for eco-tourism

Cheras Lake Park,Kuala Lumpur

Cheras is a suburb located south of Kuala Lumpur, notorious for
its traffic jams during peak hours.It is mainly a residential area with
pockets of industrial zones.It is one area in KL with a low population
density and  relatively clean environment.
The only place worth a visit whilst in this area is the City Hall's Park,
located in a new area of Cheras called Bandar Tun Razak which is
a part of Cheras comnprising mainly government and public institutions.
The Park has two large lakes plus a built-up terraced garden where one can
view flowers by walking along a gallery shaped like an arena or stadium.
The park is mainly used for family outings and jogging and cycling.

                                                    Bird's eye view of the terraced garden

                                                    Ant's eye view of the terraced garden

                                                         Bougainvillea on Pergola

                                                     A local flower called "Koch's Bauhinia"

                                                               Unknown creeper

                                                                Traveller's Palm

                                                                      Orchids

                                                                   Reeds

                                                                       Allamanda

                                                                       The lake

                                                                      Tree Ferns

View of the lake

                                                 

                                                         

For a video tour :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux2R6CtmA-Q

Genting Highlands Resort,Pahang,Malaysia

Located less than an hour away from Kuala Lumpur via the East West Highway,

the Genting Highlands Resort is a perfect weekend family getaway for people

in Kuala Lumpur hoping to escape the congestion,noise,filth and crime and most

of all the intense heat, Kuala Lumpur being designated as one of the hottest urban

heat traps in the world.

Originally conceived as a gambling centre, most of the gaming activities have now

being relocated to Singapore,China,USA and also to the Genting owned Star

Cruise Liners.This is partly due to the progressive Islamisation of the country and

also the realisation ,as in China and history,that gambling is a vice that cannot be

tolerated in any society peopled by Chinese as it is as destructive as drugs.

The hills are popular because of the cool temperature and also the mostly unspoilt

beauty of the natural environment.The built up areas at the peak that include hotels,

theme parks,a Golf Course and apartments are very well kept and clean and a far

cry from the polluted,littered and unkempt city of Kuala Lumpur.It is a place where

people mind their manners and where there are multitudes of staff to pick after their

littering ways.

The most attractive part of the retreat should be the Buddhist Temple and Pagoda

and the Taoist and Buddhist Theme Park depicting the Circle of Life.

Unlike other Theme Parks or Seaside resorts this is one of the very few which

is unspoilt and naturally air-conditioned.If there is any place in Malaysia with a

semblance of paradise or Shangri La,this is it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKK38PCvt5w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rZUSJ9R3n8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mET5pyIyJ4

View of neighbouring hills

Cable car facility 

                                                              Natural landscape

Carved out landscape

                                                              The temple complex

                                                       Rhododendren growing wild

                                           

                                                     Statues of fairies lining roadside

                                   

                                                             The hotels and casino

                                                 The famous Monkey God Sun Wu Kong

                                             

                                                  Figurines of fairies crossing the river

                                                 View of the temple complex and theme park
                                           

Klang Gates Dam and Taman Melawati,Malaysia

The Klang Gates dam is located in North Kuala Lumpur in an area now

known as Taman Melawati.Its facade is dominated by the giant quartz hills.

The Dam is sited on the source of the Kelang river.

Nearby landmarks include the National Zoo and in recent times much of

the unspoilt beauty and natural landscapes have been eroded by many

developments in the Kampung Kemensah area.

Taman Melawati however remains as the most beautiful residential area

in the Klang Valley.

The quartz hills do not provide any recreation other than mountain climbing

and for naturalists.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJlQblhz5ps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llUpdbmBMaE

                                               Part of the main range which includes Genting
                                                   

                                             Another view of the Main Range and Quartz Hills

                                            The most well known landmark in the background

                                         

                            Water overflowing from the Klang Gates dam to feed the Klang river
                                               

                                                              One of the quartz hills

                                                       The source of the Klang river

                                                                   New Development

                                              View of the quartz hills and Sungei Kelang
                                                 

                                                       Lush vegetation in the area

National Zoo of Malaysia-Zoo Negara

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/590864

The National Zoo is located in Ulu Kelang next to Taman Melawati in

Selangor.The owner of the zoo is not the government but an NGO, the

National Zoological Society if I'm not wrong.

There were plans to relocate the zoo to Janda Baik because the Zoo

is sitting on prime residential land in the Klang Valley but what the greedy

politically connected buggers eyeing the land forget is that the land is also

prone to landslides and has seen a number of disasters to houses in the

vicinity.

Not only that but the massive relocation exercise and reconstruction would

have cost a bomb, which may be profit and commissions for the robber

barons eyeing the massive contracts in the exercise but will  put both the

country as well as the zoo in financial hardship for decades.

Problems faced by the Zoo includes the land area being comparitively small

and therefore inadquate for animals requiring large areas to roam,rendering

the zoo being unable to house animals requiring huge enclosures.

Smaller zoos in Malaysia have recently been closed because many wild animals

have been housed in spaces too inadequate.

In recent developments, for some reason, the 2 Pandas rented from China are going

to be housed in this Zoo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoG6CPYA3_c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrDoBoKrmCw

 

One of the hundreds of Storks occupying the lake in the daytime.At night they fly to their home in Shah Alam

                                                             One of the few tigers

One of the few elephants

                                                      One of the few Orangutans

                                                      Local Fish in the huge aquarium

                                                               Local wild buffalo

                                                    Local fish in the huge aquarium