Malaysians are known to adore the word ‘free’ and with the
rising costs of living these days, anything that comes by without having to
spend a single cent, is very much appreciated. Also, looking for great
activities to indulge in for free is becoming increasingly hard. Well, we’ve
done the legwork for you and here are 12 activities that you can do in Klang
Valley for absolutely free of charge.
1. Reignite your
inner bookaholic
A book exchange is a great way to get rid of old books that
you have left lying on your shelves and has since collected dust. Best part is,
you get one in return for the book you give away. Scour through endless shelves
for more books and reactivate that healthy reading habit that you had when you
were young. The Subang Jaya Book Exchange program is available every first and
third Sunday of the month in BEP Cabin, USJ 12.
“Address: Jalan USJ 12/2F, 47500 Subang Jaya.”
2. Lace up your
walking shoes
Why not spend the weekend on a free guided tour to get to
know the city of Kuala Lumpur? Besides getting a little workout in and bask in
the morning daylight, it is also good to be up to speed on the history of KL.
Whilst it mostly caters to tourists, locals are more than welcome as well to
join on the walk which begins from Kuala Lumpur City Gallery, and takes walkers
through 11 historical sites in, and around Dataran Merdeka.
“Address: 27, Jalan Raja, Dataran Merdeka, 50050 Dataran
Merdeka”
3. Care for a (free)
growing plant
This is the way you can get a free plant. The Free Tree
Society is a community of environment lovers who go by the simple principle of
taking plants seeds, nurturing them and then once they are full grown, they
will be given away for absolutely free on environmental holidays. Plants are a
great way to cultivate a caring nature and what more since they come without
charge.
“Address: 142 Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur”
4. Get in touch with
nature on a hike
There are many places to hike in the Klang Valley and it’s a
great activity whereby you can rope in a bunch of friends regardless of their
fitness levels, to scale a nearby hill. Famous hiking places include Kota
Damansara Community Forest Reserve, Bukit Gasing and Templer’s Park.
5. Stroll the
afternoon away in a free market
Who says nothing is for free? At this free market which
occurs in several locations nationwide, pre-loved items are given away for no
charge and there are no rules to it as well. If you spot something that you
like throughout your stroll, you will get to leave with it. Alternatively, if
you have your own items which you would like to give away, you can always bring
your own mat to lay your items on, and the waiting game begins for someone to
take the items home.
6. Look for a little
interior design inspiration
IKEA is well-known for its comfortable atmosphere which is
also reason why many families are seen strolling here during weekends. You
don’t have to leave with anything in hand, but be rest assured that you won’t
leave the place without a little interior design inspiration.
“Address: Jalan PJU 7/2, Mutiara Damansara, 47820 Petaling
Jaya”
7. People-watch at a
park, because why not?
Lazy evenings are perfect for people-watching at the park
and best part is, you could even pack your own food and have an outdoor picnic.
There are many great outdoor parks in the Klang Valley area, including the KLCC
park and the Titiwangsa Park. Alternatively, if you are not looking to head to
these larger parks, neighbourhood parks make for great spots to hang out with
loved ones as well.
8. Poke your nose in
a book
Local libraries are perfect if you don’t have any books to
exchange and just wish to have a good spot where you can flip through pages
without being bothered. Most libraries would require a membership card but
that’s only upon borrowing. If you wish to read it at the place, you would not
have to part with a single cent.
9. Do good and
volunteer your time
It is good to spare a little time to volunteer because it
helps to be thankful for what you have and to help in the lives of those who
are less fortunate. The Kechara Soup Kitchen which operates around Jalan Imbi,
KL, distributes food to the homeless and the urban poor community and are
always looking for volunteers to help out.
10. Test drive a
swanky new ride
The feeling behind a fancy, expensive steering wheel is
enough motivation to work doubly as hard in order to one day obtain it. Test
driving cars does not in any way imply that you would be the owner of the
vehicle, but as the saying goes, “You don’t have to buy it to try it.” Most car
dealerships will allow their customers to book a test drive in advance, and
this includes BMW, Volkswagen and Audi.
11. Spend some time
with men’s best friend
Animals, like humans, require attention as well as
interaction in order to survive. However, those at the animal sanctuaries or
rescue centres rarely get any visitors. Hence, go ahead and channel some love
for these little creatures at places like PAWS and SPCA, instead of forking out
precious moolah at cat cafés. Best part is you can pet all the cats and dogs
you want for free, and there is no 1-hour time limit to it.
12. Watch people
rough it out at quidditch
Quidditch is a game most Potterheads would be familiar with,
as it was often spoken about in the books and movies. Malaysia has its own team
of quidditch players who rough it out on Sunday evenings from 4.30-6.45pm,
though scheduled to change. The Damansara Dementors have been playing for
several years and they regularly meet up in fields, including the 1 Utama
Central Park and Padang Astaka, but it’s best to follow them to be up to date
on their whereabouts for the week.
Written by Anna Lee