International travel is back on the cards again since Covid-19 restrictions have been taken down. So, if you are ever in my neck of the woods (meaning Kuala Lumpur city) and you’ve several hours to spare for a run, may I actually recommend one of my favourite running spots in the morning that will allow you to experience an urban “jungle”-themed run in every sense of the word.
Taman Tugu (or Tugu Park) is my go-to place to run every weekday morning after dropping off my eldest daughter at school, and like her school, its located near the heart of KL. It’s a 66-acre park located near the National Monument and features a secondary forest replete with trails with some remaining foundation of bungalows that were built during the colonial era of Malaya.
It’s a convenient starting point for a run. Exiting the main gate of the park, turning left will bring you towards the National Monument, while turning right will take you towards the Istana Selangor (Selangor Palace). One of my favourite loops would be run a short course around the Taman Tugu parameter, which would consist of Taman Tugu -> Istana Selangor -> Ministry of Works -> Sasana Kijang -> Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers -> Bank Negara -> Padang Merbok -> National Monument -> Taman Tugu. At about 4.3 KM, it’s easily done within 30 minutes and you get to admire the peaceful jungle enclave and the really cool architecture of the buildings that you’ll come across.
If you have an hour to spare, you can easily stretch out your run to cover on the River of Life, which consists of paths along the Gombak River. Towards the east along the River of Life, you get to visit Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) which is surrounded by colonial era buildings, and the iconic Masjid Jamek. This particular loop is about 5-6 kilometres long.
Should you decide to head north instead, you’ll be running along Jalan Raja Laut towards the World Trade Centre. You’ll come across Tiong Nam Park, another fixture on the River of Life. You can either turn back at this juncture or head on up Bukit Tunku as an alternative route back to Taman Tugu. I like this particular course as its more of challenge. The Bukit Tunku incline is no joke, and the total length of the course is about 7-8 kilometres.
So usually I would finish of my run with a trail run within Taman Tugu itself. You should know that there are two primary trails. The harder, longer trail (~ 4 kilometres?) has its entrance right next to the main gate of Taman Tugu, while the shorter trail’s entrance is within the park itself, and that trail is about a kilometre long.
Are trail running shoes necessary? Not really. How about hiking sticks? Well they are a help, but not necessary either. What about mosquito repellant? Now, I usually run in the mornings but I never actually had trouble with mosquitos in the trail proper. How about a water bottle? I don’t run with one, but if you are visiting the place in the afternoon or evening when it’s warm and balmy, it’s best to bring some hydration.
Here’s a pro-tip: there are public showers at Taman Tugu!
