Tourists can now explore KL on rented bicycles

It’s official: Ahmad Phesal (left) officially launching the ‘Kuala Lumpur By Cycle’ programme. Looking on is Mirza (right) and Tunku Iskandar (second from right).

Here’s an interesting way to discover Kuala Lumpur — ride a bicycle! Tourists can now rent up to 20 city bicycles to explore KL’s attractions within a designated cycle zone with the introduction of the ‘Kuala Lumpur By Cycle’ programme.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib officially launched the programme at Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad, Jalan Tun Perak recently. This is the latest tourism programme developed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) under its Visit KL initiative.

Also present was Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab and Kuala Lumpur Tourism Development Council co-chairman Tunku Datuk Seri Iskandar Tunku Abdullah.

Ahmad Phesal said the programme was aimed at offering an eco-friendly way to explore and appreciate KL while promoting cycling as a viable transportation alternative. “If we provide the access, tourists will cycle, and with the success of the Nature Route, we will identify and develop other safe and suitable cycle routes, hopefully within this year,” he added.

The ‘Nature Route’ (the first designated route) is made up of two zones; the Heritage Zone and the Park Zone.

The Heritage Zone encompasses attractions such as the Sultan Abdul Samad building, the National Textile Museum, the Victorian Fountain, Royal Selangor Club, Cathedral of St Mary and the City Theatre, better known as Panggung Bandaraya.

The second, the Park Zone, takes tourists through the Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park, with stops covering Perdana Botanical Gardens, KL Bird Park, KL Butterfly Park, Deer Park, KL Hibiscus and Orchid Gardens, National Planetarium, Tun Abdul Razak Memorial, Islamic Arts Museum and the National Mosque.

Currently, there are two packages that tourists can opt for; the Free & Easy Cycle, which is a self-guided bicycle tour or the Guided Cycle Tour, the first-of-its-kind in the country, where riders are provided with a set of headphones that will allow them to hear a running commentary given by a tour guide.

During the launch, Ahmad Phesal also flagged off a group of tourists who opted for the Guided Cycle Tour. One of the participants was Italian tourist, Ricardo Loschi, 28, who looked forward to seeing the city’s sights and attractions.

“It will be fun to explore the city by bicycle as it’s quite unusual. We can take our time and stop to take lots of pictures. “The best part is we won’t be caught in any traffic jam,” he said.

Riders will also be provided with a safety helmet and safety vest as well as a route map for reference. Rental fees are priced at RM30 for the first four hours with RM5 for every subsequent hour (The Free and Easy Cycle) and RM45 for the Guided Cycle Tour.

Bicycles can be collected at the Kuala Lumpur By Cycle centre located at the KL City Gallery, Jalan Raja and a refundable deposit of RM250 is payable when collecting them.

-thestar online.