Northbound tourists heading towards Rawang from Kuala Lumpur should make an attempt to visit the Commonwealth Forest Park, which is located beside the trunk road.

Launched to commemorate the 14th Commonwealth Forest Conference in 1993, this attractive park combines dense jungle with landscaped gardens, formal arrangements, camping grounds, chalets, fountains, jogging tracks, hiking trails and other amenities to give visitors an idyllic choice for a greenery-clothed gateway.

The park was opened in 1993 to commemorate the 14th Commonwealth Forestry Conference in Kuala Lumpur that year. It covers more than 620ha and a substantial portion of that area has been designated as recreational forest.

Here, though you can hear the call of the wild, it is totally safe to potter about the fringes of the forest reserve on foot or to explore the park on a mountain bike.

You can also go jungle trekking - walk along a trail for three or four kilometres and you will reach one of the nearby hills, passing some small waterfalls and streams.

For endurance and leisure rides, there are 20 horses in the stable. "Horse riding is fast gaining popularity and we get avid riders coming in on weekends. Many of our repeat guests are riders.

"You will never get bored because there is so much to do including hiking, jogging and horseback riding. There are no mosquitoes here and even after 6pm, it is great to sit in the outdoors and chat with friends and family."