No Horsing Around! Here’s How You Can Invite Prosperity (& A New Home) In The Year Of The Fire Horse
No Horsing Around! Here’s How You Can Invite Prosperity (& A New Home) In The Year Of The Fire Horse
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That special day in February is just around the corner and just like any celebration, many start wondering what sort of damage it’s going to do to their wallets.
Valentine’s Day is a time filled with romance and expectations. Some might feel the need to spend a significant amount of money to express their affection or care to their significant other (or maybe a new flame).
You’ll be glad to know that there are many options in Kuala Lumpur for a romantic day (or night) out that will not leave your bank account empty by the end of the day.
Besides, if everything goes well, wouldn’t you want to go on more dates in the future?
Here are some ways you can spend Valentine’s Day around the city that is minimal on spending, yet maximises quality time.
1. Visit some local art galleries
If you and your Valentine are the artsy types, there are plenty of cute art galleries and art hubs around the capital city that will surely spark some interesting conversations as well as feed your creative souls.
Ilham Gallery, which is just off Jalan Ampang and easily accessible from the Ampang Park LRT station is an excellent gallery which features artwork by Malaysian contemporary artists and collectives.
It has two floors that exhibit unique themes which rotate twice a year. currently, the gallery’s triennial exhibition ILHAM Art Show 2025 on Level 5 is ongoing until 5 April 2026. It features twenty selected contemporary artists and collectives whose work ranges from a broad array of mediums, from painting, drawing, printmaking and photography, to installation, textile, film and video.
Meanwhile on Level 3, the work of South Korean video artist Eunhee Lee is on display until 15 March 2026.
The best part about the gallery? Entrance is completely free!
The Zhongshan Building, an art hub located in Kampung Attap, KL, offers a more intimate creative experience. Here, there is a small art gallery, a homely book store where you can find rare out-of-print books, a gritty vinyl record store, and even renowned Sarawakian musician Alena Murang’s studio.
There are also specialty stores here that offer personalised stationery and social enterprises run by local artisans.
When you’ve built up an appetite, Tommy Le Baker serves up good coffee and pastries, while Piu Piu Piu provides a more bespoke coffee experience.
Just outside the building, there are plenty of picture perfect spots as the vicinity is a vibe in itself, with street art peppering the walls of the rejuvenated structure and many instagrammable nooks and crannies.
And have we mentioned that going into and around the building is completely free?
Another art spot we feel is worth mentioning is UR-MU, which is short for Urban Museum. This contemporary gallery in Bukit Bintang also has free admission.
If you and your Valentine are feeling up to it, they are hosting a metal embossing workshop on 14 February at RM129 per person.
2. Do the natural thing and go for a picnic or look at beautiful birds and butterflies
If you want to bask in nature with your date, Kuala Lumpur has many green lungs where you can set up a picnic for two.
Naturally, the Perdana Botanical Garden is the first to come to mind because there’s lots of open green space here where you can lay down a picnic mat and a basket of your favourite foods.
Whether you prepare the meal yourself at home or just order take-away from your favourite cafe, sitting on the grass surrounded by trees and flowers is an evergreen way to spend the day with that special someone. If you think about it, no five-star restaurant can offer this kind of experience without draining a month’s worth of salary.
Nearby, you could also find the KL Bird Park and Butterfly park where you (the guys especially) can tell your date they’re as pretty as a peacock or an Emerald Swallowtail.
While Perdana Botanical Gardens is free to enter, the bird and butterfly parks do have a modest admission fee. It still beats paying for a RM500+ dinner in some swanky restaurant though!
3. Check out the newly reopened Sultan Abdul Samad Building (it’s really charming)
The historic Sultan Abdul Samad Building just got a fresh coat of paint and new tenants Malaysians are all too familiar with, like Kaw Kaw Malaya and Bakehouse by KLCG Bakery and Confectionery.
If you haven’t been there yet since it was reopened, Valentine’s Day might be a good time to check it out. The refurbished landmark has plenty of spots for the ‘Gram and sitting at one of the cafés there makes for a charming and nostalgic Valentine’s Day date.
Admission into the building itself is free and easily accessible via the Masjid Jamek LRT.
4. Cafe-hopping for the coffee couples
For those who had their first date at a coffee shop and want to re-enact their meet-cutes, there are a bunch of cozy cafés around the city you could spend the afternoon at while staring into each other’s wide caffeinated eyes.
Tucked away on Jalan Wickham near Kampung Pandan is an offbeat coffee spot called Liten Coffee. Its vibe is that of a home, with mismatched furniture and Ikea lighting. What makes the café shine is their menu of specialty coffee cocktails (non-alcoholic, don’t worry) which you won’t find anywhere else.
Meanwhile, close to Pasar Seni, Pucks Coffee also offers an intimate coffee shop experience and they’re open all the way until midnight for late night dates.
Near Pucks Coffee is another coffee joint worth checking out called Safehouse. This spot is bathed in red neon lights (the colour of love?) that gives off a club vibe, except you’re not going to end the night on a dirty floor. The menu here caters to sweet tooths, with decadent coffee concoctions like Tiramisu Latte, Buttercream Latte and Choc Belgian Hazelnut.
5. Valentine’s Day markets for those who love to shop (together)
Gifts don’t have to be thousands of ringgit to be meaningful. In fact, the best gifts are the ones that have a lot of thought put into it.
Valentine’s Day markets are not only the best place to find a tailored present for your partner, they’re also great for couples to visit together.
Makers and Co is organising a market for Valentine’s Day from 12 to 15 February at The Campus Ampang filled with handmade art, baked goods, self-care products and other local creations.
There will also be live music at the market on 14 and 15 February featuring classic songs from the 70s and 80s as well as the 2000s performed by talented local artists.
While it’s not exactly Valentine’s Day-themed, REXKL is hosting Strollin’ Market from 13 to 15 February where there will be vendors selling locally-made goods including arts and crafts, collectibles and other thoughtful finds for your date.
REXKL itself is ideal for a day out with your valentine. The refurbished and repurposed cineplex is free to enter and houses some pretty interesting tenants from its one-of-a-kind Book Xcess to unique eateries.
Valentine’s Day doesn’t always have to involve flower bouquets that cost hundreds of ringgit and dinner at dimly-lit fancy restaurants.
Sometimes, a no-frills day out at interesting local spots could be more engaging, leaving more core memories for you and your loved one to cherish for as long as you’re together.
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