Kuala Lumpur Penang Johor Bahru Malaysia

18 Dreamy Spots To Find 'Sakura Trees' In Full Bloom In KL, Penang, Johor, & More!

Eunis Ong

Last updated 22 Mar 2024

Photo Credits: @xhionster (left & bottom right), @nanafzl (top right)

Nani?! Sakura In Malaysia? 🌸

Regarded as a symbol of renewal and a reminder of the fleetingness of life, cherry blossoms bloom in Japan every spring, attracting people from all over the globe in search of delicate, beautiful, yet short-lived pink blooms. If cherry blossom viewing in Japan still seems like a far-fetched dream this spring, don't worry as we have our very own Malaysian version of the cherry blossom season.

Photos of pink blooms spotted across Malaysia have made rounds on social media last year, bringing about much excitement amongst Malaysians who have gone searching for sakura in their own neighbourhoods. While these pink blooms obviously aren't real cherry blossoms, they definitely do not lose out in beauty (if only we have more of them!).

The pink, white, and purple blooms in Malaysia belong to beautiful Tecoma trees (tabebuia rosea trees), also affectionately known as "tissue paper trees" by the locals due to the texture and thin petals of the flowers.

When do tecoma trees bloom in Malaysia?

Tecoma trees bloom during the driest months of the year between February and April, and can be spotted along some streets in Penang, Kedah, Johor, Melaka, and even Klang Valley. We've compiled 18 spots where you can go cherry blossom hunting in Malaysia this weekend, keep reading to decide where to go on your sakura chase! 🌸

Where to find sakura in Malaysia? 🇲🇾

1. Alor Setar, Kedah

Tecoma trees are known to bloom after a particularly dry season followed by rainy weather. According to research, the northern states in Malaysia such as Penang and Kedah tend to have the most beautiful blooms due to prolonged drought.

Photographer Bisous Paris captured the pink blooms beautifully in these shots that have been making their rounds on social media - these Tecoma trees were spotted near Lagenda Heights in Sungai Petani, Kedah.

2. Penang Island

Some areas in Penang (particularly in the Bayan Lepas area) are filled with pink blooms every year, this year being no exception. Penangites, have you head over to take some beautiful pictures yet? Here are some known spots where you can spot Tecoma trees in Penang:

Taman Sri Nibong Recreational Park
Jalan Dato Keramat
Taman Bagan Lalang
Bay Avenue
Tanjung Tokong

Side note: did you know that a project called Penang Sakura San San San (333) was launched in 2020 with the mission of planting 333 Tecoma trees (affectionately known as the Penang Sakura) across Georgetown alongside the many historical sights in the city? We can't wait for that to become a reality!

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3. Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang

Penang's Universiti Sains Malaysia posted a Facebook post with photos of the university campus's grass fields full of pink petals. The cheeky caption reads: "some folks have been calling us names like 'Universiti Sakura Malaysia'. We'd sure love studying on a campus as beautiful as this!

4. Alor Gajah, Melaka

Nana Fadzil posted beautiful photos of Tecoma trees in full bloom spotted at Masjid Tanah, Melaka. It's hard to imagine these trees are actually in Malaysia! They can also be found in other towns in Melaka such as Rembia, Sungai Udang, Lendu, and more.

5. Gombak, KL (towards Batu Caves)

Photographer Vei Xhion stumbled upon a picturesque street lined with Tacoma trees near his workplace in Taman Batu Muda, near Batu Caves. The photos definitely look as if they've been plucked out of a dreamy anime! We also heard that the streets in Gombak leading to Batu Caves have some of the prettiest blooms in Klang Valley - make time to check them out before the blooming season ends.

6. Mont Kiara, KL

Facebook user Ray Yap shared a photo taken at Mont Kiara under a Tecoma tree in full bloom. Other Malaysians added on their contributions in the comments section, sharing photos taken in their own neighbourhoods where Tecoma trees are blooming as well. Many expressed how lucky they are that they spotted pink blooms right outside where they live, in areas like Sungai Long, Setapak, Cheras, Jalan Kuching, and more.

7. Damansara Uptown, PJ

Facebook user Fion Yap Hong Leng shared photos of pink petals strewn all over the pavements in Damansara Uptown, close to Starling Mall. She mentions that the scenery reminds her of her hometown Kluang in Johor, where Tecoma trees also known to bloom beautifully every year. Besides pink blooms, Fion also spotted trees with red leaves in Cheras looking like the ones in autumn!

8. Setapak, KL

Facebook user SP Ko shared images of white and pink blooms at the field and playground in the neighbourhood of Air Panas in Setapak. The field is located opposite the Air Panas Food Court where you can slurp down a hearty bowl of lala noodles or loh mee after your sakura chase.

9. Along MRR2 & In IIUM

Many netizens have raved about the Tecoma trees spotted along the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) highway leading towards the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM). Plenty of pretty photos were also taken within the IIUM campus where some areas within the university have been transformed into a pastel pink wonderland!

10. Taman Tasik Cyberjaya

Great for morning runs, scenic walks, and picnics, Taman Tasik Cyberjaya is a green oasis with well-maintained paths, bridges, lakes, and even a lookout tower. The boulevards of the park are now lined with white and pink Tecoma trees that will greet you from the car park onwards!

11. Taman Putra Perdana, Puchong

Taman Putra Perdana is also ready to welcome visitors with a car park full of pink blooms. Your car will likely be covered in pink petals after leaving it there for a couple of hours!

12. Titiwangsa, KL

Izzati Yussof captured the sun setting peacefully behind a Tecoma tree in full bloom in Titiwangsa back in 2021. She took the opportunity to remind everyone in her caption to adhere to the SOP even when on the lookout for 'cherry blossoms' in Malaysia (or have RM10k ready in case you get stopped by the police!).

13. Batu Pahat, Johor

Photos and videos of streets in Batu Pahat lined with Tacoma trees have surfaced across social media, igniting excitement amongst Johoreans. Who's up for an #aesthetic stroll along the streets?

14. Muar, Johor

麻河时光 Muar River Times shared an album of trees in full blossom spotted around Sungai Abong in Muar, Johor. There seems to be a lot of Tecoma hot spots in the southern state of Malaysia - many netizens posted photos taken in Kluang as well!

15. Langkawi

The Jewel of Kedah, sunny Langkawi is also blessed with rows of pink and white Tecoma trees! The drone shots captured by Kamal Ibrahim showcases Langkawi looking pretty in pink - we really can't wait to plan our beach getaway once the interstate travel ban gets lifted.

16. Perlis

The northern state of Perlis is also blessed with blooming Tecoma trees, as posted by Lu Li Min in a photo taken in a residential area on a tranquil morning.

17. Ipoh, Perak

Azizah Radzi shared a photo of a Tecoma tree taken in front of the Stadium Ipoh! Those staying in Ipoh, have you spotted pink blooms anywhere else?

18. Tawau, Sabah

Spring isn't just happening in Peninsular Malaysia, in fact, many areas in Sabah have also been known to have streets lined with Tecoma trees that bloom beautifully every year. The trees have been planted gradually over the past 10 years and usually bloom twice a year.

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