Unusual date ideas in KL

Here are a few reasons why a date night at the comedy club beats dinner and a movie: 

it sparks laughter; laughter connects people; and very simply, fewer awkward silences because talk less, laugh more! Dates, especially the first few ones, don’t need to and shouldn’t be interviews. Get to know each other between sets and make your date laugh without telling any jokes — and to be sure, a shared sense of humour is a crucial compatibility check, too. The next time you need a good laugh, check out the best comedy clubs in the city such as KL Comedy Corner in Bandar Sunway or Simply Comedy by Tin Box at Publika featuring up-and-comers or seasoned veterans, or keep an eye out for upcoming comedy shows with One Mic Stand.

Only if your ghoul-friend is up to it, how does dinner and a haunted house sound? Hauntu at The Linc KL packs plenty of horrors, live theatre and role play into Colle Eastern Hotel, an immersive haunted house — hotel? — experience set in the 50s, 80s and 90s, swirling with sinister agendas and spirits. If you dare check in, you must uncover the secrets lurking within. Heels and skirts are not recommended as you’ll need to crawl in parts of the experience; and uh, wear comfortable shoes, you want to be able to run from the scaries. If you’ve already been to Colle Eastern Hotel and live to tell the tale, bewitch your boo at Hauntu at the Curve instead; it’s set during the sultanate era at Seri Panggung Academy, a dance academy blending ancient mystical horrors and dark magic.

Cosy up at Sunsan Bake’s movie nights under the stars, sprawled outdoors with a picnic and a sofa lounge. Every Friday to Sunday at 7pm (bonus romance points: sunset hour), the bungalow café shows an eclectic mix of arthouse animations, Malaysian neo-noir drama films and even family-friendly classics; think everything from ‘Princess Mononoke’ to ‘Abang Adik’ and ‘The Minions’. For food: all-day coffee and pastries, savoury toasts, burgers and sandwiches, pastas, and sweet treats. There’s a short wine list. P/S: It’s also a pet-friendly restaurant. Idea: double date with dogs! Woof we say more?

Take your date on wheels. That is, roller skate wheels. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or wanting to spice up your date nights, a skate date is always a good idea; it’s casual, fun, and even if you’re not great at it, it shows a willingness to try new things on your part. Dress for the occasion and lean into the ambience; the rink will most likely glow in the dark, blasting 80s hits if you’re at Sk8te City or K-Pop if you’re at a ROLLERWA rink. Don’t worry about falling. Chances are, you won’t be the only one. Plus, there’ll be a lot of hand holding, wink. After working up an appetite, take a break with snacks and sweet treats.

There’s something romantic about squeezing into a photo booth together, striking poses, snapping pictures, maybe stealing smooches too. In Kuala Lumpur, photo booths have popped up everywhere, sometimes even in the same shopping mall. It’s a lovely novelty in the digital age with a tangible takeaway capturing your time together, a keepsake you can cherish for years to come. Throw in some goofy accessories! The Film Malaysia has outlets in MyTOWN Shopping Centre, SS15 Subang Jaya, KL East Mall. Ohneul Studio has photo booths at MyTOWN Shopping Centre, Sunway Pyramid, and Wangsa Walk Mall. Over at 1 Utama Shopping Centre, find Photo ACE.

A pottery class will have you and your date getting your hands dirty. Many studios in Kuala Lumpur offer pottery classes even for complete beginners; there are hand-building classes where you’ll create only with your hands, and workshops to learn how to take a ball of mud and throw it into something beautiful on the wheel. It’s not just the experience that’ll last a lifetime. Most places will teach you the basics of firing and glazing too, or have your work fired and glazed for you to take home. Whether you opt for a one-off date or hey, decide to embark on a new hobby together with weekly classes, pottery is a chance for couples to spend an artsy, fun-filled evening together. Check out A Touch Of Clay, Clay Expression or Clay Arts Studio for more information. We also like 22 Craft Studio, Beary Potter Studio, and Good Times DIY Pottery Studio.

A mere five-minute drive from Bangsar Village, Kebun-Kebun Bangsar is a breath of fresh air for those smitten with a fellow nature lover. Led by local architect Ng Sek San, the 8-acre urban community farm is free to enter; its terraces sprouting with flowers, fruits and vegetables donated to soup kitchens and underprivileged groups. It’s pet-friendly, plus chickens, goats and other animals on-site add to the charm. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, volunteer for a day of hands-on tasks tending to the crops, from weeding to planting. It makes for an excellent outdoor date, teaching you to cooperate and collaborate with each other while learning about organic farming practices — all while giving back.

Time to break out one of the classics. The bowling date has been around for ages but Supreme Cosmic Bowl takes it up a few notches with glow-in-the-dark neon lighting and stylish lounge spaces. It’s laid-back, low-stakes, and even if neither of you can bowl, you’ll have a great time being a little goofy and laughing at yourselves. After the game, indulge in conversation over comfort food; on the menu is buffalo wings, chicken karaage, fries and more. If it’s been a successful evening of bowling, keep the fun going with more play. Supreme Cosmic Bowl also has other games such as air hockey, big punch, e-darts, and pool.

While Netflix and chill is a great date idea, sometimes date nights call for some adrenaline-pumping action; here’s where WINDLAB Indoor Skydiving dives in, an indoor skydiving facility located in 1 Utama Shopping Centre’s latest extension 1 Utama E. You’ll get to ‘skydive’ inside a vertical wind tunnel that mimics the experience of diving out a plane from 14,000 feet above ground. (If that doesn’t scream ‘exciting’, we don’t know what will.) Highly-experienced instructors will be on hand to show you the ropes and teach the basics, and you’ll be pulling off cool twists and turns in no time. Bonus: First-time flyers are encouraged to hold hands with their partners, for support.

First-time flyer packages include training sessions and two more free-flying sessions per person, from RM109.

So you’ve got about as much artistic talent as Garfield after a bout of lasagna, but your date’s all for wielding a paintbrush and creating their own work of art. Join Art & Bonding’s Sip & Paint sessions, where you get to drink wine and clumsily daub paint on a canvas while your beau confidently builds up the colours on their masterpiece. The three-hour sessions (from RM130 per person) include a glass of wine, free-flow non-alcoholic beverages and all the art materials you need. And after painting romantic landscapes and vibrant florals (and after all that wine), you just might realise you have a flair for the arts after all.