About Selangor

Selangor, as with other states in Malaysia, has an interesting history. Traveling to discover new places to visit is always fun, but when you bring the stories with them along, it makes the experience even memorable. 

Selangor’s history varied according to different historians, especially on how the name came to be. The most common story comes from the tale of a warrior who escaped from Melaka during the Portuguese conquest and took a resting place at an area known as Kuala Mentangau.

While he was resting, a fly or a blowfly decided to make his resting day a torment. No matter how hard he tries, the fly gets the best of him. In the end, he marked the area to be known as Selangau, recognizing it as either the winning of one fly against man or the disturbance one fly gave to him. Back then, naming a place is easier than crossing the road.

Selangor’s heritage has been recorded to be in existence since even before the Malay Sultanate of Melaka back in the 14th century. This is based on records found to be from a meeting between Tun Jana Khatib and Tuan Jajahan Buguran, plus the literary works that were discovered during the Majapahit Empire.

In 1963, Selangor became part of the Federation of Malaysia with Kuala Lumpur acting as its administrative capital. When Kuala Lumpur was given to the federal government in 1970, Shah Alam officially became its capital city and Klang as the royal capital. In 2005, Selangor raised its glass after being officially declared to be a modern state. Selangor is one of the four in Malaysia to receive more than one official city status alongside Sarawak, Johor, and Penang.

Selangor is rich with its historical highlights throughout the years including the discovery of ape bones in Klang, the unearthed of artifacts of the Bronze Age from the 2nd century BC, and the map of Mao Kung used by the Admiral Zheng He from the Ming Dynasty between 1405 and 1433.

Apart from that, Selangor has always been advocating for the flora and fauna preservation, hence, it is one of the states that housed various eco forest and natural treasuries. Overall, Selangor has a span of 250,129 hectares of permanent reserve forest that made 32% of the state land. 

Amongst the widely known ecoforest out there including Air Terjun Gabai, Sungai Congkak, Taman Rimba Templer, Sungai Tekala, Gunung Nuang, Sungai Tua, Taman Rimba Ampang, Bukit Tabur, Taman Rimba Komanwell and Sungai Sendat.

Not forgetting the wildlife reserve efforts and safeguards at various sites including the Sungai Dusun Wildlife, Kutu Hill Wildlife Reserve, and Bukit Sungai Puteh Hill Wildlife Reserve. The Sungai Dusun Wildlife became the first protected area to preserve the continuity of the Sumatran Rhinos. Ecotourism in Selangor remained a popular destination, such as the Paya Indah Wetlands where it housed mitigatory and residential birds, Nile hippos, and crocodiles.

Selangor’s cultural heritage mostly was influenced by Bugis, Minangkabau, Mandailing, Javanese, Banjar, Rawanese, and Bengkulu, thus, there are traces of these elements in the local food, cultural attractions, traditional arts, and clothing.

How to Get to Selangor

If you are a domestic traveler, going to Selangor is quite easy because its location itself is accessible via train, bus, and flight. If you are an international traveler coming in, the best way to travel to Selangor is via a flight. However, please be mindful during the Covid-19 pandemic, travel restrictions might be imposed and there are specific guidelines one has to adhere to if they are flying in from abroad.

There are three main airports in Selangor: Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2), and Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport or better known as Subang Airport among the locals.

If you are traveling from international countries to Malaysia, the best destination airport is KLIA and KLIA2 because Subang Airport only caters to domestic travels and some interstate routes.

Operating airlines to KLIA and KLIA2 include AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, Air India Express, Austrian Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Philippine Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Jetstar, and many more.

Best Places to Visit in Selangor

Given the size of Selangor itself, there is a lot to explore, Malaysian Traveller provides an extensive list of everything there is to do in Selangor and other states in Malaysia, either as a solo traveler, a family, or a dynamic duo, the information presented of all the best places to travel to from the site is enough for the road and future trips. Below are short recommendations of places you can visit in Selangor Darul Ehsan.

1. Sky Mirror

Sky Mirror is a natural treasure. It is off the coast of a fishing village in Jeram, right in the middle of the Straits of Melaka. On normal days, the beach looks like any other normal beach, but as the tide dies down, that is when you discover the things that kept bringing people there. 

Spread out over 100 football fields is a clear sand that produces a reflection of the sky, up to the point where it looks like a mirror. It is why this specific beach is called “Salar de Uyuni”. If you want to experience the picturesque view, you should come around 11 am as it is the ideal time where the tides are low. There have been dolphin sightings as well if you are lucky enough. 

2. Sekinchan

Escape from the bustling city without really escaping far. Sekinchan is a small fishing villa surrounded by paddy fields that makes you think you are far from civilization when in fact, you are still in Selangor. It takes about an hour or so to get from the airport to Sekinchan, but it is a worthwhile trip. The view of the open paddy fields can either be therapeutic or simply perfect for your photo op. 

The best time to visit the paddy fields is between March to May and the middle of September to November. Why? It is a non-harvesting season, so the paddy will be blooming during that period. Avoid going in December of all months because that is when the harvesting season begins. The only picture you will get out of that month is a harvested and dried-up field.

Among other things, you can experience is the fishing village itself where you can see first hand how the life of a fisherman is. Pantai Redang (not to be confused with Pulau Redang), which is nearby the famous Sekinchan Wishing Tree is also a good place to visit to enjoy your day. One day is enough for you to explore all the nooks and cranny of Sekinchan.

3. Batu Caves

Batu Caves is a very historical and popular landmark in Selangor, specifically the Gombak area. It is a large limestone hill with multiple caves and temples inside it. The popular rainbow stairs can be seen even from afar, all 272 steps of them. 

If you are familiar with the MRR2 highway, you will be able to spot the magnificent Batu Caves during your journey by the 140 feet high statue of Lord Murugan. The iconic statue is made of 1,550 cubicle meters of concrete with 250 tonnes of steel bars and 300 liters of gold paint.

The Batu Caves will be very lively during the Hindu festival of Thaipusam every 28th of January. If you are planning to witness and experience local Hindu culture, be sure to come during the date and you will be in awe.

There are three other holy shrines other than Batu Caves in Ipoh; the Kallumalai Temple, Penang; the Thanneermalai Temple and Melaka; the Sannasimalai Temple. Batu Caves is regarded to be one of the 10th caves for Lord Murugan in the world. Amazing, isn’t it?

4. Sunway Lagoon

Sunway Lagoon is one of the oldest and earliest amusement parks in Selangor and Malaysia. This is a multi-park attraction where you can explore various activities within the same vicinity. There are the general amusement park, a water park, wildlife park, scream park for horror fans, Nickelodeon lost lagoon for Spongebob Squarepants fans, and X Park for the adrenaline junkie.

Due to the current states of the world, Sunway Lagoon also adheres to the new normal practices, thus, the operating hours will differ according to situations. The basic rates can be seen as below:

Walk-in Rate:

• Adult (13 years old and above): MYR 138
• Child (12 years old and below): MYR 113
• Senior Citizen (60 years old and above): MYR 113

Online Ticket:

• Adult (13 years old and above): MYR 133
• Child (12 years old and below): MYR 108
• Senior Citizen (60 years old and above): MYR 108

5. Mitsui Outlet Park

Welcome to the mecca of all shopping centers. Mitsui Outlet Park is a joint venture project initiated between Malaysia Airports and Mitsui Fudosan. It is in Sepang, which is about 6 kilometers from KLIA and KLIA2 and around 60 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur.

The products available in one of the best shopping centers in Selangor range from upper-middle to high-end brands with seasonal discounts that never ceased to bring in crowds. Considering the nature of the establishments, Mitsui Outlet Park is filled with Japanese-influenced products ranging from art, food, music, and culture.

The shopping center opens from 10 AM to 10 PM and includes other airport services including flight check-in, medical assistance, free shuttle bus services, free WiFi services, wheelchairs and baby strollers provided, plus tourist privilege pass.

6. I-City

I-City is another multi-attractions theme park apart from Sunway Lagoon. It is 52 kilometers away from KLIA and KLIA2; 32 minutes from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport or Subang Airport. It is in Shah Alam, the capital city of Selangor itself.

I-City is accessible via all ground transportations, be it a bus, car, and train. There will be a new LRT station closer to I-City currently in the works and this will be built along the Bandar Utama-Klang rail. Until that time comes, taking the car or a bus will be your next best bet to get there without getting lost.

I-City consists of six different parks with different themes; SnoWalk, WaterWorld, Citywalk, City of Digital Lights, Itsy Bitsy, and CentralWalk. Each park presents its own identity and magnificence when you pay a visit. Each will provide different experiences for visitors.

With different parks available, the ticket also varies according to the park you are visiting. Below are the ticket rates as of August 2020. You will be able to find updated information on their official website as well.

• All Day Happyness Pass: MYR38
• Red Carpet 2 (4-To-Go): MYR 96
• WaterWorld Annual Pass: MYR 79
• All Day Unlimited Entries Annual Pass: MYR199
• WaterWorld: MYR23
• SnoWalk: MYR53
• All Day Unlimited Entries: MYR150
• Stay & Play 2D1N (WaterWorld + SnoWalk): MYR398
• Trick Art Museum: MYR15
• SpaceWalk: MYR18
• Red Carpet 2: MYR48
• Bowl America: MYR28

Due to the new normal we are living, there are already Covid-19 safety measures in place for all their park goers. Apart from that, you can adhere to the operating hours if you plan to pay a visit to I-City during your trip to Selangor.

Sunday - Friday

• SnoWalk/Trick Art Museum/House of Horror/5D Cinema/VR World/Red Carpet 2/CentralWalk
• 3 PM - 10.30 PM
• City of Digital Lights (Zone A & Zone B)/Itsy Bitsy: 6 PM - 11.30 PM

Saturday

• SnoWalk/Trick Art Museum/House of Horror/Red Carpet 2/CentralWalk: 3 PM - 10.30 PM
• 5D Cinema/VR World: 4 PM - 11.30 PM
• City of Digital Lights (Zone A & Zone B)/Itsy Bitsy: 6 PM - 11.30 PM

7. Crab Island

Maybe sidetracking to the nature part of Selangor is a good agenda, right? Crab Island is a mangrove forest with two main fishing villages founded back in 1880. The first fishing village is Crab Island itself and the second is Lima River.

Transportation here can be challenging for those who are not used to the village environment. There are no roads for cars or buses, instead, the pathways are suitable for walking and/or cycling. Other main transportation used by the locals is mostly boats.

The popular attraction that draws people to visit Crab Island is the food. Here, you will find fresh seafood consisting of crabs and prawns. The oyster omelet is also popular among both the locals and tourists.

The locals here are mainly Teochew and Hokkien Chinese with a combination of Teochew, Hokkien and Mandarin Chinese as the main spoken dialects. There around 6,000 people live permanently on the island.

Local Food to Try in Selangor

Lontong

Lontong is commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. It is consisting of compressed steamed rice soaked in rich coconut vegetable curry stew. It is very popular among the locals here in Selangor and easy to find the good ones. Some of them are listed below:

Lontong & Such SS3

Address: Gerai No. 21 Selera Wawasan, Jalan SS 3/33, Ss 3, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Operating hours:

• Thursday - Saturday: 8 AM - 2 PM
• Sunday: Closed

Phone: +60 17-623 7813

Lontong & CO Ara Damansara

Address: M-G-08, NZX Commercial Centre, Jalan PJU 1a/41, Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Operating hours: 

• Tuesday - Sunday: 8 AM - 4 PM/8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
• Monday: Closed

Phone: +60 12-379 1011

Lontong King

Address: 4, Jalan Seri Nanding, Taman Lagenda Suria, 43100 Hulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia

Operating hours: 

• Thursday - Sunday: 7 AM - 6 PM
• Friday: Closed

Phone: +60 17-314 1692

**This restaurant’s payment method is cash only

Lontong Klang @ Sek7

Address: 20, Jalan Zirkon E7/E, Seksyen 7, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Operating hours: 

• Thursday - Sunday: 7:30 AM - 3 PM
• Friday: 7:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Phone: +60 3-5511 0961

Alfiyah Lontong Jawa Asli

Address: Wisma Awal Dan Akhir, 50300, 161, 171, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kampung Baru, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Operating hours: 

• Thursday - Sunday: 7 AM - 1 PM
• Monday: Closed

Phone: +60 10-277 1078

Nasi Ambeng

Nasi ambeng or nasi ambang is an Indonesian fragrant rice consisting of, however, not limited to steamed white rice, chicken curry/stewed in soy sauce, beef or chicken rendang, sambal goreng urap, bergedel or perkedel and serunding. Below are some of the places that serve good nasi ambeng:

Lela Best Nasi Ambang

Address: Jalan Kuala Selangor - Teluk Intan, Sungai Besar, 45500 Tanjong Karang, Selangor, Malaysia

Operating hours: 

• Monday - Sunday: 8 AM - 6 PM

Nasi Ambeng USJ

Address: 5, Jalan USJ 9/1, Usj 9, 47620 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Phone: +6011-1620 0864

Warung Ibu Nasi Ambeng

Address: Lot 216 Batu 6, 45500 Tanjong Karang, Selangor, Malaysia

Operating hours: 

• Monday - Sunday: 10:30 AM - 4 PM

Phone: +6012-689 2805

Nasi Ambeng Kak Piah

Address: Lot, 3428, Jalan Bukit Badak, Kampung Melayu Subang, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Operating hours: 

• Monday - Saturday: 11:30 AM - 5 PM
• Sunday: Closed

Phone: 018-242 7421

Nasi Ambeng The River

Address: Jalan 3/1, Seksyen 3 Bandar Baru Bangi, 43650 Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

Operating hours: 

• Monday - Wednesday: 4:45 PM - 6:45 PM
• Friday - Sunday: Closed

Phone: +6010-905 7177

Satay Kajang

Satay or sometimes spelled as sate is the famous local dish in both Indonesia and Malaysia (cue the originating debate). It is also quite popular in other Southeast Asian countries in the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Brunei. Satay consists of diced or sliced meat (chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork, fish, etc) grilled over a charcoal fire and served together with spicy seasonings as its sauce. The sauce comes in variety as well, but the most popular and common is with soy and peanut sauce. Below are some of the places in Selangor you can taste the authenticity of satay.

Restoran Sate Kajang Haji Samuri

Address: Jalan Hishammuddin, Bandar Kajang, 43000 Kajang, Selangor

Operating hours: 

• Tuesday: 10:30 AM - 12:30 AM
• Wednesday - Thursday: 11:30 AM - 12:30 AM
• Friday: 4 PM - 1 AM
• Saturday - Sunday: 11:30 AM - 1 AM

Phone: +603-8737 1853

Medan Satay Kajang

Address: Jalan Stadium, Bandar Kajang, 43000 Kajang, Selangor

Operating hours: 

• Monday - Sunday: 12 PM - 12 AM

Phone: +603-8736 5425

Yus Satay Kajang

Address: Taman Ramal Indah, 43000 Kajang, Selangor

Operating hours: 

• Monday - Sunday: 24 hours

Phone: +6013-632 6262

Medan Selera Satay Kajang Prima Saujana

Address: Jalan Jenaris 1, Taman Jenaris, 43000 Kajang, Selangor

Operating hours: 

• Monday - Sunday: 10 AM - 11 PM

Phone: +6011-5929 9132

Willy Satay

Address: Jalan Ramal 1, Taman Ramal Indah, 43000 Kajang, Selangor

Operating hours: 

• Monday - Sunday: 10 AM - 12 AM

Phone: +6013-330 9291

Soto

Soto originated from Indonesia and can sometimes be spelled as sroto, tauto, or coto. It took Malaysia and Singapore by storm for its taste and presentation that it is one of the popular food to find in Selangor. Soto consist of soup with diced meat and vegetables with spices include shallot, garlic, turmeric, galangal, ginger, coriander, salt, candlenut, and pepper. The meat commonly is chicken and beef, but there are other meats consists of offal, mutton, buffalo, and sometimes but seldom used, pork.

Warong Soto Pasir Penambang 2 Shah Alam

Address: Jalan kasawari 6/8, Hadapan pasar seksyen 6, Seksyen 6, 40500 Shah Alam, Selangor

Operating hours: 

• Monday - Saturday: 9 AM - 6:30 PM
• Sunday: Closed

Phone: 016-266 5019

Juara Soto

Address: 55, 45, Jalan F, Taman Cempaka, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Selangor

Operating hours: 

• Monday - Sunday: 11:30 AM - 12 AM

Phone: 010-525 5116

Restoran Soto Shah Alam

Address: No. 12, Jalan Liku B 8/B, Seksyen 8, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor

Operating hours: 

• Monday - Sunday: 7:30 AM - 11 PM

Phone: 03-5523 6265

Warung Soto Pasir Penambang

Address: Lot 321, Batu 2, Pasir Penambang, 45000 Kuala Selangor, Selangor

Operating hours: 

• Monday - Sunday: 10 AM - 6 PM

Phone: 013-304 0072

Soto Iqbal

Address: Meru, 41050 Klang, Selangor

Operating hours: 

• Saturday - Thursday: 12 PM - 7 PM
• Friday: Closed

Phone: 017-373 6541

Travel Tips

1. Be Flexible with Your Travel Plans

Planning is a good way to go traveling, be it domestically or internationally, but don’t disregard the fact that things can and most likely would not go as planned. This could either be due to suddenly the activity you want to do is unavailable or if more logistical issues force you to think of other ways to do things. Keep in mind that plan is a good base, but when you are traveling and there are a lot of external factors involved, it will be a different kind of adventure.

2. Bring Extra ATM & Credit Cards During Your Travel

There is a saying that doesn’t keep all your money with your person when you travel, but that doesn’t mean you should not bring extra money at all. Keep extra credit and atm cards with you when you travel. This will help greatly when things go south and believe me, it probably will. Keeping cards instead of cash with your person is better and safer. 

3. Learn Few Local Words to Blend In

This will come in handy when you are traveling to a place where English is not their first, second, or only language at all. It is best to learn some local words that can help you through the trip, especially in terms of direction, transportation, medical, and such. Plus, it will open a ton of network opportunities with the locals to be able to be among them. You will be able to make friends and discover some hidden gems you never thought you would find.

4. Keep Your Accommodation Address with You

This might sound ridiculous but it is important nonetheless. We tend to underestimate ourselves and assume we have it all in our heads. It is best to have it with you at all times because when you need a specific direction back, you can refer to it easily. It is best to keep it on paper as well because you will never know when the handy-dandy technology will fail you when you need it the most.

5. Less is Best when Traveling

We are not going minimalist here, but minimalism can help you get more things done. In order to determine how many you should bring with you, you should always go back to the question of where and what. Where are you going? What will you be doing? This will bring you back to the consideration if you do a lot of walking, then it is best to bring something you are comfortable with. The key example is to wear your everyday clothes because you know what you are comfortable with to go about your day. Don’t overthink too much on a “just in case” situation because that is the number one trap to bring more with you and in the end, it will just make your bag heavier with things you can either reuse or get easier there.

4. Bring Extra Technology Supplies and Medications

Things are unexpected when you are traveling to a new place and eating food your stomach may not be used to. Keep extra medications especially relating to food digestion because who can resist experimenting with all the local foods out there? There are places where you will find it hard to find a charge port, so keep with you an extra power bank or portable charger that can come in handy when you need it.

5. Try Local Food or Cook Your Own Meal

Speaking of food, one trick to get the best experience and save money at the same time is cooking your own food or eating at the local stores, rather than high-end restaurants. Tourist traps can come in the form of food as well. Get in touch with the roadside stalls where you might find the most authentic food you can get. If you are staying long, grab food ingredients where you can cook up your own day-to-day meal.

6. Travel Insurance

Be it whether you are traveling domestic or international, it is important to gear yourself up with travel insurance. Traveloka itself provides travel insurance from Chubbs. This is pretty much self-explanatory because you will never expect what could happen when you are abroad. Even if you are traveling domestically, should things go out of your control such as accidents or sickness, you will have the leverage of insurance coverage.

7. Always Stay In Touch

Despite the beauty of the world, it is not necessarily a safe one. Even if you are doing a solo trip, always keep in touch with your family and/or friends. Let them have a copy of your itinerary so that they have an idea of where you are. Keep them close in contact each day and let them know when you are changing locations during your trip.

How to Book with Traveloka

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Choose and Book flight

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