Selangor is one of the richest and most urbanised states in Malaysia. It is located on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east and Negeri Sembilan to the south.  Its coastline on the west overlooks the Strait of Melaka. Selangor surrounds the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

Although Klang may be the most important settlement in the ancient period, with the discovery of ancient artefacts such as axes and bells from the Bronze Age, other parts of Selangor are equally captivating.

 

Sekinchan

Sekinchan is a small town in Sabak Bernam, Selangor.  The main economic activities in this town are fishing and agriculture as Sekinchan is a fishing village.  It is also one of the major rice producing areas in Malaysia.  Sekinchan records one of the highest rice yields in Malaysia.

There is a vast expanse of rice fields around Sekinchan. In June, the golden rice is ready for harvest. If you go during the earlier part of the year, you will see a green carpet of rice fields. Amidst the rice fields are bird houses, used for the collection of swiflets’ solidified saliva or what we call bird’s nest.

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For those of you who are interested to know where the rice we eat come from, there is a paddy processing factory.  It is a rice-processing facility, a rice museum as well as a shop selling rice products.

There is also a beach nearby.  Called the Redang Beach, it is popular among the locals who go there for a picnic or to fly a kite.

Another interesting spot at Sekinchan is the Wishing Tree.  It is rather a huge tree next to a Chinese temple.  People come and write down their wishes on a red ribbon, which is available from the temple.  The ribbon, with two coins tied on each end is flung onto the tree.

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Since Sekinchan is a fishing village, it is also interesting to see the colourful fishing boats coming in with the catch of the day. Most of the visitors would also savour a seafood meal at the numerous restaurants there.

 

Sasaran Beach

Sasaran Beach is located in Kuala Selangor.  It is famously dubbed Salar de Uyuni, a popular salt flat in Bolivia. The only difference is that there are no salt lumps at Sasaran Beach.

Sasaran Beach, popularly known as the Sky Mirror is actually a sandbank not far from the fishing village, Jeram. When the shallow sea water covers the entire sandbank, it allows the sky and any other things to cast a reflection on the water. Therefore, it provides a great place for photography.

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There are a few interesting places nearby. One of them is an island called Pulau Angsa, which is actually an abandoned resort project. Another place is Pulau Jemor where oysters are harvested.

It seems that Sasaran Beach is not accessible the whole year round.  It only happens twice a month during the new and full moon period when the tides are at their highest. This results in the sandbank being covered by shallow water.

 

Sepang

Sepang is a district in Selangor. It covers an area of about 600 square kilometres. The township of Cyberjaya, which forms a key part of Malaysia’s Multimedia Super Corridor is located in Sepang.

Years ago, Sepang was a backwater. Today, it is famous for several things. First of all, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is at Sepang.  As such, the international visitors will be at Sepang the moment they step out of their plane.

Sepang is also home to the international circuit for motorsport races. It is well known for hosting the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix from 1999 to 2017.

The Avani Sepang Goldcoast Resort is located at Bagan Lalang, Sepang.  Its water chalets, which extend out to the sea resemble a palm tree from an aerial view.  The resort offers extreme sports such as go-karting, paintball target shooting, archery and ATV jungle trail.

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Bagan Lalang is a coastal town in Sepang. Its beach is probably the best beach along the southwest coast of Selangor. It is also one of the closest beaches to Kuala Lumpur.  As such, the city folks would flock to this beach during weekends and holidays, especially for its seafood. The entire stretch of the coastline is also lined with mangrove plants as well as rivers and streams that flow out into the sea.

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During low tide, you can walk for about three to four hundred metres out to the sea.  This normally happens from around noon till three of four o’clock in the afternoon. During this time, you can also see thousands of tiny crabs crawling about.

Other than the seafood, people also go there for recreational activities such as flying kites, beach sports such as volley ball and beach soccer as well as picnics.

 

Bukit Melawati

Bukit Melawati is located at the base of the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge. It is a hill that overlooks the Strait of Melaka.

Bukit Melawati is a tourist attraction, especially for history buffs and nature lovers. It was the site of the the Kota Melawati fort, built in the late 1700s by the Sultan of Selangor to protect the place against invasion by the Dutch.  Today, only the ruins remain as the fort was destroyed during the Selangor Civil War that lasted from 1867 to 1874. Relics of the past found at Bukit Melawati include the walls of the fort, royal graves, the execution rock, several cannons pointing at the mouth of the Selangor River, a 100-step ladder and a well. These contributed to Bukit Melawati’s status as a historical monument and historical site under the Antiquities Act 1976.

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There is a lighthouse built by the Dutch in 1794. It is called the Altingsburg Lighthouse. Also known as the Kuala Selangor Lighthouse, it was rebuilt in 1907 and has a concrete base and stands at 27 metres tall.  This two-level light house was used extensively during the British colonial rule. Today, the beacon of this lighthouse is visible 18 nautical miles away and guides ships on the Strait of Melaka.

Other attractions at Bukit Melawati include the presence of silvered leaf monkeys and long-trailed macaques, a museum, a royal mausoleum and a tram ride.

Visitors to Bukit Melawati will be rewarded with panoramic views of nearby fishing villages, the coastline and the Strait of Melaka if they go up to the top of the hill.