Much to do at Kuala Selangor

A long weekend during the Malaysia Day holiday recently called for a trip to Kuala Selangor. Kuala Selangor is a little quaint town spanning about 117,844 hectares with many hills which have become landmarks such as Bukit Melawati (also was a fortress back during the British occupation), Bukit Belimbing, Bukit Hospital, Bukit Jeram, Bukit Permatang and Bukit Tanjung Keramat.

According to history, Selangor sprang from the name of the Selangor River and is depicted as one of the oldest kingdoms in Malaya, after Kedah. Most of the early inhabitants of Selangor were seafarers who carved a living as fishermen. Today, you will still find fishing as one of the major source of livelihood among the people of Kuala Selangor, along with agriculture, cattle-farming and tourism. Kuala Selangor was also the capital city of Selangor which was later changed to Klang and now Shah Alam.

You know when you have reached the town of Kuala Selangor when you see a big sign post with the name of the town atop the Bukit Melawati (just like when we see the 'Hollywood' sign in Los Angeles). At the foothill, you can choose to walk up the hill to the lighthouse, or pay RM 2/person for a tractor/train ride that takes you to the Historical Museum (next to the lighthouse). The Museum houses many artifacts that were excavated around Kuala Selangor thousands of years ago .

Many people also love to go up to the hill to feed the friendly silver-leaf monkeys, popular residents of the hill. The tractor ride round the hill also takes you to the Taman Alam Sanctuary Park. You may also have a cup of tea at the Rest House, Bukit Melawati (serene atmosphere although the building is currently in a debilitated state). There are also many fruit-bearing trees at the hilltop that attract interesting birds such as the Lineated Barbet, Coppersmith Barbet and Oriental Pied Hornbills, just to name a few.

Kuala Selangor is indeed a haven for nature lovers. Many local and foreign tourists come to Kuala Selangor to appreciate the flora and fauna that it has to offer. Take a leisure walk at the Taman Alam Sanctuary Park and you will be amazed with the wonders of nature. Families often enjoy bringing their children for a day trip to the nature park, as the trails are simple and moderate in distance. Ticket price is RM 4 for adults and the proceeds go to the conservation of the sanctuary. However, do remember to apply insect repellent before entering the park especially during dawn and dusk to ward off pesky mosquitoes.

A ten-minute walk from the entrance straight into the park will lead you to a small bridge. After crossing the bridge, you will come to a cross road. Going straight will eventually lead you to a large lake. It is best to turn right at the cross road as this will take you round the entire lake. I especially enjoyed the mangrove walk, an elevated concrete walkway built a few feet above the mangrove swamp so people can experience the mangrove ecosystem at its best. The different trees and plants that grow at Taman Alam are marked with signboards that describe them scientifically, making it easier for the lay person to learn more about the flora at the park.
The next most popular activity in the park is bird watching, and this comes as a no-surprise as Taman Alam Kuala Selangor lies along the migratory route for coastal birds, especially raptors (e.g., Brahminy kites, Crested Serpent-Eagle and Oriental Honey Buzzard). Huts, sheds and watch towers have been placed strategically around the wetlands area, especially the largest lake, allowing visitors to quietly observe the Grey and Little Herons and kingfishers (e.g Common, White-throated and Collared kingfishers) going about their daily business. Besides water-dwelling birds, you may also chance upon other species of birds such as the Chestnut-bellied Malkohas, Shrikes, Tailorbirds, Pied fantails, and Woodpeckers.

Kuala Selangor is also famous for its seafood. Every night (especially during the weekends), people from all walks of lives come to Kuala Selangor to have fresh seafood. Many seafood restaurants are situated along the river banks but the one that receives the most visitors is called River View Restaurant. The seafood dishes arrived speedily and tasted really good. Prices are really affordable (averaging about RM 20/person), depending on what you order, of course. After a satisfying meal, we stopped at a shop that sells local produce where people can buy dried shrimps, anchovies and sugar-coated cuttlefish for family and friends back home (RM 10 for packs of three).

Another night activity unique to Kuala Selangor is watching firefly. You can watch these nocturnal insects either at Kampung Kuantan or Bukit Belimbing. Fireflies are also called lightning beetles and as adults, they congregate at "Berembang" trees to feed on their nectar. Each firefly emits light from the tip of their abdomen. Male fireflies emit brighter lights to attract females. Their life cycle is about six to seven months and an attempt to catch them will land you a RM 1000 fine!

Best time to watch fireflies is when the sky is pitch-black (check the Chinese calendar at avoid full moon). During these times, trees along the river bank will naturally light up like Christmas trees! If you decide to watch the fireflies in Kampung Kuantan, be prepared to be chauffeured by the local boats men on skiffs (locals rowing a small sampan). Rental of the skiffs is at RM 40 (RM 10/person) that fits only four people. On the other hand, firefly-watching at Bukit Belimbing is much more commercialised as motorboats are available for this purpose.

All in all, Kuala Selangor is an ideal getaway, especially if you need a short break from the hustle and bustle of the big city.

Tioman, the dragon island of South China Sea

Locals in wanting of a beach retreat may find Tioman Island to be a hidden gem. Situated in the state of Terengganu, this island is covered by lush tropical jungle. Legend has it that a dragon princess from China, while flying en-route to Singapore to visit her prince, rested in the calm waters of the South China Sea. Awed by the beauty of the area, she discontinued her journey and took the form of an island. Today, many associate the shape of the Tioman Island to a dragon, with the mountainous twin peaks that resemble a dragon's horns and big white boulders that look like the claws of a dragon.

A two-hour ferry ride from the Mersing jetty will take you to the main island (RM 35/person, one way), with a number of jetty stops along the way depending on where you are staying while on the island. Many people choose to stay in Kampung Genting, Salang, Tekek and also Paya. This is my first trip to the island with my husband. We chose to stay at the Paya Beach Resort, located five-minutes on foot from the Paya jetty (RM 330/person for a 3D2N full board package).

Beach retreat is all about sun, sand and sea and Tioman did not disappoint. The hot and sunny weather was great for all sorts of beach activities and the first in anyone's list would be snorkeling. There are many small enterprises offering snorkelling trips in Tioman (RM 50 - RM 100, depending on the number of snorkeling trips and locations). Popular snorkeling locations are Tulai and Renggis Islands as well as the Marine Park. Every visitor needs to pay a RM 5 conservation fee for the Marine Park which will also entitle you to a free entry at the Mersing jetty.

The untouched coral reefs and the clear blue sea beckoned as we sat in our speedboat from Paya jetty to Tulai Island, a.k.a Coral Island. Once under water, a whole new world emerges. The coral reefs are teeming with sea creatures such as sea cucumbers, sea urchins, fishes and shrimps. This beautiful ecosystem is to be cherished and preserved, not just for the tourism industry, but for the next generation of people to experience. For those who wanted to take a breather from all that snorkeling, they can choose to explore the white Long Beach of Tulai Island.

Our local guide then dropped us at the village of Salang, where we had packed lunches and rested for a bit. We also took the opportunity to explore the village on foot. There are a few sundry shops selling essential goods and crafts, including small eateries scattered around the village.

After that, we boarded our speedboat and went to the next stop, the Marine Park. Many local tourists love to buy breads and feed the fishes at the Marine Park. Hence, it is not a surprise to see that the fishes here are larger and friendlier towards people. I did not particularly enjoy the Marine Park as the visibility was poor and there were no coral reefs (just man-made ones).

One last stop was the Renggis Island. It is located a few minutes away from Salang. This is probably the best place for snorkeling. The water here is deeper and there are plenty of fishes to see. The more adventurous would snorkel the circumference of the small island, where there may be a good chance of spotting sharks. Although they do not attack humans, they are still a force to be reckoned with. Tioman Island is also a good place for people to pick up diving and to obtain their PADI cert for open water diving.


Besides snorkeling, nature lovers can try jungle trekking and a good start for novices would be the trail from the Paya Beach Resort to Berjaya Tioman Resort, by following the power lines. The 45-minute trek will take you to a turtle sanctuary called Tat. From the sanctuary, you can choose to walk along the shoreline back to Paya when the tide is low. This is a faster route, often taken by the local villagers. However, you should exercise caution as the terrain can be difficult to walk on without proper shoes. Another trek you could do is the Tekek-Juara trail. The trek runs from Tekek to Juara and takes approximately 2 1/2 hours to complete. This trail is known to be treacherous and thus, it is advised to hire a guide who knows the place well.

Tioman is also a bird-watchers' paradise. There are a few species of birds one could easily spot, namely the common kingfisher, dollarbird, tailorbird, barn swallows, sunbirds and spotted doves.

Birds of prey such as the White-bellied Sea Eagle and Brahminy Kite were also spotted circling the island during noon times, as the rising hot air helps the raptors glide as opposed to flapping their wings which tires them. You can also see the terns, which are common seabirds, flying above the seawater, in search of fishes.

Fishing is a great way to spend your time in Tioman and although I did not have the chance to do any fishing this time, I am contented just by watching the locals fishing by the pier. Anchovies which are caught are best served deep-fried and go very well with cool drinks. The sea breeze that day was wonderful and relieved us of all stresses.

As for shopping, Tioman is a duty-free zone, thus making buying cigarettes and alcohol cheap. Tourists and locals normally purchase these when they were about to leave the island. The schedule for ferry (Blue express) can be unpredictable and frustrating, so better to buffer about one to two hours waiting at the pier for your ticket ride back to Mersing. Bring a book or magazine to read while waiting. In a nutshell, Tioman is a good place to recharge one's batteries before returning home, feeling fresh and positive.