Selangor Cities and Towns, Malaysia

Klang

At the western end of the Federal Highway, running out of the capital, Kuala Lumpur, lies the coastal town of Klang.

Today, this bustling entry port is best known for its colourful and very much intact Little India and Chinatown communities, as well as some of the best (and cheapest!) seafood around.

However, this busy port town on the Straits of Malacca hides a dark and violent past. Klang became a centre of rivalry amongst the tin mining gangs during the Selangor Civil War of the 1870s. Whoever controlled Klang, controlled the Klang River - the only route the lucrative tin could be exported to the rest of the world.

Visitors can reach Klang for an easy day trip from Kuala Lumpur by taking the cheap and fast KTM Komuter train.

Kuala Selangor

About 45 km north of Klang is the pretty, peaceful town of Kuala Selangor on the scenic Selangor River. This was the 18th century base of the state's Bugis rulers whose mausoleums are now a tourist attraction.

The fort on the hill that dominates this country town was built by the Dutch in a futile attempt to control the tin trade, and it still stands at Bukit Melawati, complete with cannons that point out to sea.

Today, however, they are merely iron sentinels overlooking the Kuala Selangor Nature Park (a must for birds lover).

There are several interesting Chinese fishing villages not far from town where salted fish and fish balls are prepared. Further along the river at Kampung Kuantan, many thousands of fireflies resting on the bushy branches of overhanging trees, light up the night in an otherworldly, pulsating glow.

Visitors can have a closer look by taking a guided boat for a nighttime cruise.

Shah Alam

This is the capital of Selangor state, but has the feel of a well-off suburb, with its bungalows, tree-lined boulevards and beautifully manicured roundabouts.

But what this well-designed capital is really famous for are two things: Shah Alam is Malaysia's centre for industry, from small to hi-tech. These are, however, carefully tucked away in wooded industrial estates on the outskirts of town.

But for tourists, the highlight of a visit to Shah Alam is almost certainly the magnificent Blue Mosque, visible from miles around.

It features the tallest minarets in the entire Islamic world as well as one of its largest domes! Its worship hall is bigger than London's St. Paul's Cathedral and can accommodate 16,000 worshippers.

Petaling Jaya

Better known as 'PJ', this twin town to Kuala Lumpur used to be nothing more than a residential suburb to the capital.

Today, PJ is a city in its own right with a population rivaling KL's, with great shopping, parks, literally thousands of restaurants all stitched together by a good network of highways.

Some of the twin cities' best nightlife is in PJ as are some of the biggest malls in the country.