Selangor Travel Guide: Day Trips and Places Around KL

Selangor surrounds Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, and many visitors pass through it without noticing. This Selangor travel guide picks out what is worth leaving the city for: limestone caves, mangrove coast, royal towns and some of the best Chinese food in the Klang Valley.

Why visit: a Selangor travel guide for KL-based trips

Selangor is Malaysia’s most populous state, and it works best as a series of day trips from KL. You do not need to change hotels to see most of it, and the variety, from Hindu temple caves to fireflies over a mangrove river, is wider than its suburban reputation suggests.

Areas of Selangor

Gombak and the north of KL

Batu Caves, the Hindu temple complex reached by 272 rainbow-painted steps, is in Selangor, just north of the city limits. It is easily reached by KTM Komuter and is usually covered as part of a Kuala Lumpur trip. The Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) at Kepong has rainforest trails close to the city.

Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Klang

Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya are where many KL residents actually eat and shop, with Sunway Lagoon theme park in Bandar Sunway. Shah Alam, the state capital, is home to the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque. Klang, the royal town, is the place for bak kut teh, the herbal pork rib soup that most Malaysians associate with the town.

The coast: Kuala Selangor and Sekinchan

About 80 minutes northwest of KL, Kuala Selangor is known for fireflies that gather in the mangroves along the Selangor River. Boat trips run from Kampung Kuantan and nearby jetties after dark, and the display is best shortly after 8pm on a clear, moonless night. Combine it with Bukit Melawati, an old hill fort with resident silvered leaf monkeys, and the paddy fields and seafood restaurants of Sekinchan further up the coast.

Sepang and the south

KLIA, the Sepang International Circuit and the planned city of Putrajaya (a federal territory enclosed by Selangor) are all in the south. Putrajaya’s pink Putra Mosque makes an easy half-day trip from KL or a stop on the way to the airport.

Food in Selangor

Klang bak kut teh is the headline, eaten for breakfast with rice, fried dough sticks and strong Chinese tea. Kuala Selangor and Sekinchan are good for seafood, and the mamak restaurants of Petaling Jaya serve roti canai and nasi lemak until late.

When to go

Selangor is hot and humid all year. Rain usually peaks around April to May and October to November, often as heavy afternoon storms, while December to February and June to August tend to be a little drier. Thaipusam, usually in late January or early February, draws huge crowds to Batu Caves.

How long to spend

Most travellers see Selangor in one or two day trips while based in KL, so choose your base first with our where to stay in Kuala Lumpur guide. Add an overnight in Kuala Selangor if you want the fireflies without a late drive back. For events and local listings, see Visit Selangor.