Best things to do in Klang

On Pulau Carey island, about 40 minutes’ drive from the heart of Klang, the Mah Meri Cultural Village is well worth a visit. The Mah Meri orang asli, a subgroup of the Senoi people, are renowned for their intricate wood-carving and for the richness of their songs and dances. There is a gallery at the village open to visitors on weekends and public holidays featuring displays of Mah Meri art and wood sculptures (known as moyang, the carvings represent ancestral spirits used in rituals for healing and worship), with accompanying texts explaining ancestral mythologies and legends. 

On other days or if you’re in a group, book ahead for a guided tour. It’s a chance to learn more about and honor the cultures and traditions of the Mah Meri. It’s also possible to arrange a dance demonstration by performers wearing wood-carved masks.

If we had to pick one dish to rep Klang, it’s bak kut teh. Many have driven all the way to Klang simply to sample this Malaysian dish; after all, Klang is believed to be the birthplace of bak kut teh, a government-gazetted national heritage dish. Oh yes, it’s that serious. The soul-reviving soup of pork ribs, belly, and other parts simmered in herbs and spices is best paired with copious amounts of chilli, garlic, and dark soy sauce, plus a bowl of fragrant oil rice. It’s great for breakfast, lunch or dinner so you may very well eat your way through our list of the best bak kut teh in Klang. For a deep dive into the iconic dish, read our guide to bak kut teh.

Little India along Jalan Tengku Kelana in Klang is a bustling enclave lined with boutique shops blaring out Bollywood film scores, banana leaf eateries, and more. It’s Klang’s most colourful neighbourhood steeped in culture and charm, from the sweet fragrance of marigold garlands to the spices of curries; saree-clad women stroll up and down the streets, stopping every now and then to consider the glint of gold jewellery at the windows. If shopping and street food sounds like your idea of a good time, well, we say start with a lunch of banana leaf rice then walk it off ’round the many stalls peddling household goods, textiles, snacks, and almost anything else you can think of. For more, read our guide to Little India.

For a taste of nostalgia you won’t quite find at third-wave cafés, Golden Bake Cake House is a charming bakery with an array of old-school bakes that whisk you away to simpler days. There are butter cookies, kaya puffs, walnut cakes complete with old school frosting, plus durian layer cake and marble cake, which the bakery is known for. 

Here’s an insider tip: this bakery also sells pandan layer cake by that other decades-old charming bakery in Klang, Regent Pandan Layer Cake Shop, so you can skip Regent’s hour-long queue. (Golden Bake is opened by a son of the owner of Regent.)

Is it just us or is everyone travelling to Japan right now? Yes, everyone really is travelling to Japan right now. But if that’s not quite in the cards for you just yet, don’t worry, soak that stress away in a serene onsen spa right here in Klang. At San Onsen, there are gender-segregated areas with naturally-extracted hotspring waters in temperature-controlled pools at 26ºC, 32ºC and 40ºC. Add on massages, therapy, and other pampering treatments sure to relax and rejuvenate body and mind. 

It might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re planning a day’s itinerary in Klang, but we present you: Bandar Bukit Raja Townpark. This 50-acre green space is the largest townpark in the royal city of Klang; it also holds a Malaysia Book of Records for the largest recreational park with renewable energy. The park attracts all ages for its gorgeous greenery, plus a playground and paths for cycling and running. It gets windy too, and the sheer size of the place makes it a popular spot for kite-surfing. For sunset hunters, the park transforms into a picturesque setting in the evening.

You can’t go to Klang and not eat seafood. We don’t make the rules. Do as the locals do and get in line at Restoran Boston Baru for a tai chow dinner. (Or beat the queue if you arrive before 5pm.) It’ll be worth it; the restaurant’s steamed lala or xiong tong lala, Nestum-coated mantis prawns, deep-fried pork belly, kung pow squid, and more have garnered loyalists willing to wait upwards of an hour for a table and another hour for the order to actually get to said table. If you’re not in the mood for a queue (and who can blame you), check out other delicious seafood options on our list of best things to eat in Klang.

EnerG XPark is an indoor extreme park for all ages featuring activities and challenges such as electric go-kart, a ninja obstacle course, wall-climbing, zip line and more. It’s perfect for action-packed, adrenaline-fuelled fun for family and friends. The park is air-conditioned, but you’ll still break a sweat. Bring grip socks.

By the Klang railway station is a few rows of pre-war shophouses, some built as early as 1926. While some of them have been converted to modern shops, many of the traditional businesses (tinsmiths, framemakers, scalemakers) are still thriving. Take a stroll through the five-foot ways to admire the colourful façades (complete with plants growing luxuriantly from the framework), neo-classical motifs and vintage terrazzo tiles.

Paris has the Seine; London has the Thames; Klang has the Klang river. And when in Klang, what better way to check out the river than on foot. Intended to ease traffic flow, the double-decker Kota Bridge was first opened in 1957 with the upper tier for automobiles and the lower tier for cyclists and pedestrians.

Despite the construction of bigger bridges and the closure of the upper tier, the lower tier of Kota Bridge is still open to use for motorcyclists. Take a stroll along the bridge for a vantage view of the Royal Klang Mosque. After that, take the stairs to the upper deck to get to the Klang Minicipal Council Hall, where an ancient fort – Kota Raja Mahadi, built by Raja Mahadi in 1866 – remains.

It doesn’t get any more Klang than this. At Yap Kee, you’re not getting just any banana leaf rice, but banana leaf served in a Chinese kopitiam. Get there early to avoid the onslaught of the lunch crowd, and secure a serving of mutton peratal while you’re at it.

Operated by the 96 Seranas Group, the mini buses in Klang are slightly different from the notorious KL mini buses of yore. Sporting popsicle colours (blue, red and yellow), the iconic Klang mini buses are the main mode of transportation if you’d like to get around Klang, Meru, Klang Utama, Kapar and Bukit Tinggi without driving. Alternatively, you can get on the Selangor Smart Bus for free, which runs on a 15-minute frequency from Jalan Batu Tiga Lama near Wisma Hafiz to Klang South.

Check bus route and the full schedule at www.seranasgroup.com.my and www.mdks.gov.my

One of the best things to do in Klang happens to be free, and that’s walking along the coastline of Bandar Sultan Suleiman at Tanjung Harapan. The warm glow at dusk will whisk away your worries (and Klang’s traffic woes) as the sun dips behind the Bugis schooner replica next to the walkway. If the weather is right, cycle along the beach and take in the view.

For many, Chong Kok Kopitiam is nostalgia therapy; a daily ritual for those who depend on the kopitiam’s toast, tea and nasi lemak before they start the day. The place is historical gold, and rightly so: The kopitiam, still adorned with ornate Chinese characters on its pillars since it opened in 1940, used to be a hotel and bar. Customers of different generations have visited the kopitiam for decades – some for the food; some to recapture the lost muhibbah feeling amid Klang’s rapid transformation over the years.

We love the bas mini as much as the next person, but if you want to explore Klang, you’ve got to do it on foot – and there’s certainly no shortage of sights on Jalan Sena and Lorong Sena. A traditional tailor still reigns supreme at Tukang Jahit Bee & Company, which, incidentally, shares a space with a kedai ubat (bring home a bottle of rice wine). For cuts and shaves, there are the barbershops. For ear-cleaning services, head to Heui Sai Thong just down the road. Finally, stop for luk luk and tong sui at the food street.

Immerse yourself in a world of old architecture and establishments that makes up Klang’s multiracial identity as professional tour guides regale you with tales of the Dutch-style former Chartered Bank building (also Malaysia’s first and oldest bank with over 140 years of history; it’s now Chennai Silk Palace), Klang Railway Station, Raja Mahadi Fort, Kota Bridge, Sri Nagara Thendayuthapani temple, and more. The Klang Municipal Council (MPK) has identified at least 24 places of interests along the walk so bring your sunnies, camera, and a sense of curiosity.

Every Saturday and Sunday, 10am-12.30pm. Call 03 5513 2000 or check www.mpklang.gov.my for more info.

Space is lacking, but that’s because there’s so much to sift through in the singular secondhand store of Perangsang Jati. Antiques, collectibles and trinkets crowd the cupboards and shelves, which fill up the floor space; advertising signs, mirrors and paintings hang from the walls; bikes are lined up outside. And there’s no need to break the bank too.

Having long been the go-to spot for students shopping for shoes on their student loan’s dime – or sneaker collectors – Stwo Bundle stocks almost exclusively vintage well-worn wears: think adidas, Converse and Doc Martens, plus cowboy boots, leather shoes and tennis kicks. Half the battle is in finding the store in the first place (good luck, shoppers); the other half is in choosing what to buy and bring home.

Open since 1930, Wah Sang Brothers stocks a range of classic Japanese timepieces from Seiko and Casio in its glass cases. Pick up a retro digital watch for less than RM100, or get a secondhand watch strap for your collection. They also provide watch repair services.

The 1909 colonial building housing Galeri Diraja Sultan Abdul Aziz – previously a land and administration office for the British, as well as the headquarters for the Japanese army during World War II – was converted into a ‘Memorial Museum’ by the late Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah in 1988. His son, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah who ascended the throne in 2001, turned the museum into the new Royal Gallery and dedicated the gallery to his father, highlighting the heritage of the Selangor Sultanate that begun in 1766 from the Bugis Sulawesi royal family of Opu Tanreburung Daeng Relaka of the Malay Archipelago. The late sultan was cooler than you think – he owned cameras of various models, played golf, sailed and collected antique cars.

Just a 35-minute ferry ride from the Port Klang jetty, Pulau Ketam is known for its seafood restaurants. The island is made up of mostly Teochew and Hokkien Chinese fishermen, whose ancestors have lived here since the 1880s. Houses are propped on stilts and the walkways are narrow, which is why cycling is a norm here. Because of its photogenic location, Pulau Ketam has played host to several local TV series and films – the mural from the ‘Paint My Love’ movie is still around, so remember to snap a picture. If you have time to spare, Pulau Ketam’s neighbour, Kampung Bagan Sungai Lima, also warrants a visit – remember to bag up some dried shrimps and belacan on your way home.

Depart from Terminal Penumpang South Port, Port Klang. Ferry, RM7 one way; speed boat, RM10. More info on www.pulauketam.com

There’s a reason why folks brave the pothole-ridden roads of Telok Gong to get to Coconut Flower Seafood Restaurant. Coconut Flower brews its own toddy – sweet, sour and served chilled. Mix this coconut fermented palm wine with Guinness Stout for a local cocktail – a perfect pairing for the deep-fried squid and kam heong crabs.

Our favourite childhood treat wasn’t the neon orange Super Ring (that would be the second most favourite). Ice lollies – or ais batang – are the epitome of frozen thrills. They almost feel like a scam; you can only taste the flavours – grape, ‘oren’ or assam boi – in the first five sips before they dissolve into icy nothingness. But it’s a treat we’re willing to pay for.

One of the best ways to experience Klang – sitting down to a fried porridge feast when the clock strikes midnight. The nondescript Restoran Bubur Goreng serves fried porridge up until one in the morning. This rich, hearty, wok hei-laden dish – fried with dried shredded cuttlefish, shrimps, bits of yam, yao char kuey and golden pork cracklings – can only be elevated with a spoonful of their signature house-made green chilli sauce.