Experience both the rural and urban sides of Malaysia during this morning visit to the fishing village of Pulau Ketam, followed by a ferry ride back to Kuala Lumpur to visit the country’s largest mosque and Chinese temple. It’s a great way to get a sense for the unique contrasts of tradition, religion and modern urban areas that make Malaysia such an interesting melting pot.
Begin your trip with a pickup from your central Kuala Lumpur hotel. Pickups will begin prior to 8:45am, so expect details from your tour operator during reconfirmation of the exact schedule. You’ll then proceed on a 1-hour drive to the ferry terminal at Port Klang to catch your boat to the small fishing hamlet of Crab Island (Pulau Ketam).
After arriving on the island, set off on foot to begin your exploration of this one-of-a-kind community built on stilts above the waters of the area’s mangrove swamps. As you walk you’ll witness some of the key differences in daily lifestyle between the city dwellers and the island’s residents. Observe locals as they take a break on their front porches, walk past brightly-colored Chinese temples adorned with statues of marine creatures and spot fishermen as they peel shrimp for consumption in the local restaurants. As you might expect of this coastal city, Pulau Ketam is famous for its seafood, particularly crab.
Stop by a local restaurant to have some lunch (at your own expense) savoring the strong, vibrant flavors of Malaysian cuisine, a culinary style that blends a variety of cultural influences. After your meal, catch your included ferry back to Port Klang, where you’ll begin a short coach sightseeing tour of Kuala Lumpur.
Drive first to the ornate Palace of the Sultan of Selangor before heading to the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque. At almost 36 acres (15 hectares) the second largest such mosque in Southeast Asia and the biggest in Malaysia.
Make your final stop of the day at Thean Hou Temple, also among the largest in Southeast Asia. Check out the temple’s complex murals and many decorative details, providing a great example of Chinese artistic techniques. From here you’ll receive a drop-off back at your central Kuala Lumpur hotel.
