We Found Hidden Art and Yummy Food in Malaysia!

Shum and I spent a day exploring Kuala Selangor: a museum, an art gallery, a temple, a hilltop fort, and, as always, all kinds of new foods.

Breakfast at Kedai Kopi Shin Lok. I tried a lot of new things at this first stop. The ambarella juice was a little tart for me; out of everything, that wasn’t my speed. The curry puff was good, and the yam puff was better than I expected (I’m not really a yam guy). We had a stink bean bun and a black sesame bun, which tasted more like chocolate to me. And my first century eggs. I don’t see what the big deal is. They look crazy, but they tasted just fine.

Sasaran Art Park. We timed this one terribly. It was lunchtime, so we didn’t get inside the gallery, but we got great footage of the outdoor exhibits: local artwork, lots of fish themes, and a face made out of mesh. I’d definitely go back and time it better.

Learn from us: the gallery is closed on Mondays and open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. It closes for lunch, which is exactly when we showed up. Check the hours before you go.

Sasaran Guan Di Temple. Right across the street, so we went there instead. We were the only visitors, apart from the caretaker keeping everything clean and in order.

Museum of Traditional Games. This one was a lot of fun. We goofed around through exhibits on the games Malaysian kids played: sepak raga (like hacky sack, but not for hippies), a feathered shuttlecock game, stick-flicking games, homemade tops, marbles, hopscotch, and a sled made from a fallen coconut palm frond. Some things are universal. Kids will always find a way to peg each other with a ball. Consider this video the poorly pronounced guide to Malaysian children’s games.

Bukit Malawati. You can drive up the hill, but we took the short walk, which gave us great shots and more street art along the way. At the top are the old cannons and a view you can see was used for defense. And monkeys, of course, out in the wild.

A boat café and seafood dinner. We stopped for a drink at a café built on a boat still on the river, then wrapped up at Summer Windmill Seafood Restaurant by the water: squid, lime juice, white tom yum and chili prawns. Several firsts for me, and the perfect end to a great day in Malaysia.

If you enjoy the less touristy side of Malaysia, Kuala Selangor is a great day trip from KL.