There are abundant nature and theme parks for children to choose from. Other options include go-karting, horseback riding and visits to the zoo. A number of the activities on offer can be enjoyed by the entire family. The Safari Lagoon Water Theme Park in particular provides lots for parents to do while kids are enjoying the rides, slides and water games.

Go-karting
This activity can be a thrill, not only for kids, but for all members of the family. You and the kids can take lessons before racing around the track. If you are tall enough to reach the pedals, you qualify to drive here. Selangor has recently added its own track that’s fully-equipped and located at Shah Alam Stadium. Phone: +60 3 5512 5868.

Horseback Riding
If your children haven’t had the opportunity to try horseback riding, Malaysia is a great place for them to have a go. Costs are quite reasonable and stable staff are normally well-trained and often multi-lingual. Lessons are conducted in several languages, including English, Bahasa Melayu, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Out-rides can be arranged with advance notice. The Templer Park Equestrian Centre in Selangor is the ideal place at which to organise horseback rides or lessons. Phone: +60 10 339 0200.

MINES Wonderland
MINES Wonderland at Mines Resort City is one of the top theme parks in the area, featuring amusement rides, a snow-house and facilities for various water sports. There’s a restaurant on site and several refreshment stands as well. If you come to the park at night, you’ll have the chance to see a parade of sparkling floats on the lake and aqua and laser shows. Adults will also find things to do here, as there’s a shopping complex and an exhibition centre onsite. Phone: +60 3 8942 5010.

Safari Lagoon Water Theme Park
A visit to this theme park means that you can go shopping while the kids are enjoying themselves on the many amusements rides. This is the first rooftop amusement park of its type in the Klang Valley, and it can accommodate 3,000 visitors at one time. In addition to the many water rides and slides featured, the rooftop area has been transformed into a ‘safari garden,’ complete with lush green spaces and animal sculptures. Phone: +60 3 964 4399.

Shah Alam Lake Gardens
These gardens are the venue for many annual festivals and events, and are also a popular spot for parents to bring their children. You’ll find picnic areas and children’s playgrounds scattered around Shah Alam Lake. There are many facilities located around the lake, including a cultural centre, known as Laman Budaya; Shah Alam gallery; and the popular new Wet World Water Park.

Sunway Lagoon
At one time the site of a tin mine, today the Sunway Lagoon is one of Malaysia’s major theme parks. Its popularity is largely due to the wide range of water sports, recreational facilities and restaurants on offer here. Immediately adjacent is an enormous leisure and shopping complex known as the Sunway Piramid and also the upscale Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel. Phone: +60 3 2070 8667.

Wet World Water Park
The newest attraction in Shah Alam is this water-theme park, which brings in lots of local families at the weekends. On offer are a typical selection of rides, slides and pools, and a number of fun water games that are suitable for toddlers and younger children. Phone: +60 3 5510 2588.

Zoo Negera
There’s a fascinating collection of animals from all corners of the world at the Zoo Negera in Ulu Klang. The zoo also boasts an aviary and an impressive aquarium. Rated as one of the most interesting in Southeast Asia, it offers visitors a lake with swan-shaped boats, train rides around the zoo and a picnic area. Phone: +66 3 4108 3422.

Selangor's culture is influenced by the Bugis, Javanese, Johor, Mandailing and Minangkabau ancestry of its Malay majority. As it is also the most developed of the Malaysian states, it continues to be influenced by cultures of the West as well. Most of the royal cultural attractions are clustered in the capital city, Shah Alam, while many of the traditional indigenous cultures can be found in towns such as Jugra and on Carey Island, off the coast.

Carey Island
This island is located just off the Selangor coast, and is noted for its Orang Asli community, commonly referred to as the Mah Meri. Although members of the community work at the plantations nearby, these tribal people retain their unique culture. If you visit the island, you can enjoy exhibitions of traditional music and dance, and =marvel at their artistry. The Orang Asli are well known for votive sculptures created from nyirih batu, a swamp hardwood.

Historic Jugra
The ancient town of Jugra was once the home of kings and is an interesting place to visit, offering a variety of historic buildings. Among the most significant of these buildings are the palace, mausoleum and mosque. The Bandar Palace was built in 1905 and features lovely and ornate woodcarvings by the late Sultan Alauddin. The Sultan Alauddin Mosque, standing adjacent to the palace, was completed in 1932; but its classic Islamic style gives it a much older, timeless appearance. In addition to the Royal Mausoleum, the Jugra Lighthouse is also interesting and worth visiting.

Orang Asli Museum
This museum provides a glimpse into the culture and lifestyle of the original inhabitants of Selangor, the Orang Asli. Located in Gombak, visitors can view a vast collection of items used in the daily life of this fast-disappearing group. Represented at the museum are objects such as blowpipes and spears, porcelain and other types of ancestral figurines. Phone: +60 3 6189 2113.

Shah Alam Gallery
Located amid the luxurious gardens surrounding Shah Alam Lake in the centre of the city, the gallery is well-known for its extensive collections of art, local handicrafts and handmade fabrics. Among the works that are exhibited here, a number of pieces are for sale as well. Phone: +60 3 5510 5344.

Sultan Alam Shah Museum
The architecture of the museum building reflects traditional Selangor style, complete with a blue roof. The museum houses exhibits and displays on the culture and history of the state of Selangor. One of the more unusual and well-received recent exhibits was entitled Mysteries, Genies, Ghosts, Coffins. Phone: +60 3 5519 0050.

Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Royal Gallery
Officially a landmark heritage site, the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Royal Gallery, located in Klang, was opened to the public in 2000. The gallery was the inspiration of Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, a personal endeavour to share the royal art collection with the people of Selangor. You’ll see exhibits of priceless royal heirlooms, artefacts and gifts which have been presented to the sultan by visiting foreign dignitaries and his subjects over the years. Phone: +60 3 551 90050.

Malay cuisine in Selangor has evolved over the years, partly due to the influences of the various ancestors of the current Malay population such as the Bugis, Jawa, Johor and Minangkabau. Famous noodle dishes on offer that originated in Klang include lontong klang, mee bandung and rojak klang (an egg, squid and tofu combination). Other well-known dishes that are popular and readily available here include kuah asam pedas (curry) and satay kajang (grilled meat skewers).

A Chinese minority is also present in this area, and a number of Chinese restaurants offer up local variations of traditional fare. Klang bak kut teh is probably the most well known, a herbal soup made with pork and served throughout the day. As you’d expect, seafood is popular and plentiful. Coastal communities such as Klang and Kuala Selangor are particularly well-known for seafood dishes.

Selangor is a good place to visit if you’re interested in sampling a wide range of interesting and varied cuisines. Not only are traditional Malaysian foods and Chinese dishes on offer, there’s additional variety ranging from Indian to South African. Good food that’s also good value is available from roadside hawkers, who offer local delicacies along with drinks of fresh coconut and sugar cane.

Kajang, a town in Selangor, is well-known for its delicious preparation of satay, considered to be the best in Malaysia. Skewers are loaded with succulent pieces of chicken or beef and then grilled over charcoal. In addition to street vendors, the new Satay Complex, located in Kajang town centre, is a good choice for sampling this local specialty.

Shopping malls have sprung up all over the state, making Selangor a popular shopping destination for residents of central Malaysia as well as visitors to the region. The malls in the Klang Valley in particular have established themselves as ‘one-stop’ shopping centres, offering up a wide range of merchandise under a single roof.

Shoppers will find everything from clothing to gifts, games to house wares, and designer brands to handmade items. Visitors especially find the service exceptionally friendly and the exchange rate enticing, making for an outstanding shopping experience.

If you’re interested in flea market items, the Amcorp Shopping Mall located in Petaling Jaya, Selangor features antiques and curios. If it’s traditional handicrafts you’re after, Selangor is the place to go for a variety of street and night markets. Night markets, called pasar malam in Bahasa Melayu, are a fixture of local life here. There are designated areas around the city where these night markets are set up several times each week. Bargaining is the rule here. For shoppers who can spot a good deal and negotiate their way to a good price, Selangor’s markets are perfect places to shop.

Outdoor activities in Selangor cover a wide range of activities, from time spent at the beach and water sports to golf, hiking and jungle trekking. Since the weather is pleasant year-round, you can enjoy your favourite sports during any month of the year. For golfers, the courses available here are some of the best in Southeast Asia.

Beach Activities
From relaxing on the beach to windsurfing, there’s something for everyone in the family when you’re visiting the Selangor coast. The waters off the coast are clear and filled with colourful marine life, making snorkelling enjoyable. In addition to the sailing regattas that are held here, there are opportunities to hire smaller craft and learn to sail.

Golf
Selangor is a haven for golf lovers, boasting some of the most challenging courses to be found anywhere. Caddies are readily available and affordable, as are green fees. Night golfing is increasing in popularity here and throughout Malaysia’s courses. The Mines Resort and Golf Club in Selangor was host to the World Cup Golf Championship in 1999. Website: www.mines.com.my/golf/golfcourse.asp.

Hiking
Visitors will find several hiking trails in Kuala Selangor Nature Park, providing at least two days of pleasurable walks through the forest. A briefing is available before you start, which will give you an idea of the plants and animals to look for. This is a peaceful place, and if you remain quiet as you hike along, you’re likely to see an amazing variety of wildlife. Phone: +60 3 8892294.

Sailing
The most prestigious regatta on Malaysia’s annual sailing calendar is the Muda Regatta, held at the Royal Selangor Yacht Club in late November. This spectacular event attracts sailors from around the world and is among the well-known Asian Yachting Regatta Circle races. The Singapore Straits Regatta is the first of the events, followed by the Muda Regatta and Thailand's famous King's Cup. The action in Selangor takes place during the first week in December. Website: www.rmsir.com/html/s01_home/home.asp.

Sports Fishing
Many visitors try their sports fishing skills in the waters off Selangor’s coast, where boats can be rented and trips can be arranged through a number of reputable operators. Better hotels can also make arrangements for you, and depending on the success of your expedition, your hotel may also cook your catch for you when you return.

Trekking
Selangor is a good place for young or inexperienced trekkers to practice before heading out to the more arduous treks that are available in other parts of the country. The Malaysia Agriculture Park at Taman Bukit Cahaya in Shah Alam is the perfect place for everyone in the family to become acclimated to this sport. Well-marked trails and guides are available. Phone: +60 3 5556923.

White Water Rafting
The rapids of Sungai Selangor are attracting a lot of attention and drawing fans of white water rafting to this part of Malaysia. This popular location is near Pertak, in the district of Hulu Selangor, where you can experience the thrill of rafting in a canoe or an inflatable dinghy.