Located about 70km from the Kuala Lumpur city centre, this humble town might seem unassuming, but it is rich in history as it served as the capital of the Selangor sultanate during the 18th century.
There are many attractions here, such as the Kuala Selangor Nature Park, Melawati Hill, and a colony of fireflies along the Selangor river – not to mention a magnificent phenomenon called “blue tears”.
If you’re looking for an fascinating and awe-inspiring nighttime adventure, why not come along on the firefly and blue tears tour hosted by D Tours Kuala Selangor?
The firefly tour leaves the Pasir Penambang jetty in the evening via speedboat, and all passengers are provided with life jackets.
The picturesque view will surely take your breath away: golden hues of the setting sun reflecting radiantly against the waters as you cruise away from the jetty.
Soon you will pass by several wooden houses on stilts – relics from another era, bringing to mind a calmer, quieter pace of life.
Further down the river, rows of mangrove trees line the riverbanks, and if you’re lucky, you will witness the spectacular sight of hundreds of storks perched on these trees.
City dwellers would probably appreciate this as spotting even one of these birds in the concrete jungle would be a rare occurrence.
About 20 minutes after departing from the jetty, the speedboat slows, the driver turns off the engine, and you are left to sit in the dark, bobbing gently on the river engulfed by the cool mist.
Nothing will prepare you for the astonishing sight of thousands of fireflies, lighting up the air on either side of the boat – flickering and flashing in the night like diamonds. It is certainly a magical experience.
To avoid frightening these beautiful bugs, passengers are asked to keep their phones on silent mode. And although taking photos is permitted, no flash should be used.
With phone reception sketchy at best in that area, there is only one thing to do: sit back, relax, and marvel at the beauty of nature.
Flashing for love
Time for a biology lesson! For the uninitiated, fireflies are a type of insect from the beetle family, with approximately 2,000 species in the world.
The largest species found at the Selangor river is the “Pteroptyx tener”. Each firefly is about 6cm in length, and they live for only about two to three months.
At night, these insects feed on the nectar from the leaves of the Berembang tree, a type of mangrove that grows along the banks of the river.
Fireflies produce a chemical reaction inside their bodies that allows them to light up, a process known as bioluminescence.
Each firefly flashes at an interval of three seconds. Interestingly, the ones at the Selangor river blink in unison, resulting in a glorious visual orchestra that is simply breathtaking.
This is unique as not every species synchronises its flashes.
And you might be surprised to know that each flash is actually a mating signal. Male fireflies, who usually shine brighter, light up in a specific pattern, hoping for a female to reply with a flash of her own.
If he’s lucky, he receives it and will move on to locate her.
The firefly tour departs from the jetty at 7.20pm and lasts for around 40 minutes. Tickets are priced at RM20 for adults, and RM15 for children between two and 10 years old.
‘Blue tears’
Visitors should also go on the “blue tears” tour, which takes passengers out to sea to experience the light displays of an algae called “Noctiluca scintillans”.
Like fireflies, these dinoflagellates – a type of marine algae or plankton – are bioluminescent and emit blue-green light at night, illuminating the water with beautiful aquamarine streaks.
Photos don’t really do this experience justice, as you have to be there in person to witness fully the beauty of these “sapphires” in the sea.
To make the fluorescence even more prominent, each passenger is given a net to stir the waters.
Do it gently, though, as the algae is sensitive – in fact, it can only survive for less than 100 seconds outside of the water, so you are not allowed to remove it from the sea.
Each blue tears tour lasts about 35 minutes and departs from the jetty at 7.45pm. Tickets are RM30 for adults and RM20 for children.
For more information, visit D Tours Kuala Selangor’s Facebook profile or contact 019-6688828.