I was never a fan of staycations before the pandemic. After all, travel should be about going to new destinations, and the further away from home, the better.
But then Covid-19 happened and with that came lockdowns, border closures and for Malaysia, the movement control order. Suddenly, the furthest place I could go was the kedai runcit down the road.
If anything, the lockdown measures have motivated many of us to look at holidaying closer to home, and it looks like this trend is here to stay.
According to travel insiders, staycations will continue to be on the rise as people remain cautious of Covid-19.
Staycations typically mean a holiday spent close to home. These days, the definition has expanded to include staying at nearby towns or suburbs.
Now, I was definitely open to the idea of being a tourist in another neighbourhood.
And that’s why on a fine Monday afternoon, I found myself in the distant neighbourhood of... Subang Jaya in Selangor.
I stayed at the Sunway Pyramid Hotel as part of Agoda’s “Vaxxed To Go” campaign. Under the initiative, the platform will donate RM50 to the Malaysian Red Crescent Society’s vaccination programme for every booking made.
The notion of doing some good while holidaying was certainly a nice feeling.
While I had been to Subang Jaya many times, my staycation at the suburb offered some new experiences.
For one, I got to experience the convenience of staying next to a shopping complex and theme park. My hotel is located next to the popular Sunway Pyramid mall and Sunway Lagoon.
During the stay, I also went ice skating for the first time. While the ice skating rink has been a perennial attraction in Subang Jaya for years, I have always thought it was something that only enthusiasts or tourists do.
Since I was being a tourist for the day anyway, I decided to take a one-hour ice skating lesson. To that end, I suppose the staycation had been successful in making me a tourist in my own home state.
It was nice to get away from my daily routine. Staying at a hotel also means I got to enjoy a good buffet spread for breakfast and amenities such as the gym.
Now that I’m finally sold on the idea of a staycation, it got me thinking about the other neighbourhoods in the Klang Valley.
For those living in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, there are many suburbs that are worth exploring. If you’re looking to do a staycation or day trip in the Klang Valley, here are some areas to check out.
It is said that people who stay in PJ tend to just stick around PJ. Well, it’s not hard to see why. There are a myriad things to do here without going too far away from home.
For starters, there are a number of popular malls in PJ. More than just a place to shop, these complexes have also become one-stop entertainment venues for many. Malls here have upgraded over the years to include extreme activity parks, indoor rock climbing gyms and even a rooftop futsal facility within their premises.
If you’re looking for adventure in the outdoors, there are numerous hiking trails to explore too. Some of these include Bukit Gasing and the Kota Damansara Community Forest.
PJ is also home to many restaurants and cafes where you can dine (or take lots of Instagram photos) to your heart’s content.
Some people refer to Shah Alam as the city of roundabouts. That’s because there are many roundabouts here that connect the major roads to the various sections. While the city is mostly made up of housing areas, there are several notable attractions too.
The Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque is the most iconic attraction around. Also known as the Blue Mosque, it is the largest in Malaysia and has the largest religious dome in the world.
Nearby, you can find the Selangor International Islamic Arts Complex. The venue has interesting exhibitions on Islamic calligraphy, architecture, paintings and Quran manuscripts.
The National Botanic Gardens also warrants a visit. There are many attractions here that make this place a good family recreational site. The Four-Season Temperate House lets visitors experience weather found in countries with four seasons – spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Puncak Alam has been gaining popularity over the years, especially among outdoor enthusiasts. During the weekends, this vast township will be frequented by many cyclists, hikers and mountain bikers who come as far as KL (about an hour’s drive away) to pursue their outdoor adventures.
Cyclists often go on expeditions through the undulating Persiaran Mokhtar Dahari, which is a 17km stretch (referred to as Dragon’s Back) that ends in Puncak Alam. Meanwhile, many hikers and mountain bikers have made Bukit Cherakah and Bukit Botak their playground.
The upcoming Damansara-Shah Alam Expressway (DASH) will improve connectivity from PJ to Puncak Alam.
Despite its small town status, Semenyih is surprisingly big on things for tourists to do. The star attraction here is Bukit Broga, a hill which has always been a favourite among hikers thanks to the amazing views of sunrise at the top.
If you’re looking for more outdoor adventure, head to the Sungai Tekala Recreational Forest. Located close to the Semenyih Dam (a picturesque spot for photos), the recreational forest offers a place to picnic alongside a scenic river.
Semenyih also has a few family-friendly attractions for the young ones. These include a rabbit and an ostrich farm. Another notable attraction here is the Sak Dato Temple, which offers peaceful surroundings with beautifully landscaped gardens.
Taman Melawati is one of the most mature residential addresses in the Klang Valley. The area is surrounded by hills and lush greeneries. It’s no surprise then that Taman Melawati is the preferred address among many local celebrities and politicians. It has also been dubbed the Hollywood of Malaysia...
But celebrities aside, the area is best known for Zoo Negara which is located nearby. Taman Melawati is famous among hikers thanks to the infamous Bukit Tabur (which is now officially closed). What many people might not know is that the hill is part of the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge, the longest quartz formation in the world.
As for foodies, they will be delighted to know that there’s a strong food truck scene in Taman Melawati. More recently, the pop-up coffee trend (where baristas set up tents along the road) can be seen around the neighbourhood.
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