[SHORE EXCURSION] WHAT TO DO WITH A FEW HOURS ONSHORE PORT KLANG VIA SUPERSTAR LIBRA?

Note: For Shore Excursion (Shorex), it’s always advisable to go with the cruise’s pre-set excursion packages even if you were to incur some extra cost on top of the cruise amount you have paid. Since it’s the official Shorex by the cruise, you would be assured of getting onboard on time before the ship depart from the port. Since those packages have limited seating capacity, you are advised to pre-book your choice of excursion at the Shore Excursion Counter at Deck 4 Mid as soon as you had embarked onto SuperStar Libra to avoid any disappointment.

However, some passengers might want to explore Port Klang once SuperStar Libra berthed at the Boustead Cruise Centre (GPS: 2.984334, 101.336807).

Firstly, you have to check on the timetable below on how much time you have at a specific port of call.

Basically, you would have approximately 9 hours in Port Klang but that does not mean you have that exact hours on land. There are many hidden time constraints during each port of call and you might end up with barely 4-5 hours on land which would also include time spent on transportations in between destinations.

IMPORTANT PROCEDURES TO TAKE NOTE:

1. Queueing up for Access Card scanning/face check upon disembarking would require some time. It could be few minutes until an hour or more with so many passengers onboard.
2. There might be the need to go through the Immigration Counter. It could be few minutes to an hour plus depending on the crowd. The same goes to coming back from your personal expedition to get onboard.
3. Please pre-plan your personal itinerary in advance prior to the trip so that you would not lose out valuable time on land. That would include your waiting time for a cab.
4. Cabs would be easy accessible at the entrance/exit of the port but make sure you agree on the fare before you engage them. If you need to use GRAB or UBER, please install the App in advance for your IOS/Android mobile. Please ensure that you have your relevant country SIM card or roaming services activated to do so.
5. It’s also the cruise’s major rule that you have to check in and be onboard NOT LESS THAN 90 MINUTES before departure time.
6. BARRED ITEMS ONBOARD: Due to health and hygiene issue, all outside food, especially cooked or uncooked meat items are not allowed to be brought onboard after your shore excursion. If you were to buy some edible local products home, it’s advisable to make sure that they are vacuum packed properly. Fruits such as durians, mangosteens and rambutans are STRICTLY PROHIBITED to be bought onboard. All baggage would be screened upon embarking.

WHAT CAN YOU DO IN PORT KLANG THEN?

If you are travelling on your own either via the local cab, UBER or GRAB, it’s advisable not to travel more than 25km radius (30-35 minutes) away from the Boustead Cruise Centre as you would need to be back as early as 3-4 hours before departure time to queue up to get a number and later to queue up again to go through the Malaysian Immigration Counter to get your passport stamped. Depending on the number of passengers going onboard, you might need to queue up for many hours. Do try to stick to one district and not to be too ambitious by running all over Klang Valley. Here are some suggestions which would enable you to return safely and on time.

1. Heritage, Street Art & Food Tour Surrounding Taman Bandar Diraja Klang: It’s best to start your journey by foot at the Klang Kwan Imm Temple (GPS: 3.037583, 101.442759) and end your journey at the Klang Komuter Station/Stesen KTMB Klang (GPS: 3.043046, 101.449590) where you could easily grab your transportation back to Boustead Cruise Centre (GPS: 2.984334, 101.336807). Depending on your time of arrival, you could take the below POIs as guidelines.

Established during 1892, this is one of the oldest temple in Malaya since the colonial period. Being declared as one of the Selangor’s state heritage building, the temple has many beautifully carved granite dragon stone columns, colorful timber carved ceilings, beautiful statues of deities and more.

The church was established in 1928 to cater for the needs of Catholic church goers from Klang and its surrounding districts. The church was built with Gothic architecture design. Some of the attractions within include glass panes which is believed to shwo the images of Virgin Mary and the face of Jesus as well as a first-class relic of St Maria Goretti.

If you are in need of some toiletries and more which you have forgotten to bring onboard the ship, there’s always something in Mydin Wholesale Emporium, the largest and well-established Malaysian-owned company involved in wholesaling and retailing. Surrounding the emporium would be Little India where you could try out some Indian delicacies.

Mydin Wholesale Emporium @ Plaza Persatuan Hokkien Klang | 111, Jalan Tengku Kelana, 41000 Klang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. | Tel: +603-3374 9858 | Operation Hours: 9.00am – 10.00pm | GPS Coordinates: 3.039843, 101.446931 |

Within the vicinity of Klang vicinity lies a great landmark with Southern Indian mosque architecture design, the Masjid India Muslim Taman Kelana. The original mosque which had been establish since the 18th century was demolished in 1973 and rebuilt as the present one to cater to the increasing needs of the Indian Muslim community in Klang.

The Tamil Methodist Church in Klang was established in 1908 to cater the needs of Tamil speaking immigrants from India and Ceylon in Klang, Kuala Selangor and Banting.

Gereja Methodist Tamil Klang (Tamil Methodist Church Klang/TMC Klang) | 1, Jalan Bukit Jawa, Kawasan 1, 41200 Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. | Tel: +603-3371 9143 | Operation Hours: 6.00am – 7.00pm | GPS Coordinates: 3.041672, 101.446491 |

The iconic Kuil Sri Nagara Thendayuthapani is one of the oldest and richest Hindu Temple in early Klang, which provided a place of worship to the Indian immigrants as far back as one and half decades ago.

The current Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat Kota Raja was built in 1890 and was once used as an ammunition store for the Klang District Traffic Police. It was converted to a fire station in the 1950s.

The heritage building was built around the 1850s as a house cum warehouse for Raja Abdullah, the first Malay tin-mining pioneer. The building has changed hands quite many times from being a government office, the Police HQ for Klang district and tin museum. It was to be demolished but was saved by the national heritage body for preservation of history. Presently, it’s been abandoned and is probably one of the oldest building in Klang.

Seng Huat Bak Kut Teh is also popular known amongst Klang folks as “Under the Klang Bridge Bak Kut Teh” because of its close proximity next to the bridge (so called Jambatan Kota Baru). The eatery has been serving authentic Klang Bak Kut Teh since 1979 to its steady flow of patrons from near and far.

Restoran Seng Huat Bak Kut Teh | 9, Jalan Besar, Kawasan 1, 41000 Klang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. | Tel: +6012-309 8303, +6012-385 5154 (Mr. John Lee) | Operation Hours: 7.00am – 12.00noon, 5.30pm – 8.30pm | GPS Coordinates: 3.043566, 101.448441 | Non-Halal

Climbing up the bridge stairways next to Restoran Seng Huat Bak Kut Teh, you would have a great view of Malaysia’s first double-decked bridge (Jambatan Kota/Jambatan Kota Lama/Kota Bridge) with the Masjid Bandar Diraja Klang Utara as the backdrop. The lower portion of the bridge was closed down due to the increasing traffic and was substituted with the new bridge (next to Restoran Seng Huat Bak Kut Teh). You could have a great view of the KTM Komuter here.

Views of Masjid Bandar Diraja Klang Utara over Klang River & KTM Komuter Rail Track | Jalan Tengku Kelana (Go up the bridge stairs next to Restoran Seng Huat Bak Kut Teh) | GPS Coordinates: 3.043785, 101.448227 |

Old school kopitiams are hard to come by these days, especially one which has stood strong through time for over 7 decades and has a Muhibbah (multi-racial people living in perfect harmony) feel. Since the atmosphere would be filled with bustling activities and crowded most of the time, do expect to share tables with strangers to test out your interpersonal skills. The scents of charcoal toasted bread mixed with the aromatic home roasted coffee somehow reminisced the good old days of our grandparents. It’s a must to try out their toasted bread with butter and kaya, coffee as well as their perfect soft boiled eggs. Alternatively, the Nasi Lemak in front of the shop is just as good. However, signature dishes might be sold out even before 9.00am daily.

The 1909 classic colonial building housing the gallery was initially opened in 1988 as the Memorial Museum but was later restored as a gallery to highlight the rich history and heritage of the Selangor Sultanate originating in 1766 from the Bugis Sulawesi Royal family of Opu Tanreburung Daeng Relaka of the Malay Archipelago.

Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal Gallery | 3, Jalan Stesen, Kawasan 1, 41000 Klang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. | Tel: +603-3-3373 6500 | Operation Hours: 10.00am – 5.00pm (Closed on Mondays & Public Holidays) | GPS Coordinates: 3.041495, 101.449213 |

This is the oldest Bak Kut Teh establishment in Klang and is believed to be the pioneer too as the same spices and cooking methods had been used until today since the arrival of its founder, Lee Boon Teh, from Fujian, China in the 40s. It’s also believed that the word “Teh” in “Bak Kut Teh” is extracted from the name of the founder and does not mean “tea” as many perceived. Compared to the many versions of Bak Kut Teh I have tried in Malaysia and Singapore, the clear soup base is indeed different with taste similarity of those steamed herbal chicken dishes with a higher note of ‘Dang Gui’ (Chinese Angelica Root). To stick to its originality of serving, no condiments such as cut chili paddy, dark soy sauce would be served as norm.

Located at the alley just next to Kedai Makanan Teck Teh is a row of sheds with old school delicacies. One of them is the Cendol Durian Buhari stall, serving shaved ice desserts to cool you off on a humid day. Depending on the right season, you might even get to savor some great Malaysian durians with your cendol.

Walking further into the alley and at the back of Kedai Makanan Teck Teh, you can find a wall with spider drawings and sculptures which might be of interest to you. Don’t get spooked out as it might create some illusions, especially when the sky is getting darker.

Walking by the old streets of Klang, you could smell the aroma of coffee being freshly brewed from one of the shop houses. That’s Seraph Awaken, a bronze medalist in the recent Australian International Coffee Awards 2017. Some of their signature cakes would include Gula Melaka Mille Crepe, Avocado Unbaked Cheese Cake, Earl Grey Unbaked Cheesecake and more.

2. If you prefer something else other than the strong herbal soup Bak Kut Teh as Klang is famous for, you might want to visit some unique eateries venues as below:

Roti Canai has become part of the Malaysian meal, whether it is for breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner or supper. You won’t regret visiting one of the best venues in Klang where the delicacy is soft and fluffy on the inside while the outside is flaky and crispy. That’s the signature of Restoran I.V. (Roti Canai Pandamaran), not forgetting their delicious selections of curries.

There’s this little seafood stall next to the Port Klang Thian Siew Keng (靝壽宮) in Pandamaran Jaya which is famous for its various king crab dishes (RM125/kg), claypot steamed fish, clam fried bee hoon, hot plate oyster omelette and more.

Restoran Kali Little | 89, Jalan Pandamaran Jaya 2, Kampung Sijangkang, 42000 Pelabuhan Klang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. | Tel: +6016-442 1152, +6016-997 8433 | Operation Hours: 5.00pm – 11.30pm (Closed on Mondays) | GPS Coordinates: 3.004779, 101.424869 | Non-Halal

The best part of visiting a dim sum house is that you could always have many options and Restoran BT Dim Sum House is no doubt one such venue.

This open air Mamak style eatery can be real convenient for many as it’s opened 22 hours daily. Some of the recommended dishes would be their nasi lemak, friend chicken, banana leaf rice and more.

If you think you can’t get enough of Thai cuisine during your port of call in Thailand, you could visit this eatery which has authentic flavors from Southern Thailand. Some of their recommended dishes would be their som tam, pineapple fried rice, phad thai, steamed siakap, salt baked tilapia, white tom yum and more.

There are a few hundred brands of Bak Kut Teh within the Klang area but this one has another delicious dry version with generous chunks of meats.

I hope you have a great cruising journey and experiences with SuperStar Libra. Bon Voyage!

[SHORE EXCURSION] WHAT TO DO WITH A FEW HOURS ONSHORE PORT KLANG VIA SUPERSTAR LIBRA?

WHAT CAN YOU DO IN PORT KLANG THEN?

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