History

Kuala Selangor began life as a small settlement along the coast of Selangor in the 14th century. A group of Bugis people had come from Indonesia to make a new life in this land, and for a time, they lived peacefully under a matriarch. Towards the 16th century, Kuala Selangor came under the rule of the Malacca Sultanate, and later under Johor. Kuala Selangor became an important trading dock, attracting merchants from around the world.

Later, the Bugis decided to set up Selangor as a state and installed a new ruler named Raja Lumu in the 17th century. The Dutch, having conquered Malacca, soon set their sights on Kuala Selangor, as it was the capital. Battles were raged, most taking place around Bukit Melawati until it fell to Dutch control. Later, it reverted back to Bugis rule, but fell again during the Selangor Civil War, when warring sultans made alliances with Chinese gangs to control the lucrative tin mining in Selangor. The British entered the fray and conquered Kuala Selangor, along with the rest of the state, alongside their chosen Sultan and Chinese gang. This was the last of the violence that plagued Kuala Selangor. After independence, it became a sleepy fishing town, but slowly grew in popularity as its natural attractions became widely known among visitors and tourists, mostly coming from Kuala Lumpur. Today, it is a popular tourist destination, but still retains much of the traditional lifestyle and culture of its past.