Pasir Penambang

Pasir Penambang is a developed Chinese fishing village famous for its many seafood restaurants. It lies across the river opposite Kuala Selangor town, and can be reached via a 1 km drive north over the bridge along the main road. You can see Pasir Penambang directly along the left side of the road right after crossing the bridge. As you enter the small, meandering roads, you'll see that much of the village is composed of brick houses or wooden dwellings on stilts, but the coastal section rather closely resembles a town area, with shoplots and concrete structures galore. The influx of tourists over the years have made this village into a lively shopping and dining area that it is no longer reminiscent of a traditional Chinese fishing community. On weekends and public holidays, Penambang is crowded with visitors that come from Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and as far as Singapore, along with international travellers mostly here for the fireflies.

For most people, a typical trip to Kuala Selangor will begin in the afternoon with shopping for dried snacks, salted seafood, biscuits and later, dinner in Pasir Penambang, before heading to Kampung Belimbing at night for a firefly cruise along the river. Fishing boats bring in their catch from the sea daily, which means fresh seafood is almost always served in the many restaurants. Most of the restaurants are built on stilts across the river, offering open-air dining (with rooftops) and a fantastic view (especially at sunset), of Bukit Melawati, mangroves and fishing boats skimming the river surface. While there are many choices, the most famous restaurants here are River View and Restoran Makanan Laut Jeti (Jetty). Food in Pasir Penambang is mostly Chinese cuisine, including seafood, but pork is seldom served in the establisments in order to attract Malay (Muslim) guests. Beer and other alcoholic beverages are available as they do not share the same stigma.