Bukit Malawati or Malawati Hill is one of the few notable tourist draws in the sleepy district of Kuala Selangor in the Klang Valley. The historic hill is about an hour?s drive from Kuala Lumpur. This ancient fort was constructed in the late 18th century during the reign of the second Sultan of Selangor. It later yielded to the Dutch cannons. The site is preserved with the original foundation stones, cannons as well as a fabled execution block. Visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the coastline from the hill. Malawati Hill is a popular weekend destination for local residents of Selangor, and with good reason. Malawati Hill is usually visited together with Kuala Selangor Nature Park and Taman Ikan Air Tawar Kuala Selangor (both about 500m away); and Kampung Kuantan Firefly Park (6km away).

Things to do:

Tram ride: Private vehicles are not allowed up the hill from 8.00am to 7.00pm on weekends and public holidays. Visitors may choose to get to the hilltop by hiking or taking a short tram ride, where panoramic views await.

Kota Melawati: At the top of the hill, with great views of the coastline as its backdrop, lies Kota Melawati, an ancient fort built by the Malacca Sultanate during the early 16th century.

Kuala Selangor eventually fell to the Dutch in 1784, who reinforced the fort with cannons and renamed it Fort Altingburg after Willem Arnold Alting, the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1780 to 1797. Today, visitors can still see the fort?s ruins with its cannons, legendary 100-step stairway, Royal Mausoleum, Virgin?s Tomb, fabled execution slab and observatory tower (baitulhilal) built for sighting the new moon.

Kuala Selangor lighthouse: Also known as Altingburg Lighthouse, this towering structure was built in 1907 to replace the original one constructed by the Dutch some two centuries earlier when they took over the area. Used extensively during the British colonial period, the lighthouse?s beacon continues to shine and function as a guide for vessels navigating the Straits of Malacca till this day.

Silvered Leaf Monkeys: The endangered Silvered Leaf Monkey (Silvery Lutung) can be found in abundance around the hill. While most are relatively tame and will feed out of your hand, do be mindful of your personal belongings.

Kuala Selangor Historical Museum: The museum is located near the lighthouse and contains displays of weapons, dioramas, specimens of old currencies and other relics and artifacts. Admission to the museum is free, which is open daily from 9.30am to 5.30pm (closed on Mondays).