Selangor

Selangor surrounds the capital city and is home to many city commuters who commute to neighbouring Petaling Jaya or KL. Moving at a slower pace, it is also touched by a regal atmosphere as Selangor is home to the country's most influential sultan. His palace stands high on a hill in the state capital of Shah Alam, which overlooks his neat and carefully planned city. Until just 25 years ago, what is now the state capital was little more than a rubber and palm oil plantation. But in the late 70s, a massive building programme spawned a well-developed infrastructure and a rapidly growing population.

Rich in history and culture, it is home to spiritual landmarks like the Batu Caves and our very own Blue Mosque. The Batu Caves are a focal point for Malaysia's millions of Hindus. A shrine, located in a huge cave 15 km north of KL, comes alive every January or February when up to a million devotees flock to the shrine for the exhuberant and colourful holiday of Thaipusam.

The Shah Alam mosque, nicknamed The Blue Mosque for its blue aluminium dome covered in verses from the Quran, is Malaysia's largest mosque and can accommodate 24,000 worshippers. Its four minarets are the world's tallest at over 140m.