Completely surrounding the capital and federal territory of Kuala Lumpur is the state of Selangor with a population of around three million. Selangor is the richest and most developed state in the country and the Klang valley, the industrial hub of the nation, stretches from Port Kelang through to Kelang, Shah Alam, (the state capital), Petaling Jaya and on to Bangi.

The state's history stretches back to the 15th century discovery of tin deposits which led to a flood of immigrants looking to become wealthy through mining. The town of Kelang on the Kelang River developed to service the miners and initially was under the control of the Melaka Sultanate. Later the Bugis gained control and ultimately, infighting between the Bugis, the Chinese and the Malay nobility led to the British moving in and controlling the state from 1874 until independence in 1957.

Dominating Shah Alam is the spectacular Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque which stands in a 15 hectare site and is said to have the world's tallest minaret and also the largest dome.

Other buildings with a blend of Malay and Moorish architecture surrounding the mosque include the Municipal Council Tower, the State Library, the Museum and the Lake Gardens of Shah Alam. The city also has a magnificent 27-hole golf course and two other courses nearby. Another popular place for leisure activities including trekking and camping is the Malaysia Agricultural Park which has a biodome, an animal farm and an aviary.

Petaling Jaya began as a satellite of Kuala Lumpur, but is now a dynamic self-contained town with shopping and entertainment complexes, parks and excellent accommodation. Nearby is Sunway Lagoon, a newly established water theme park.

Kelang is known as the 'royal town' because of its historic past. Kota Raja Mahdi is a fort built in 1886 and the Kelang Museum is also worth a visit. Port Kelang is one of the country's major ports. Kuala Selangor has two historic fortresses built on the hills, the larger of which, Bukit Melawati, is the royal mausoleum where the early Bugis rulers are buried. It overlooks Kuala Selangor Nature Park which is home to leaf monkeys and more than 150 species of birds.

Tanjung Karang is an area known as the state's 'rice bowl' with sweeping paddy fields. The Batu caves, about 13 kilometres north of Kuala Lumpur, consisting of three main caves and several smaller ones, are renowned as a place of worship especially during the Hindu festival Thaipusam. At this time devotees carry the kavadi, a frame decorated with coloured paper, tinsel, flowers and fresh fruits, often hooked into the devotee's flesh, up the 292 stairs to the caves. About the same distance from Kuala Lumpur is the National Zoo and Aquarium.

Negri Sembilan is an area unlike any other in Malaysia with distinctive architecture and customs which are derived from a matrilineal kinship system. Seremban, the capital of Negri Sembilan, is the centre of the Malaysian Minangkabau area which is closely related to the Minangkabau area of Sumatra.

Major sights in Seremban include the Lake Gardens which contain the rulers palace, Istana Hinggap; the Masjid Negri or State Mosque; the Cultural Handicraft Complex and the State Museum. In several parts of the state, stone megaliths have been found, replicas of which can be seen in the grounds of the Handicraft Complex. Nearby Ulu Bendal Waterfall is a popular camping ground with a man-made lake.

The town of Port Dickson has become a popular family resort, with a good beach which stretches for 16 kilometers to Cape Rachado. There are plenty of places to stay along the beachfront and visitors can walk along the coast to the cape.

In Sri Menanti, the royal palace which is now a royal museum is said to be one of the country's most distinctive palaces. Lukut, seven kilometers from Port Dickson, has a well preserved Bugis fort.