PANTAI Morib and its sister beach Pantai Kelanang in Kuala Langat district do not hold much in terms of water sports activities.
Personally, I feel the lesser-known Pantai Kelanang holds more potential than Pantai Morib but only if the dead branches of mangrove trees are cleared away and more facilities are set up.
Pantai Kelanang beach stretches further than Pantai Morib and has volleyball courts, children’s playground and camp sites. Camping here costs RM5 per head, with barbecue pits, and there is a lookout tower for admiring the sunsets. Digging for clams or kepah is a favourite activity when the tide is down.
In contrast, Pantai Morib offers more eateries. Troops of monkeys scampering around the children’s playground and occasional fights with stray cats provide a source of amusement. The seafood here is nothing to shout about but it is affordable. For instance, at D’Nelayan Corner, the set dinner for my companion and I costs only RM36. We had steamed siakap, tom yam soup, fried belacan, roasted cockles and a jug of sirap with cincau.
Stalls selling packed food, sotong bakar, slippers, shades, T-shirts and other bric-a-brac are interesting diversions.
I savour my best moments at Pantai Morib during the sunset. Like a flourish of a magician’s wand, the rather murky sea changes to a deep blue caused by the reflection from the setting sun, conjuring up a picture-postcard setting.
But let’s focus on the more interesting journey to these coastal weekend getaways.
From Petaling Jaya, take the Kesas Highway and after paying toll near Bandar Sunway, proceed ahead and turn left as indicated by a signboard that says Pulau Indah. You will pass a few villages before reaching Jenjarom. The turquoise-blue Masjid Al-Firdaus at Taman Kota is a landmark here.
Sleepy Jenjarom bursts into a frenzy only during Chinese New Year when hordes of visitors pray at Dong Zen Temple at Jalan Sungei Buaya. You can also find landscaped gardens, fountains and granite statues in addition to prayer halls and a tea house here.
Next door is the famed Hao Bee Bak Kut Teh Enterprise (Tel: 016-2707-557) housed in the Selangor Ang Clan Association.
Proceed to Banting, which is basically a three-street town. Its heartbeat is The Store and the adjacent Banting Bowl. However, dozens of shops stretch from Wisma MDKL along Jalan Sulan Abdul Samad, flashing a veritable riot of colours along five-footways. They are flowing swatches of textiles complemented by baju kurung, drapes, scarves, selendang and sarung made of silk, rayon, nylon cotton, spandex, acetate and polyester, among other fabrics. This is Banting’s golden mile of textiles!
Parallel to Jalan Sulan Abdul Samad is Jalan Pekan Bunga 2, the town’s fashion and beauty centre.
Get your jamu and traditional cosmetics from CTS Cyber Arked and have your pick of pretty baju kurung from Mora Senang, Kedai Pakaian Maritah Bt. Ahmad and Busana Muslimah.
Siti Beaut Images offers mandian pengantin and facials, and Zazie Aronma & Slimming specialises in resdung (sinusitis) treatment, bleaching, slimming and sauna. Other notable shops include Koldan Silk Paradise, Kedai Pakaian KST, Pusat Kasut KST, Kedah Kain Indah Jelita, Pusat Pakaian Beatrice, Angel Girl Shoes, Seri Flora Collection and the eye-catching K. Charmz.
At K. Charmz, which is elegantly decorated with mannequins at its window front, my purchase of a yellow dress, a black belt and a pair of matching yellow high-heeled shoes cost only RM150! These would have cost more than RM200 in Kuala Lumpur.
Boutique owner Karen Goh (Tel: 012-2339-090) is a great fashion consultant, at the ready to recommend accessories to her customers.
Now what about food? Cruising along Jalan Pekan Bunga 2, I notice a motley collection of stalls at Restoran High Luck food Court. Yong Kee Bak Kut and Uncle Yam Kopitiam also seem to be well-patronised.
For the best accommodation in town, check out Hotel Comfort.
As for relaxation, Rest Day Traditional Massage, which is housed within the hotel premises, offers foot reflexology while opposite it stands Mic Karaoke. I recommend Restoran Ibrahim Cendol at the junction of Jalan Pulau Banting and Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad opposite KFC if you are craving for a bowl of cendol. To create the ice shavings, the hawker repeatedly slides an ice block over a wooden block fitted with a blade. A bowl costs only RM1.20.
Along the road also lies Asam Jeruk House which sells a variety of pickled fruits. The shop, however, closes on Saturday afternoons.
The only other restaurant in Banting town centre is Restoran Dragon Pheonix.
Nearing Morib
As I head out of Banting towards Morib, I pass Dataran Banting opposite the police station, where pensioners were practising tai chi in the evening.
Now, the food scene begins to change. Restaurant after restaurant whizzes past as I zip out of town: Rashid Tom Yam, Arina Seafood Frenz Sizzle Station (offering Western fare and tom yam), Seri Seafood (looks enticing with thatched huts), Pa Ya Sate, Kerepek House, Morib Seaview Restaurant and more.
Keep a lookout for Masjid Jamek at Kampung Kanchong Darat for its beautiful design and architecture. Its cupola-crowned minaret has louvres and parapets rise from the edges of its roof while its back annexe features symmetrical fretwork.
Behind the mosque, pop over to Orchid D’Kanchong nursery at Jalan Masjid for potted plants.
Another attraction is Homestay Kampung Kanchong Darat. Overnighters can join villagers in a variety of agricultural activities. Another alternative is Homestay Kampung Sungei Lang Tengah further south.
Masjid Ar-Rahman is another fascinating mosque. You will find it when you turn right at the traffic light to Kampung Sungei Manggi further south. Three pillars reach skyward and end with prongs resembling music tuning forks. The minaret is actually a tower with a balcony topped with a cupola that sadly needs a fresh coat of paint.
Further ahead, I am tempted to stop at one of the few makeshift stalls that proclaim “Ikan Segar”.
Buyers have a choice of a variety of fresh fish packed in crushed ice in styrofoam boxes.
Then I catch sight of Kuil Arulmigu Sri Perumal Alaya Devasthanam at Simpang Morib, followed by a golf driving range a few kilometres ahead.
On the left side of the road stands a mosque with langsat-coloured rectangles and circles adorning its façade.
From Pantai Morib, a narrow straight road through oil palm estate leads to Pantai Kelanang. You can also get to Pantai Kelanang from Simpang Morib but you risk getting lost as there are several left and right turns.
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