Monkeys and Fireflies

March 18, 2013

Monkeys and Fireflies

I recently wrote this article for the internal High Commission newsletter - thought it could go here too.

Determined to get out and about more, we booked ourselves on the MM adventure Firefly tour. We were picked up from outside a local hotel mid-afternoon (with two other tourists) and driven through the palm plantations around Kuala Selangor to Bukit Melawati, followed by dinner, and finishing with the fireflies. If the traffic is good there are other stops, but unfortunately for us the traffic was bad.

Bukit Melawati is the suprise highlight of the day, with a train trip to the top to feed the local Silver Leaf Monkeys. The photogenic monkeys are surprisingly well-behaved - happily leaving people alone if there is no food visible. Although they quickly move to grab any food on offer (sweet potato is definitely a crowd pleaser). If the food is out of easy reach, you will soon find a mohawked monkey perched on your shoulder or head, perhaps with an unsteady baby monkey in tow.

Dinner is a set seafood meal at a local Chinese resturant on the Selangor river as the sun sets. Then it is on to the fireflies at an eco tourist center (restoring palm plantations to firefly habitat). Rowing down the river the fireflies flash in overhanging trees like a cheap christmas light show. The boat often getting so close passengers are brushed by the strobing branches. Then it is back home by around 9.30pm after a very enjoyable day - recommended.

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