Glowing trees
Thousands of fireflies together.
*angys* — CC BY-SA 4.0 · *angys* — CC BY-SA 4.0 · *angys* — CC BY-SA 4.0 · *angys* — CC BY-SA 4.0
One of the loveliest night experiences near Kuala Lumpur: a quiet ride in a small wooden boat on the Selangor River after dark, between mangrove trees on both banks, where thousands of fireflies blink together like strings of lights hung in the branches. The insects live on a particular kind of mangrove tree along the riverbanks and give off light from their abdomens to communicate, so a whole tree flashes in one rhythm. The boat, rowed by a villager, glides silently without an engine so as not to disturb them. Trips start after sunset; it is best to arrive around half past seven, and the ride takes about twenty to thirty-five minutes. The price is for the whole boat, which holds four people: about a hundred ringgit for non-Malaysians and sixty for Malaysians, according to the fare board at the counter. Flash photography is strictly forbidden as it confuses the insects, and viewing is best on dark, clear nights without moon or rain. Bring insect repellent, and combine it with the Sekinchan paddy fields or Melawati Hill on a day trip that ends here.
Thousands of fireflies together.
Rowed, without an engine.
The best time to see them.
Kampung Kuantan, Kuala Selangor, about an hour and a half's drive north-west of Kuala Lumpur
Shortly after eight in the evening on a clear, dark, moonless night; avoid rainy nights and the full moon, and book ahead during holidays.