SELANGOR:..
All roads away from Kuala Lumpur lead to the state of Selangor, Malaysia's most populated and prosperous state. Selangor surrounds the burgeoning capital with green suburban arms and industrial tracks, but as the city is left behind, a different, older and more natural order quickly unfolds.

To the west is the Klang Valley, whose tin mines were inextricably linked to the history and development of modern Malaysia. It was here that much of Malaysia's Civil War was played out. Continuing past the city of Klang, one eventually comes to Port Klang, where sampans come and go. Both to the north and south, Selangor is dominated by fishing villages on the coast and the Kampung inland. Heading east from KL, it is not the ocean but hills and forests that dominate. This is the beginning of the lush Malaysian heartland, and the spiritual connection to the landscape first takes hold at the extraordinary Batu Caves. Even further inland are the Genting Highlands, one of Malaysia's finest hill stations.

Any direction one takes in Selangor eventually leads to some sight that is deeply connected to Malaysia's development; a tin mine, an oil-palm or rubber plantation - for this reason, the state is often called "the heart of modern Malaysia."

PERLIS:..
THE NORTHERN GATEWAY
Although small in size, Perlis is not without its attractions, foremost among which is its serene unspoilt beauty, rustic rural scenes and vast padi fields. Even the state capital is bordered by an expanse of verdant padi fields, making the landscape appear like a huge color-field of brilliant green or gold, depending on the season.