Morib

Seaside town that time forgot

SITUATED at the fringe of the state of Selangor, south-west alongthe coastline, lies the beach town of Morib. It used to be a popular seaside resort and picnickers' haven in the 70s.

Clam collectors used to frequent this five mile long beach during the evenings when the tide go out to hunt for the delicious bivalve known locally as lala in Chinese dialect or kepah in Malay.


Clam hunters digging up the beach at low tide.


Rare sight now. A lone clam found at low tide. This bivalve used to populate the beach in the 70s.

Morib was also a favourite camping ground in the 70s and 80s during the school holidays and scout jamborees used to be held here.


As far as the eye can see, the Morib beach is one of the more popular spots in Selangor.

Today, with so many beachfronts opening up and more areas being cleared for hotels and resorts and motels, Morib is often overlooked except for the faithful few who still frequent its shores.

However, its less frequented status has made it a much more vistable place since you would not have to swim through the sea of people on certain days.

Compared to that of yesteryears, Morib today is more tourist friendly in terms of amenities here. There is a public playground and public bathing facility. there is even a tourism centre at the northern end.



The memorial marking the landing of the Indian Beach group of the British army on Morib beach.

If you are not fussy, basic food and drinks are available at the few stalls here. Some are open early in the morning, others in the afternoons or evenings. Some may not open on weekdays and concentrate on the weekends when the crowd makes it economically worthwhile.

In the evenings when the tide comes in, you might want to try your hand at shorecasting - although the likelihood if catching a whopper is as rare as seeing a comet across the nightsky here.

The quietitude here, during weekdays, will certainly be appreciated and it is definitely a place to curl up on the hammock with a good book in hand. There are plenty of shade and the old casuarina trees make ofr a restful respite, especially when the sea breeze blows inland.

If you want to go for a swim, the sea floor is pretty flat. However, you may not like the colour of the water which sometimes can be quite murky because the waves churn up the low-lying mud.

There are several motels here but we have yet to check their quality or service. If you still want to put up the night, check with the information centre.

If you want to camp here, ask the stall owners where are the best places. And make sure you inform the nearest police station of your intention so that they can check on you to ensure your safety. There is a police station (nearest) in Banting is we are not mistaken.

Note: During certain months of the year, the beach can teem with sandflies. Although these are harmless insects, you may want to bring some insect repellent. Sandfly bites can be painful to the allergic.

Getting here:
You can get to Morib via Klang through Banting. There are buses which ply from Klang to Banting and there on to Morib.

However, the best bet is driving there and appreciate the change in scenery from the developed cityscape to quaint village towns as you make your way there. From Kuala Lumpur, via Klang and Banting, the drive will take approximately two hours. Drive slowly as you will be passing small villages every now and then.

You may also use the North South Express and get off at the Sepang exit and head for Bagan Lalang, another seaside town. From Bagan Lalang, Morib is about 20km.