| Malaysia's Pulau Ketam or Crab Island is not the | | | | concert and Chinese opera shows. The celebrations at |
| archetypal tropical paradise with swaying coconut | | | | both temples last 14 days, and see throngs of |
| palms and sandy beaches. However, the rustic | | | | worshippers from the mainland as well. |
| atmosphere of its villages that are devoid of vehicles, | | | | The dozen or so seafood restaurants at Pulau Ketam |
| restaurants serving scrumptious seafood, crimson | | | | Village can excite even the most discerning gourmet. |
| sunsets, interesting aquaculture farms and lush | | | | Dishes such as crunchy deep-fried squids, kam heong |
| mangrove swamps where colourful mudskippers and | | | | crabs, tom yam steamed grouper and drunken prawns |
| succulent crabs lurk are the perpetual draws that have | | | | have turned many dieters into gluttons. Take your pick |
| made this island a popular weekend destination for | | | | from one of the following list of famous restaurants: |
| folks in the Klang Valley. | | | | Restaurant Ping Heong, Restaurant Mei Sek, |
| Pulau Ketam is nestled in the mouth of the Klang River | | | | Restaurant Seng Tian, Restaurant Kuai Lok Hian, Nan |
| in Selangor State, and is home to Pulau Ketam Village | | | | Heng Seafood Restaurant, Kim Hoe Seafood |
| and Sungai Lima Village, which are separated by | | | | Restaurant and Restaurant Seafood Kia Hiong Haun. |
| primacy forest. The former is the focal point of the | | | | For tea, many coffee shops have stalls serving oyster |
| island, where zinc-roofed houses standing on stilts is | | | | omelet, cockle omelet, fried anchovies, anchovy fritters |
| home to more than six thousand residents who are | | | | and shrimp fritters. |
| mainly of the Teochew dialect. | | | | Adventurous visitors can visit an aquaculture farm off |
| Motorcycles and bicycles are the only traffic on the | | | | the seas of the island. The fishes thrash vigorously in |
| ironwood boardwalks that link the houses. Jalan Besar, | | | | the waters when food is scattered to them. Why not |
| the main thoroughfare, springs to life in the early | | | | buy some live fish and have them cooked at any |
| morning with the hoarse roar of seafood traders, the | | | | restaurant on the island? |
| clang of spatula against pans in coffee-shops, the salty | | | | For an adrenalin rush, take a speedboat ride round the |
| smell of dried seafood, the whirr of machines packing | | | | island with a stopover at Sungei Lima Village. During |
| seafood into plastic bags and the aroma of stir-fried | | | | your journey, the speedboat may need to refill in a |
| oyster omelette wafting in the air. The jetty at | | | | floating petrol station in the turquoise sea! In the |
| Koperasi Herr Ming should not be missed as there is a | | | | evening, take a stroll to Couple's Bridge to watch a |
| lot of activity with the loading and unloading of seafood | | | | burgundy sun descend down the horizon. This bridge is |
| destined for home kitchens and restaurants in Kuala | | | | so named as it is a popular spot for courting couples |
| Lumpur and other major towns. The wet market is | | | | to relax. |
| also a good spot to start one's tour of the settlement. | | | | For good buys before goodbye, many shops catering |
| Two temples worth visiting are the Nan Thiam Keng | | | | to tourists can be found in Pulau Ketam Village, |
| Temple and Hock Leng Keng Temple, where wall | | | | offering high quality satay fish, deep fried cuttlefish, mui |
| paintings and sculptured dragons adorn their interiors. | | | | heong saltfish, dried shrimps, dried sea cucumber, fish |
| On the 28th day of the fourth lunar month, the | | | | balls and fish rolls. |
| ear-deafening clash of cymbals, the staccato thump of | | | | Traveling to the island from Kuala Lumpur is a breeze. |
| drums and colourful costumes greet devotees to the | | | | First, get to Port Kelang (Southport) which is only one |
| Hock Leng Keng Temple as the deity's birthday is | | | | hour's drive away, and take a 30-minute ferry ride to |
| celebrated with prayers and opera performances. | | | | the island. Ferry services are available everyday at |
| Come the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, the main | | | | 45-minute intervals from 8:45am to 6:30pm. From |
| attention focuses on the Nan Thiam Keng Temple as | | | | Pulau Ketam to Port Kelang, services are between |
| devotees honour the deity with supplications, mini | | | | 7:45am to 5:30pm. |