"My Hometown" Top 5 Page for this destination Shah Alam by boocik04

I've lived in Shah Alam since my school years that is since 1985 (Gosh! I feel old!) up till now.

Shah Alam has the "well-off" feel of the suburb of Kuala Lumpur (the national capital) as it has the distinction of being a well-planned township which harmonizes nature with modernity. Here, residential areas and commercial centres are set amidst lush landscapes and a sprawling lake.

Decades ago, Shah Alam was known as "Sungai Renggam" and is only known as a rubber and oil palm estate. Later, the same area was identified as "Batu Tiga" prior to Malaysian independence and has been a centre of rubber and palm oil trade for years.

Its current name was chosen by the then late Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, after his late father, Sultan Alam Shah.

The exterior view of the Shah Alam's Mosque

If you ask most Malaysians what is the most prominent landmark in Shah Alam, their answer would immediately be "The Shah Alam's Blue Mosque".

Also known as the "Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque", it features the tallest minarets as well as the largest dome in the entire Islamic world. Its worship hall is bigger than London's St. Paul Cathedral and can accomodate 16,000 worshippers.

You can see decorative Islamic calligraphy which dominates the edges surrounding the dome and main prayer hall while the interior architecture exhibits ethnic Malay design elements.

A plate of satay accompanied with spicy peanut dip

Shah Alam has a variety of dishes to tempt all taste buds.

Try these local favourites:
1) Satay - Malaysia's famous signature dish consists of skewers of thick succulent marinated meat (chicken, beef), barbecued over charcoal embers. This dish is enjoyed with fresh slices of cucumbers, onions, rice cubes and spicy peanut dip.

2) Roti canai - this popular delicacy is a light crispy pancake made from wheat flour. Watch the experts toss and stretch the dough then cook it to perfection. It is served with curry or dhal.

3) Nasi lemak - this is rice cooked with coconut milk and served with condiments like fried anchovies, slices of cucumbers, "sambal" (fried chili paste) and many other side dishes (if you wish) like fried chicken or beef "rendang". If you can't stand hot and spicy dishes, make sure to take it easy on the "sambal".

4) Teh tarik - literally means "pulled tea", the drink gets its name from the act of "pulling" the hot piping tea from one mug to another.

p/s: My apologies, more photos will be uploaded soon...

• Pros:A very quiet and peaceful town - A good place to raise children
• Cons:Almost no nightlife - No discos & no movie theatre. Also, a "student-city" which can mean motorbike or car racing at night
• In a nutshell:A peaceful town with wonderful landscapes