Mah Meri Cultural Village

Malaysia


On Pulau Carey island, 40km southwest of Kuala Lumpur (reachable by road), this Orang Asli village is well worth a visit to learn about the distinct culture and traditions of the Mah Meri, a subgroup of the Senoi people who live along the coast of Selangor. The Mah Meri are renowned for masterful woodcarving and expressive masks worn during dance rituals to represent ancestral spirits. Call or email before making the journey, as the cultural village mostly caters to visiting groups.

Drop by the village museum for excellent displays of Mah Meri art, with accompanying texts explaining the mythologies and local legends informing each piece, such as the story of a tiger trapped in a cage that inspired one of the Mah Meri's most significant wood sculptures. Many of the figures are representations of some of the more than 700 gods recognised by the Mah Meri; a few pieces are more than 100 years old.

If you're in a group, browse the website for packages that include food, handicraft demonstrations (carving mangrove timber and origami) and perhaps hands-on lessons. For in-depth understanding of the Mah Meri, past and present, book ahead to secure an English-speaking tour guide (RM300). It's also possible to arrange demonstrations of dance and wedding rituals.

You can order wood carvings at the village centre, or pick up less expensive, but still wonderfully pretty, woven baskets and mats made from pandanus leaves, or palm-leaf origami. You can also rent rickety bikes (RM15 per hour) to explore the rest of the island. The Mah Meri Cultural Village is well signposted.

If you don’t have your own wheels, hire a taxi to Pulau Carey from Klang (round trip with a couple of hours on the island costs RM160).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Malaysia attractions

1. Masjid Diraja Sultan Suleiman

11.86 MILES

There's something a little sci-fi about the soaring concrete domes and rocket-ship minaret of this former state mosque. Opened in 1934 it's a striking…

2. Istana Alam Shah

12.01 MILES

This was the Selangor sultan’s palace before the capital was moved to Shah Alam. You can’t enter, but the park opposite offers a decent view.

3. Galeri Diraja Sultan Abdul Aziz

12.38 MILES

Housed within a well-restored colonial-era building are treasures of the Selangor Sultanate, which dates back to 1766. The building, designed by prolific…

4. Klang Fire Station

12.46 MILES

This vividly red-and-white-striped fire station has occupied the same Victorian-style building since the 1890s and now also houses a small museum…

5. Laman Seni 7

14.96 MILES

If you happen to be in the neighbourhood, this street-art project in a narrow alley provides a welcome splash of colour with its evolving murals of urban…

6. Pulau Ketam

15.88 MILES

This charming fishing village built on stilts over the mudflats gets its name from the abundance of crabs found here. There’s little to do other than…

7. Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah

16.49 MILES

Southeast Asia’s second-biggest mosque is a dazzling sight: four 142m-high minarets stand sentry around its latticed blue dome, the largest in the world…

8. Putrajaya Convention Centre

18.42 MILES

Resembling a flattened alien spaceship, the brutalist-style Putrajaya Convention Centre squats at the southern end of Persiaran Perdana. You'll need…