Visiting Kota Bharu in Kelantan

The last time I remember, Kota Bharu town was more laid-back, while people here lived a much simpler life than those on the West Coast cities.

Kota Bharu in Kelantan

Most Malaysians have never visited this Islamic-run state, while those who have are either doing business or probably one of the rare few. This trip made me want to return, as things here are still untouched.

After all, most airports around Malaysia have the standard conventional airport look, so this was something different.

Our minibus was waiting, and we were sent straight to our hotel, the new Tune Hotels Kota Bharu. A quick refreshing, and we were off sightseeing around the city.

The first place I visited was the Siti Khadijah Market, a local wet market that is probably the most famous market in Malaysia due to the uniqueness of its layout.

Locally called Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah, this is the main and central market for the city. Here, local produce is sold mainly by ladies who sit up on a platform, while the market roof is a skylight where natural sunlight illuminates the entire main area of the market.

Dry goods are found upstairs along with the famous Kelantan Serunding, a dry beef floss best eaten with bread or rice. 

However, some took shifts to sell their goods as we spoke to one of the ladies selling ‘jeruk‘ or pickled fruits.

There must have been at least 20 types of local fruit pickled and sold in small to large jars. Apart from these, the Kelantanese are also well known for their sweet taste in desserts and snacks. 

This beach was formally called Beach of Passionate Love (Pantai Cinta Berahi). Still, until the PAS Muslim Government took over the state 20 years ago, they renamed it Pantai Cahaya Bulan, which means Moonlight Beach, thus still retaining the acronym PCB Beach.

The beach stretches for a few kilometres and is a favourite place for locals and tourists. Come weekends, the place would be filled, while on weekdays, it looks nice and quiet. 

Cikgu Nasi Ulam Kota Bharu
Returning to Kota Bharu City, we were destined for lunch at one of Kelantan’s famous rice stalls, called Cikgu Nasu Ulam, at the local Craft Village.

Having sold his speciality rice for over four decades, it is now a local favourite from late mornings till late afternoons.

Kelantanese dishes are served with white rice, and the local drinks served are iced rose syrup in jugs, which are refilled anytime. 

Our day ended with attending the official opening of the Tune Hotels Kota Bharu, where His Majesty Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan (Crown Prince) officiated this ceremony.

The who and who of the state was seen there while CEO Mark Lancaster brought His Majesty for a full hotel tour, which ended with a buffet dinner at the hotel’s cafe, Hayaki, which is open 24 hours a day.

Overall, the hotel has 172 rooms, including a wheelchair-friendly room. A 24-hour convenience store is by the side of the building, while the general location proves very central as they are just behind the KB Mall in town.

The following day, we started early as we headed out to see some of Kelantan’s well-known attractions.

Stopping by the Gelanggang Seni or the Kelantan Cultural Center, we were greeted by the world’s largest Wau (Kelantanese Kite).

A traditional Wayang Kulit (Puppet Shadow Play) was lined up inside the main hall, and a backstage pass was given to photographers to see them perform this from behind the scenes.

This is one of the best experiences I have had in a very long time. Seeing the Puppet Master (Tok Dalang) perform the play was incredibly mind-blowing.

Right after the Wayang Kulit performance in Kelantan performance, we were treated to a traditional musical performance, a Silat Tari (Dancing Martial Art) and Gasing (Top Spinning) Show, all at the Cultural Center here.

The place is also in the city, so getting here was easy. In the evening, after dinner, a trip to Wakaf Che Yeh was different as this is the largest open market selling all sorts of things.

They operate till about midnight, and you can find most local produce, including items imported from Thailand.

The following day, we left Kota Bharu to visit some unique temples. Among them was the Sleeping Buddha, the largest sitting Buddha in Asia.

They were about half an hour from the city and something worth visiting. Stories were told from the many other statues here besides the main statues.

For the record, there are only about 35,000 Thai-Buddhist in Kelantan, but the amazing fact that there are about 26 Buddhist temples is outstanding. Many locals and Thais are seen visiting these temples throughout the year.

After lunch, we visited a Batik Factory towards the beach, housed in a wooden makeshift factory. Inside, a local woman was finishing up some of the current designs for Batik.

Next, we visited the local seaside village of Kampung Laut, where we saw local fishermen come in with the day’s catch and then sell it to the locals who patiently waited for boats to return from the morning catch.

Eating in Kota Bharu Kelantan

We stopped at some of the famous Kelantanese food outlets on our last day. For lunch, we went to Yati Ayam Perchik, a well-known homegrown restaurant serving some of the best Ayam Perchik in Kelantan.

Apart from the chicken served, they had an assortment of fish, beef, vegetables and a wide selection of local cakes.

Among the many foods we tried were the famous Murtabak DiRaja, Cendol Pulut Tapai, Nasi Kerabu, Nasi Dagang and Nasi Tumbuk.

One of the places worth a visit in the day or night is the White House Coffeeshop in town. This nostalgic coffee shop serves Kelantan’s best coffee, eggs and toast and has been there for over 40 years.

We also saw Kelantan’s ‘nightlife’ when one of our dinners was held at a local Chinese Restaurant. Local Chinese Kelantanese people were seen happily having their beers outside the restaurant while chatting away.

We also had a taste of Kelantanese-Thai cuisine at Sri Chengmai Restaurant with Tourism Malaysia officials and a special guest of honour, Haziq of AF4 (Local Celebrity)

Another lunch at Restaurant Hover in town, which served Nasi Sumarta, was also an exciting place to eat.

Food selections were very impressive and yet different. The highlight was seeing the person in charge count your bill. Words cannot explain this; therefore, if you visit this place, please go for the experience.

A visit to one of the Serunding Makers of Kelantan was educational as we witnessed how the dried meat is cooked.

I must have put on at least another three kilograms on this trip, but personally, the Kelantanese have some of the country’s best local foods. You can also look at my Images Of Kelantan on my Facebook album for more pictures.

A kind thank you goes out to Tune Hotels Kota Bharu and Tourism Malaysia for organizing this trip. It was an exciting and educational trip for me, remembering the food we had five times daily.

Also, thanks to the Tourism Information Center for the incredible show at Gelanggang Seni (Cultural Center).

You will also find that the hotel in the centre of town is convenient and easy in terms of logistics for those planning to visit Kota Bharu in Kelantan.