Kota Bharu Malaysia is great to visit for a break with family or friends. Kota Bharu is located on the northeastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia near the border with Thailand. It has a population of over 315,000 people. The border with Thailand is around 50 km from Kota Bharu but is often used as an entry and exit point into and out of Malaysia.
Kota Bharu itself is the capital of Kelantan which has my attractions to see. These range from seeing the local mosques, and various museums around the city, trying the local food, admiring the architecture of the old royal palaces in Kota Bharu, and much more.
In this post, we will go through things to do in Kota Bharu Malaysia. Let’s get started!
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Things To Do In Kota Bharu Malaysia
Kota Bharu is a Peninsular Malaysia near the Thailand border. Is often used as the entry and exit into Malaysia. There are fun things to do in Kota Bharu that will keep you busy for a few days. Remember that Kota Bharu is not a touristy city.
Here is our list of things to do in Kota Bharu Malaysia.
Enjoy Irama Beach
The beach is considered to be the most beautiful beach in Kelantan due to the beautiful bluish-blue sea. As well as that it is a nice clean beach. It is given the name of Irama Beach because of the wind blow sound that creates a calming effect on this beach.
This beach is popular with the locals. Locals will even have a BBQ here or picnics with their friends and family. There are food stalls and restaurants dotted along the beach selling seafood, snacks, and drinks. you can even try water sports like kite flying.
Visit Pantai Cahaya Bulan Beach
This is a short stretch of beach that is a quiet beach except for the weekends. It is perfect if you spend your day at the beach or even enjoy the sunset. The beach is popular with the locals for family outings and picnics.
The currents can be strong so may not be suitable for swimming. There are a number of food stalls available around the beach. They sell a variety of fried prawns, fish, squid, and other food.
See Kelantan State Museum
This museum building was originally the Kota Bharu Municipal Council office but on 6 August 1990, the building was officially opened as Kelantan State Museum by the Sultan of Kelantan.
The inside of the museum has been compiled and the first part shows the history of the state of Kelantan from ancient times to modern times. On the top floor, there is an exhibition of Kelantan artistic arts such as Makyong, Wayang Kulit, Rebana, and others.
Visit Lata Berangin
It is a very beautiful waterfall in Kelantan with a height of 120 meters and it has become one of the highest waterfalls in Kelantan. Some of the activities you can do when you come to this landmark are jungle trekking, camping, fishing, and picnics.
If you love taking photos, it is a great opportunity for an Instagram shot with the waterfall in the background as it is a great view.
Explore Taman Negara Kuala Koh
Kuala Koh National Park is the largest in Malaysia and covers 3 states, Pahang, Kelantan, and Terengganu with a total area of 4343 square feet. It is home to many species of flora and fauna. And over 350 species of birds.
It is a tropical rainforest that is about 130 million years old and can provide a true exploration and hiking experience. if you are lucky you might see wild animals like elephants in the forest.
If you like wildlife, this place will be an amazing place to visit and experience during your visit to Malaysia.
Visit Sultan Ismail Petra City
This city is a popular tourist attraction in the state of Kelantan. If you do not visit this place. It’s definitely worth considering visiting. You can walk around the city to visit all of the historical sites here.
This is recommended to put this place on the list of things to do in Kota Bharu Malaysia because you will see a lot of historic monuments such as Istana Jahar, Kerapu Bank, Bank Pitis, and Istana Balai Besar.
Explore Jubli Perak Sultan Ismail Mosque
Another name for this mosque is the Beijing Mosque because its architecture resembles a historic mosque. Niujie Mosque is located in Beijing, China, and is more than 1000 years old. The roof of this mosque is curved and its towers are like having a unique turban.
Built in 2005 and inaugurated in 2009, this mosque has two floors where the first floor is for public use such as a dining hall, clinic, multipurpose hall, and mosque library. The second level is the prayer room.
Visit The Arts Center
There are various cultural activities exhibited in the Arts Center such as leather puppets, wau making, martial arts, games, drums, and more.
You must not leave Kelantan before seeing the wealth of traditional Kelantan culture in this arts center.
If you want to know more about the details of the activities conducted at the Arts Center. You can get more information from the tourist center.
Shop At Siti Khadijah Market
This is a popular market in Kelantan. You can buy anything from handicraft items, clothing, jewelry, makeup, embroidery, and so on. You can get local food here at the market like Kelantan cakes, crackers, spices and there is more.
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, Kota Bharu is an enjoyable place to explore for a few days. As you as see there is a good range of things to do in Kota Bharu Malaysia from visiting the beach to going to the local museums. All you have to do is choose the stuff you prefer and start enjoying what Kota Bharu has to offer. But if you are interested in partying then it is not worth visiting.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on things to do in Kota Bharu Malaysia has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.