There is no Brown Ale in Kota Bharu though, in fact not much ale at all. Being the most Islamic-oriented of Malaysia's states, alcohol is not as widely available as elsewhere. The State Museum is located next door in a s-era former government office building. The museum provides informative historical background on the state of Kelantan. For example, there are two theories on the origin of the name Kelantan - it either comes from the word Kilat-Kilatan meaning lightning strikes, which are very common here especially during the monsoon season.
Did you know that from to the Japanese transferred the administration of the Malayan states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis to the Thai government as a reward for allowing the Japanese to use Thailand as an invasion route to attack Malaya in December ?
Apart from history the museum has displays of traditional costumes, pastimes, kites, wayang kulit shadow puppetry and musical instruments.
From here I walked up Jalan Ismail past the Old Market Building which was just being boarded up, presumably to be demolished. The New Central Market is nearby where Malay ladies sell an impressive array of fresh vegetables, tropical fruits, meat and dry goods. Reach there before noon or earlier if you can if you want to see the market in full swing. Bazaar Buluh Kubu is a three storey concrete and brick building opened in aimed at selling batik, Kelantan souvenirs and handicrafts to foreign and local tourists.
It was fairly empty when I went and most of the shops were selling the colourful fabric used for Malay ladies' outfits. The bazaar building opens up onto an open square where a number of Kota Bharu's top attractions are located.
The first one you will come across is a small brick lock-up with a sign outside explaining that this is the Bank Pitis which was used as a storeroom for money and documents during the rule of Sultan Muhammed III from The name Pitis is derived from a tin coin with a hole in the middle worth one fifth of a sen which was in circulation in Kelantan for a while until Bank Pitis ceased to function as the state treasury when Mercantile Bank of India became the first bank to open a branch in the city in Behind Bank Pitis is the Grand Palace or Istana Balai Besar which was built in of cengal timber along Malay architectural lines by skilled local carpenters.
These days the palace is used only for important occasions. It contains the throne and royal regalia. It is not open to the public and photography within the gates is prohibited. It is also known as Istana Jahar named after a jahar tree growing in the palace grounds. It was built in and used as a royal residence for Raja Bandahara among others.
In the grounds is a gazebo known as the Royal Platform where princes were circumcised and princesses bathed before marriage. The Royal Maternity Rules are quite interesting. If you want to know how to get rid of flab from the stomach after childbirth, the method revealed here is to rub the stomach with a heated stone wrapped in cloth for about two hours several times daily for several days.
Hence, Kota Bharu has a rich Malay culture evident in the food, language, lifestyle and sights. Still, life here remains pleasant and peaceful. Old trishaws still ply the streets to pick up tourists, but most of the time, are busy transporting housewives to and from the Central Market. The Central Market is a popular market that practically everyone in Kota Bharu goes to for shopping.
Come early morning, traders are busy setting up stalls; some smoke hand-rolled cigarettes while sitting cross-legged on a sheet of fruits and vegetables, others cradle babies in their hands. As the clock ticks, the central market itself becomes alive with the din of haggling. It is a local salad served with a special anchovy sauce and flavoured with thinly sliced 'kedondong' a tropical fruit and spicy hot chilli.
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We try to provide free information that is as up-to-date and accurate as possible. However, if you are planning to travel it's a good idea to double check specific dates and information to avoid surprises. The cities at the east side of the peninsula show a different aspect of Malaysia. In this area the Muslim culture influences daily life in every level.
Tourists usually travel via this city to get to the tropical island of Perhentian. Those who stay over in Kota Bharu usually visit the traditional markets, museums and mosques. Compared to Kuala Lumpur and Georgetown , cities at the east side generally appear to be more laid back and relaxed. When you want to experience Islamic Malaysia, Kota Bharu is a great place to start.
You hardly see any western influences like modern shops or shopping malls. Kota Bharu is very rich with culture; with beautiful and vibrant markets and mosques. Also interesting are the various museums, the old royal palace and former royal buildings in the center of town.
You can also visit a buddhist temple where you can look at a huge sleeping buddha; the Wat Pothvihan. Because the people of Kota Bharu live by Islamic laws, there is zero to none nightly entertainment. Alcohol is not sold in public in Kota Bharu and in the whole state of Kelantan for that matter , but there are some exceptions like the international renowned hotels like the luxurious Renaissance Hotel and some Chinese restaurants where beer is served to non-Muslims.
Alcohol is sold on islands like Perhentian and Redang at Kota Bharu's coast. Besides your daily groceries you can also find numerous other products clothing etc. The huge Tesco hypermarket is also very popular among locals. The most popular way to get to Kota Bharu is by air as there are numerous daily flights from Kuala Lumpur.
Some of the airlines also fly from other cities within Malaysia to Kota Bharu, check out their websites to find out from what cities they operate besides Kuala Lumpur.
Another way to get to Kota Bharu is by rental car. It is easy to rent a car in Malaysia. Numerous car rental companies have special pick up locations throughout the country. From Kuala Lumpur it is a 8,5 hour drive to Kota Bharu, so you might want to consider a short stopover at another destination on the way to Kota Bharu.
The cheapest way to reach Kota Bharu is by coach.
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