Heritage Guided Walk Tour

ITINERARY:

You get to explore many interesting places yet to be discovered on foot as these places are only within walking distance. Besides, what better way to burn back the calories you’ve piled on after binging on delicious Kelantanese dishes such as Nasi Dagang, Nasi Kerabu, Nasi Tumpang, just to name a few?

TIC Kelantan office
This Tourist Information Centre which is housed in a colourfully painted brick building which was once the office of the British Adviser, Mr. Tony Churchill. Here you shall have a brief meet-and-greet with the other participants and tourists. Here’s the spot where you can pick up leaflets and brochures about the places to see and things to do, and maybe get your questions answered, if any.

State Museum Kota Bharu
The State Museum is located next door in a 1930s-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. Or, it comes from the Thai words klang tang meaning middle place, referring to the area’s location about half way down the Thai/Malaysian peninsula. Apart from history the museum has displays of traditional costumes, pastimes, kites, wayang kulit (shadow puppetry) and musical instruments.

Hover Restaurant
Hover Restaurant on Jalan Dato’ Pati has an illustrious history, being one of the earliest established ‘Nasi Sumatera’ eateries in Kota Bharu, Kelantan – Malaysia’s Malay food capital. Like many Kota Bharu eateries, Hover Restaurant is Chinese-owned, but offers Kelantanese-Malay food for a mainly Malay clientele. Hover serves its plethora of curries Padang-style, i.e. all the dishes are stacked onto your table, but you’re only charged for what you eat.

Kota Bharu Street Art
Beautiful illustrations and colourful murals inspired by the Malay and Kelantanese culture with a touch of the Middle East have breathed a new life into streets and alleys of Kota Bharu. Located between several connecting alley ways between Jalan Ismail and Jalan Dato Pati, some paintings will take you back to your childhood memories, while some will make you reflect on the conflicts in the Middle East.

Pohon Nako Restaurant
Pohon Nako Restaurant, or preferably known as Restoran Pohon Restoran by the locals, is known for its nasi Sumatera, Thai and Western cuisine. Though, most people are here for the nasi Sumatera, a rice dish accompanied by a plethora of curried dishes, chilli-based dishes, and much more. Their Kampung Chicken Curry Gravy Rice menu is quite popular among its patrons too – Hot white rice served with crispy fried chicken and topped with curry sauce – a pretty solid combination!

Kuan Heong Huan Kopitiam
Kuan Heong Huan Kopitiam near the Kota Bharu Presbyterian church serves what many Kota Bharu residents deemed the best Hainanese-style coffee in town. They do it straight and keep it simple: roasted Hainanese coffee beans. The typical Hainanese breakfast of Hainanese coffee, kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs here is done just the way any locals would love. Seems like you cannot get enough of Malaysian’s love for Roti Bakar with butter and kaya!

Kota Bharu Observation Tower (Menara Tinjau Tambatan D’Raja)
The Menara Tinjau (observation tower) is a new landmark and tourism attraction which is located near the Kelantan River riverbank. It stands 150 metres tall offering a panoramic view of the city, including a stretch of the river. It is opened for the public to climb up and admire the beauty of sunrise and sunset. Next to the tower, Tambatan Diraja is defined as Royal Pier, and is also the main pier in Kota Bharu.

The Bank Kerapu Second World War Museum
Built in 1912 by the Mercantile Bank of India, the Kelantan Second World War Museum was established in 1992 and officially opened in 1994 by the Kelantan ruler, Sultan Ismail Petra. Originally used as a commercial bank, the building was the first stone building to be built within the State of Kelantan, hence the name Kerapu which actually means ‘rough surface’. When the Japanese invaded Malaya in 1941, the building was converted into the headquarters of the Japanese military police, the ‘kempeitai’. At the conclusion of World War II, the building once again became a bank until its closure in 1981 when the space was again converted, this time into an art gallery and artisan centre.

Islamic Museum
Muzium Islam (Islamic Museum) is a museum where one can trace the root of Islam in Kelantan. The building itself resembles the mosque-like building. It contains various artifacts and inscriptions documents of how Islam got introduced in Kelantan and how it became such an important element in the everyday life in the state of Kelantan. Interestingly, it was once known to be the Verandah to Mecca also known as ‘Serambi Mekah’.

Masjid Muhammadi
Masjid Muhammadi (Muhammadi Mosque) testifies the significance of Islam in Kota Bharu as a religion. The locals have high regards for this place of worship. The golden dome at the back of the mosque gives the mosque a distinguishing look. Now, the mosque is used just for prayers and State Islamic celebrations and festivals. Most of the tourists visiting this mosque consider it as an architectural feat as it can be a visually impressive experience to watch the mosque stand tall in the centre of Kota Bharu. Other attractions of the mosque include a huge clock and the 2 minarets.

Istana Jahar : Museum Of Royal Traditions And Customs
The Istana Jahar, Museum Of Royal Traditions And Customs, is a former palace built in 1887 during the reign of Sultan Muhammad II. It was named after a jahar tree which was growing in the grounds at the time. This 19th century monument has a lot to be visited. There is a story in every painting that’s kept for exhibitions. The pictures of the kings have a lot of stories to tell about the past. These are the things which you do not get to see very often elsewhere. This museum too, features all the customs and rituals followed by the royal family.

Handicraft Village
Kampung Kraftangan (Handicraft Village) and Craft Museum, also known as ‘Balai Getam Guri’ in local language, is a place to showcase local handicraft industry in Kelantan, and it’s supported by the state government. It’s a fine craft museum, houses many Kelantanese craftsmanship, including traditional embroidery, batik, silverware and matting. Interestingly, curious visitors have the opportunity to witness and learn the process of making those crafts, where demonstration of traditional embroidery, songket weaving and batik drawing are done skilfully by the artists.

Nasi Ulam Cikgu Restaurant
Located within the grounds of the Kelantan Handicraft Museum, this popular restaurant serves Kelantanese traditional dishes. It prominently features all kinds of raw edible vegetables on its menu. Among the dishes that become the customers’ favourite are the ulam (raw edible vegetables), budu (anchovy paste), sambal belacan (spicy shrimp paste) and sayur lemak campur (mixed vegetable cooked in coconut gravy). Restoran Nasi Ulam Cikgu is sure approved by its locals for a delicious meal.

Pasar Siti Khadijah (Central Market)
Pasar Siti Khadijah, one of the most diverse markets in Malaysia so far. It’s a colourful central market that has this exotic appeal for western tourists, but without the usual crowds of foreigners. Apart from the running of businesses and shops by women making this a unique market, the food and culinary offerings of this place shows that the culture and traditions of Kelantan are very much colourful and interesting.