From Wikitravel

Kota Bharu (also Kota Bahru, Kota Baru) is the capital of the state of Kelantan on the eastern coast of peninsular Malaysia. There is little of interest in the town itself, and most travellers simply pass through on their way to the Perhentian Islands from Singapore or Thailand.

Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 2.1 By air 2.2 By train 2.3 By bus 3 See 4 Do 5 Buy 6 Eat 7 Drink 8 Sleep 8.1 Budget 8.2 Mid-range 8.3 Splurge 9 Get out

Understand

Kota Bharu is a very socially conservative city in a state ruled by the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS). Be respectful of the cultural and religious sensibilities of its primarily Muslim inhabitants. There is no need for non-Muslim women to wear a tudung (kerchief over the hair), but both men and women should consider wearing clothing which covers their legs and torso completely, and if you are a woman, also consider covering your arms. Tourists dressed in shorts and skimpy shirts seem out of place on the East Coast of Malaysia. Also, be prepared for breaks to be taken in many places, including the Pasar Malam (Night Market) during Islamic prayer times.

Get in

By air

Kota Bharu's small but new and efficient Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (KBR) in Pengkalan Chepa currently receives flights from Kuala Lumpur (provided by Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia), and Johor Bahru (provided by Air Asia). Advance bookings especially for Air Asia can be very cheap.
Getting to/away: The airport is 15 minutes from the city centre by taxi. You can also catch an SKMK bus from the local bus station in the city centre.

• Malaysia Airlines: Mezzanine Floor, Kompleks Yakin, Jalan Gajah Mati, 15050 Kota Bharu. Tel: +60-9-7483477 (ticketing), +60-9-7448066 (general)

By train

Kota Bharu's main railway station Wakaf Bahru is some 5 kilometers away from the city center. Nightly sleeper trains running on the "Jungle Track" connect to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore (around RM70 for an air-con 2nd-class sleeper); alternatively, you can take a local train to Gemas to enjoy the view and change there. Or you can hop on a bus to the Thai border at Sungai Golok and continue by rail from there. To get to the city, take bus 27 (RM1) or a taxi (RM10).

• Jungle Train leaves at 6.20am from Wakaf Bharu Station to Jerantut/Taman Negara.
• Express Wau to Kuala Lumpur depart at 6.00pm
• Express Timuran to Singapore depart at 07.00pm

Transfer service from hotel(s) at RM15.00/person.Call : +012-988 5068 for reservation.

By bus

Buses connect Kota Bharu to all major cities in peninsula Malaysia. Most long distance buses leave from the southern Langgar terminal, while local and regional services converge on the Central terminal; connect between the two in 10 minutes on bus 39 (RM0.50). A basic Transnasional bus to Kuala Lumpur will set you back RM33, with luxury VIP buses running around RM50-60.

See

Kota Bharu itself offers many museums near Independence Square (Padang Merdeka). The most amazing building however is the central market. It is an octagonal building in the centre of town and houses a very colourful and active market every day. Nearby is a plain square which turns into the local food market in the evenings.

Great temples to visits in the nearby Kota Bharu Town: Wat Pothivihan (the lagest reclining Buddha in south East Asia.), Wat Mai Suwan Khiri (dragon Boat & standing Buddha),Wat Machimarran Varran (sitting Buddha),Wat Serova Buddhist Temples (Lady god Kuan Yin)....Please check

• Cultural Show at Culture Centre 3 times a week @Saturday 3.00pm-4.45pm & 8.00pm-11.30pm, @Monday 3.00pm-4.45pm, @Wednesday 3.00pm-4.45pm & 8.80-12.00pm.
• River cruise along Sungai Galas down to Dabong (2hours).
• Caves Explorer at Gua Ikan,Dabong.
• Stong Waterfall,reputed to be the highest in Southeast Asia, drops from a height of about 990 metres.
• Mount Stong State Park,One of the main attractions at the state park is Gunung Stong@Mt.Stong (1,422 meters), a dome-shaped granite complex more than 500 million years old.
• Nenggiri Rafting Adventure -The selected leg of the journey covers approximatedly about 50 km, departing from Kuala Betis / Gua Cha and ends up at Kampung Star.

Do

• Go to the day and night markets. Have Nasi Ulam for lunch at the day market and Ayam Percik at the night market, or get whatever else strikes your fancy.
• Walk around the downtown area.

Buy

Eat

Kota Bharu is full of delicious Kelantanese food, a unique cuisine influenced by Thai and Indian styles, among others. Lots of goodies are to be found in the pasars and in coffee shops throughout the city.

Among the local specialties are Ayam Percik, chicken which is roasted over a wood fire and combined with coconut/peanut sauce and delicious local herbs and greens; Nasi Ulam, rice with fragrant, fresh-picked leaves and shoots, traditionally dipped into budu (fish sauce), sambal belacan (shrimp paste with hot pepper, et al.) or/and tempoyak (fermented durian sauce); Murtabak, savory or sweet crêpes; and a wide variety of Kuih (little cakes). If you visit around Hari Raya time, don't miss the chance to try Tapai, which is sweet fermented cassava or rice. If you like tea, wash everything down with Teh O (tea with sugar) or Teh Susu (tea with sweetened condensed milk).

Drink

Sleep

Accommodation (hostels) are found in the area near the Central Market.

Budget

• Crystal Lodge, 124 Jalan Che Su, 15000 Kota Bharu. Tel: +60-9-747 0888, [1], [2]. 3 stars. RM89.00 onward.

• Safar Inn, Jalan Hilir Kota. Tel: 60-9-747 8000. RM78.00 onward.

• Lee Guesthouse, 263, Jalan KK1/9, Off Jalan Pasir Puteh, 16350 Kota Bharu. Tel: +60-9-7479663, 017-9806638, [3]. Rack rates from RM50.00.

• KB Backpackers Lodge, 1872-D, 1st Floor (Above Azam Photo), Jalan Padang Garong, tel. 012-9885068. Rates from RM10 to RM35.

Mid-range

• Dynasty Inn 2865-D&E, Jalan Sultanah Zainab, Kota Bharu. Tel: +60-9-7473000. [4]. Rack rates from RM100.

• Grand Riverview Hotel, Section 9, Jalan Post Office Lama. RM150 onward.

Splurge

• Renaissance Kota Bahru Hotel, Kota Sri Mutiara, Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, Phone:+60-9-746 2233, [5]. 4 stars. RM380 onward.

• Hotel Perdana, Jalan Mahmud, Tel:+60-9-748 5000, [6], [7]. 4 stars. RM220 onward.

• New Pacific Hotel, Section 26, Jalan Pengkalan Chepa, Tel:+60-9-735 1111, [8], [9]. Rack rates from RM188.

Get out

From the airport, train station and city you can take a taxi to Kuala Besut or Tok Bali for ferry connections to the Perhentian Islands (45-60 min; theoretically only RM 25 but good luck paying much less than RM 50). If you want to stick to public transport, you can take bus 3 to Pasir Puteh (RM3.00) and connect to bus 96 to Kuala Besut (RM2.00).

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