An Introduction to Kelantan

Kelantan

Kelantan boasts a combination of traditional and modern day attractions to foreigners traveling around Malaysia, locals who want to experience the east coast and residents wanting a quiet, peaceful place to stay. What makes it unforgettable and unique too is the state’s adoption of traditional Malay customs and practices into its culture while at the same time accommodating the needs of visitors. In a few words, Kelantan is known for its culture, cuisine and crafts. Facing the South China Sea and occupying an area of 14,922 km², Kelantan is also well known for its lush forests and beautiful sea sides. Its state capital is Kota Bharu and its population, as estimated by the Kelantan Tourism Information Centre 2009, is 1, 373, 173. It is broken down into 95% Malays, 1.5% Chinese, 1% Indians, 0.5% Others and 2% Other Bumiputeras.

Known as one of the hidden ‘gems’ of the east in terms of culture, Kelantan is divided into districts namely, Bachok, Jeli, Tumpat, Kuala Krai, Kota Bharu, Gua Musang, Machang, Tanah Merah, Pasir Puteh and Pasir Mas. One may be curious to know the history of Kelantan and its former colonialists. Well, the first records indicate the rule of the Funan Kingdom. Then, the state was overtaken by the Melaka, Johor and Terengganu sultanate and was followed by the rule of the Siamese. It finally came under the ruling of the British.

Transportation and Accessibility

In terms of accessibility, Kelantan is easy to get to whether it is by air, car or rail. With the building of the Karak Highway, one can enjoy a scenic drive from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu via Kuantan, passing through the quaint villages and panoramic beaches. The other route that one can take is off the Karak Highway at Bentong to Raub and Gua Musang and Machang before reaching Kota Bharu. If you prefer to take the bus, there are regular bus services from Kuala Lumpur and other major cities to Kota Bharu. If trains are your preferred method of transport then you would have to stop at the Wakaf Baru or Tumpat stations coming from Kuala Lumpur. From there you can take a taxi or a bus to Kota Bahru. If flying, there are services by Malaysian Airlines five times a day from KLIA to the modest Sultan Ismail Petra Airport in Pengkalan Chepa, around 20 minutes from the city.

Amenities And Facilities

Visitors may want to take some time going around Kota Bharu to truly experience Kelantan. When in the vicinity, what makes Kelantan stand out from the other states is its rich heritage and lineage. This is evident by the various tourist spots such as the Gelanggang Seni or the Cultural Centre where Kelantanese customs and practices come to life through the wayang kulit, silat, gasing, wau and rebana shows that are performed in the evenings. Also, a hot spot is the Historical Zone located on Jalan Hilir Kota and Jalan Sultan where most of the museums and cultural buildings are located. Also popular are the Royal Museum which contains artifacts and relics of the Kelantan royal family, The World War Two Memorial significant of the Japanese occupation and the Handicraft Village & Craft Museum where actual traditional practices such as songket weaving, batik printing as well as silver and wood carving can be viewed.

And if these aren’t enough to entice visitors, there are also beach facilities to explore such as Pantai Cahaya Bulan, Pantai Seri Tujuh, Pantai Sabak, Pantai Irama and Pantai Bisikan Bayu where one can relax, unwind and enjoy. The salty air, the sandy beaches and the sultry sun are enough to put anyone in a soulful mood! There are many hotels and resorts located in almost all the districts making it convenient and enjoyable for visitors. Some of them are the New Pacific Hotel, the Renaissance Kota Bahru Hotel, the Grand River View Hotel in Kota Bahru as well as the Pantai Cinta Berahi Resort and the Perdana Beach Resort.

Other than that Kelantan is home to many private and Islamic religious schools as well as national and technical secondary schools. This is also counting universities such as University Malaysia Kelantan and technological institutes such as Institute Teknologi Tun Abdul Razak (ITTAR), Kolej Poly Tech MARA and Kolej Teknologi Cosmopoint. In case you need to have medical attention, then there are a number of government and private hospitals to choose from. Some of the government hospitals are Hospital Pasir Mas, Hospital Universiti Sains Malayisa (HUSM) and there are also hospitals in the districts of Tumpat, Machang, Tanah Merah, Gua Musang, Kuala Krai and Jeli. The private hospitals include Kota Bahru Medical Centre and Perdana Specialist Hospital.

Economy

According to an article in thestar online dated March 2, 2010 on GDP in 2007, Kelantan had a 7.5% growth against Malaysia’s 6.2% while in 2008, Kelantan had a 5.1% growth as compared to Malaysia’s 4.6% with its main contributor being agriculture. Agriculture is the main economy of Kelantan with its vast padi fields, rubber and tobacco. Fishing is also important as well as logging and cottage industries such as batik, songket and wood carving. It is also known for its small scale gold mining. Other than that, the state is also famous for its trade of weaving of mats with pandan leaves and leather work. As a result of its many faceted resources and industries, Kelantan is becoming a major player in the tourism industry.

Development

Some of the new developments in the area include Tune Hotels.com KB Sentral, Kota Bahru. Conveniently located next to the Kota Bahru Mall, the building was officiated by Deputy Menteri Besar of Kelantan on January 21, 2010. He supported the project which would increase the state’s development and growth saying that Kota Bahru will continue to progress as a centre for business and leisure. A new township called ‘Bandar Baru Tunjong’ is underway managed by the Tunjong Development Corporation Sdn Bhd appropriated by the Kelantan State Government in Kota Bahru. The township is designed to be an intelligent Islamic city, environmentally friendly and incorporating the latest infrastructure.

When it comes to shopping although Kelantan may have only a few shopping centres, they are sufficient to cater for the needs of its residents. Some are the Kota Bahru Mall, the Kota Sri Mutiara Complex, Pelangi Mall, Intan Plaza and Tesco Mall Kota Bahru.

Property developments

Some of the major property developers in Kelantan include SBJ Binajaya Development Sdn Bhd, Penbinaan Medan Megah Sdn Bhd, Fabi Development Sdn Bhd, Bergema Properties Sdn Bhd, Dataran Fajar Development Sdn Bhd and Warisan Kini Construction & Development Sdn Bhd. Some prominent developments include the Kota Bahru Trade Centre, the Kelantan Trade Centre Convention and Apartment Sdn Bhd consisting of an 8 storey office tower and an 18 storey apartment tower, a convention centre, a bistro/cafe and a conference hall and the Kubang Kerian Commercial Centre.

Industrial Properties

Some important industrial developments in Kelantan are located in Kawasan Perindustrian Pengkala Chepa where they manufacture plastic bags and the KB Waterfront, a riverside development in Kelantan almost parallel to the Sungai Kelantan starting from the Jambatan Sultan Yahya Petra. View more