10 Places to Visit in Kelantan: From Gua Musang to Kota Bharu

Kelantan is often called the state of culture, but as we explored it from south to north, we found plenty of interesting places that rarely get mentioned. Here are the ten we think deserve a spot on your list.

In Gua Musang, Masjid Jamek Razaleigh, opened in April 2022, is designed to resemble Masjidil Haram, complete with nine minarets and a life-size replica of the Kaabah in its courtyard. It can hold about 3,500 worshippers. Nearby, Muse Ecopark sits at the foot of Gua Musang's iconic limestone hill. Visitors can climb the rock face via a via ferrata route to a platform 40 metres up before zipping down a 130-metre flying fox. There's also a café, accommodation, a pool and a bamboo mosque.

In Dabong, head up to the Gunung Stong view point to see Air Terjun Jelawang, reported to be about 305 metres tall and so far considered one of the highest ever measured in Southeast Asia. Not far from there, Gua Ikan is a limestone cave complex with a stream flowing through it and dramatic rock formations.

Closer to Kota Bharu, Desa Gemalai Baruh Padi Alami in Kampung Lubok Jambu farms rice paddies without pesticides or chemical fertilisers, with traditional houses to stay in. Pasar Siti Khadijah is a must-stop; this four-storey market, where most of the traders are women, is packed with local food, batik, kain sarung and souvenirs. Tropicana Aquarium houses rarely seen fish and animals, including giant tortoises and albino monkeys. The Collectibles Museum, opened in 2017, displays a royal hobby collection that includes thousands of rare Hot Wheels models.

In Tanah Merah, the roughly 660-metre Jambatan Keretapi Guillemard (Guillemard Railway Bridge) was officially opened in 1924. Part of it was blown up by retreating British troops in December 1941 and only reopened in 1948; its fragments are now a memorial. In the same town, Galeri Peranakan Cina Kelantan, housed in a wooden house believed to have been built around 1923, tells the history, language and culture of the local Peranakan community.

The distance between Gua Musang and Kota Bharu is fairly long, so split your trip into two zones: south (Gua Musang, Dabong) and north (Kota Bharu, Tanah Merah).