Kelantan : Places Of Interest Shopping
Shopping in Kelantan will be a delightful experience as visitors can choose from a wide variety of exquisite craft items. Take your pick from intricate handcrafted souvenirs, dazzling silverware, eye-catching giant kites to fashionable batik and songket fabrics.
PASAR SITI KHADIJAH
Kota Bharu
A visit to Kelantan will not be complete without a visit to the Siti Khadijah Market. This bustling bazaar is one of the landmark attractions of the state. In the mornings, locals flock here for a profusion of items from fruits, vegetables, freshly ground spices, fish cakes, dried seafood to pickles and many more. A unique feature here is that the majority of traders are women. The new wing of the market offers a bewildering array of mouth-watering local delicacies and cakes.
The market’s colourful assemblage of goods and lively atmosphere make it an irresistible treat for shutterbugs. Its sights are best captured from the third floor. The market is open daily from 8.00am to 6.00pm. Nearby, Laman Siti Khadijah features a clock tower that represents the twin cities of Kota Bharu and Kasaoka in Japan.
BAZAAR BULOH KUBU
Kota Bharu
This three-storey shopping complex is a not-to-be-missed spot for avid shoppers and collectors of craft items. Visitors can find everything imaginable from beautiful handmade shoes, miniature replicas of musical instruments, colourful kites, pretty bags, lovely silverware, rare accessories to a variety of other irresistible collectibles. The reasonable prices make it a popular spot for locals and foreigners alike.
WAKAF CHE YEH
Kota Bharu
This is an open-air night market situated about 4km outside of Kota Bharu town. Sprawling over a quarter of an acre, Wakaf Che Yeh is the place for a profusion of merchandise from local snacks, fresh fruits and vegetables to seafood. There are also rows after rows of traders selling attires for both ladies and men. Wakaf Che Yeh operates round the clock with multiple functions - it is a wholesale market in the mornings, wet market during the day and turns into a night market as the sun sets. Take a stroll and watch the interesting scenes that unfold - the haggling, the promotion of goods and the cheerful banter among traders.
MODERN SHOPPING MALLS
Kota Bharu
There are several modern shopping malls in Kota Bharu, including KB Mall in Jalan Hamzah, Billion Shopping Centre (next to Renaissance Hotel), as well as Pantai Timur Supermarket and Mydin Supermarket, both situated at Jalan Pintu Pong. The malls are equipped with food courts, supermarkets, pharmacies and retail outlets.
SHOPPING AT BORDERS TOWN
One of the greatest attractions of shopping in Kelantan is the duty-free zones at the border of Thailand, where an assortment of goods is available at attractive prizes. In fact, many Malaysians make a trip to Kelantan with the main aim of indulging in a shopping spree! The towns of Rantau Panjang (45km from Kota Bharu) and Pengkalan Kubor (21 km from Kota Bharu) are the most popular duty-free shopping zones. Visitors are spoilt for choice with a bewildering variety of goods, from trendy clothes, prayer mats, dainty tea sets, personal accessories to household equipment. More shopping can be done at Bukit Bunga in Jell. All these towns are equipped with Immigration and Customs offices. Business hours are usually from 900am to 700pm. In Rantau Panjang, accommodation is available for overnight visitors.
COTTAGE INDUSTRIES
Cottage industries have long been a popular feature of the state. Although many crafts are now being produced in factories, cottage industries still thrive and are a big draw among tourists. Kelantan’s cottage industries are found mainly on the outskirts of Kota Bharu with the majority being not more than 10km from the town centre. The road to Pantai Cahaya Bulan is another highly recommended location for shoppers interested in cottage industries. Some of Kelantan’s most popular souvenirs are products of cottage industries.
Popular Souvenirs
BATIK
One of the most sought-after products in Kelantan, batik is a fabric available in floral, geometrical or abstract patterns. Originally worn as a sarong, these days batik is used to create fashionable scarves, shirts, pareos and other fashion items. The art of batik-painting consists of creating hand-drawn or printed motifs on a fabric, then applying waxes and dyes onto the cloth. Watch the artists create beautiful hand drawn patterns or try your hand at batik-painting. Batik factories are located in Kampung Putih, Kubor Kuda and Kampung Badan.
WAU / GIANT KITES
Giant kites are a proud and distinct symbol of the state. Kelantan’s kites are famed throughout Malaysia for their fine craftsmanship and beautiful designs. Requiring tremendous skill and patience, the art of kite-making is usually handed down through the generations. Popular types of kites are wau bulan (moon kite), wau kucing (cat kite) and wau merak (peacock kite). The kites that have been made here are regularly used in international competitions. In Kampung Kijang, visitors can watch how the giant
kite is made and coloured as well as purchase exquisite souvenirs.
SONGKET
Songket or the Malaysian brocade is richly woven with gold or silver threadwork. Once exclusive to royalty, songket is now used by all, especially in weddings and ceremonies. In some songket weaving factories, visitors can watch ladies weaving this beautiful textile using traditional methods. Visit Kampung Penambang about 4km north of Kota Bharu to see this beautiful art.
KELANTAN SILVER
Kelantan is renowned for its 925 silver jewellery and silverware. The skilled silversmiths produce a variety of items such as rings, earrings, trays, cases and brooches. You can visit silversmiths at Kampung Sireh, Kampung Morak and Kampung Badang.
WOODCARVING
Kelantan’s woodcarving is acclaimed as one of the best in the region. The artisans here produce ornate mirror frames, head boards, decorative panels for wall mounting and many more. Popular designs reflect floral motives and Islamic scriptures.
Kelantan : Places Of Interest Shopping