I had a one night stop at Kota Bahru on my way back from Pulau Perhentian. Regretfully, I wasn’t able to visit any of the places in Kota Bahru eventhough I had look forward to visit its market.
I recall vaguely that this is the arch at the entrance of the Siti Khadijah market? I hope Kelantanese can re-confirm this. Personally, I found Kelantan to be unique in its own way. There are so many different foods there which I never got to taste. I only manage to see the signs like Sup Belut (sea cucumber soup), baulu and akok. I did not even have the chance to taste its keropok lekor which is fish crackers/fritters.
As we had a tiring trip in Perhentian Island, my children refused to go for sight-seeing. Moreover, a few of them were just recovering from flu at that time.
Therefore, the only memory I had of Kelantan is its long stretch of beaches. I stayed at the Perdana Beach Resort in Pantai Cahaya Bulan (or previously called Beach of Passionate Love) My husband captured this photo of a sunrise. Usually, sunsets are much more beautiful and captivating than sunrise. Can you spot a lone man sitting by the beach?
This old couple stayed in the same resort as us. I found the two of them so happy and contented.
Ignore the beach which seems to look dirty. At the time when I went there, in January, the monsoon was just over. Therefore, dried coconuts, leaves, tree trunks were strewn on the beach. I was told that the beaches will be clean when the high tide from the monsoon season is over.
Kelantan – I hope to return as a tourist one day.
10 thoughts on “Kota Bahru, Kelantan”
athene
(June 16, 2005 - 12:38 am)that’s not the entrance to the market, it some sort of a landmark in the middle of KB – maybe an entrance to one of the minor ‘Istana’ behind it. I’ll check with the in-laws.
where do you get Sup Belut in KB???
~fellow penangites who’s passionate about food just as much~
romantic
(June 16, 2005 - 12:57 am)I remember the beach as a kid ..It was very very clean .I think it was called pantai chinta brahi ( or sumthin like that==beach of passionate love) I guess that wouldnt have gone well with the “new” conservative Kelantan.
joanne
(June 16, 2005 - 1:30 am)yes indeed, pantai cahaya bulan or pantai cinta berahi as it was used to be known is a lovely (& clean) stretch of beach.
food – oh my god! kb is heaven on earth… esp for a chinese (who detest chinese food) who simply just adores malay & indian food !!!
my ex-bf is kelantanese, and i visited him & his family in kb numerous times a couple of years ago. cannot get enuff of the nasi lauk in rong sri, where they served kelantanese version of mixed rice. the ikan keli masak asam kept me adding rice to my plate, even after my 3rd helping! and try the fried ikan keli… i can take 3, one after the other. u hv to get those that have just left the frying wok, it’s crispier. choose the medium sized one, larger ones r not as tasty. ohhh… i almost forgot, the raja ulam is so refreshing (if u x know, it’s a kind of veggie, eating raw as ulam). and their tempoyak!!! and btw… the restaurant owner also has a very, very good looking son, but to the single ones, i’m sorry to inform u, he’s taken! oh.. i’m salivating now… (over the food ok, get it?)
there’s also a famous sup tulang which the tulang and the meat was so fresh and plentiful. however, something happened to that business and after they relocated, the sup tulang was no longer as delicious anymore.
there’s also the daging bakar (the very famous one, but i forgot the name – i think it’s called yati). indeed one nice daging bakar, but my ex-bf and i agreed that as much as their daging bakar is great, the owners of that restaurant has an attitude problem to match. but i’m so greedy when it comes to food … i still went and patron that outlet.
another one u MUST not miss is the nasi kerabu opposite of the General Hospital. so cheap so cheap. one big packet of nasi kerabu with lots and lots of condiment (fried fishes, plural, fried chickens, plural, solok – kelantanese yong tau foo, daging(s) bakar, ok not proper to pluralise a malay word, cracker, telur masin, loads of grated & minced grilled kembung fish and heaps of ulam, all for RM1.50 (maybe RM2 now, since i’m painting u a picture from 2001).
following the road along the GH (on yr left), there’s oso the small restaurant which sells very thick gravy of laksam. must try.
next to the nasi kerabu stall opp of GH as i mentioned earlier, there’s one old makcik selling kuihs, very very nice, and it’s warm, just freshly made. it’s difficult to get her, now u see it , now u don’t. she doesn’t open her business daily.. i wonder why?
the market, yes… day time, a lot of mangoes, large, juicy mangoes from thailand. night time, a lot of kuihs, kelantanese specialties.
well… if this is not enuff to get u to start planning for kb for your next trip, i x wat will???
ok – hv fun if u’re going to kb. print this food bible out and take it wif u. hv a jolly time!
romantic
(June 16, 2005 - 2:05 am)When i was a kid, we lived all over malaysia and my favorite foods are those from Penang and Kelantan. ( to others dont shoot me ..ok… I’m remembering from decades ago)I loved the kelantan laksa and the grilled coconut chicken
SK
(June 16, 2005 - 2:20 am)Auntie Lilian,
Kelantan is definitely a place that I want to visit too. The wave at Pantai Cahaya Bulan seems like so energetic. 😡
boo_licious
(June 16, 2005 - 3:34 am)Yup, Kelantan is a great place – good food, great beaches and fantastic batik to buy. I like the nasi dagang and the fact you eat satay with it in the morning. Then breakfast at the White Hse is a must and so are the night markets where they serve everything under the sun.
The Chinese food is pretty nice also – they have this oysters, soup and rice dish which I love.
Eileen Chua
(June 16, 2005 - 9:18 am)That’s the arch to the entrance of Istana Balai Besar where formal functions are held. It’s near the museums too.
I might be wrong- but I think sup belut is eel soup? I don’t take belut.
Rong Sri (mentioned by joanne) has a wide spread of food. Like Joanne, I love love love the ikan keli. it’s very cheap too!
A lot of restaurants are mushrooming in the suburbs. Some of them serve really good Thai food.
I hope I can be your guide when you go to KB one day. Perhaps the August school holiday? 🙂
Most of the people I know detest Kelantan. They have a wrong perception of Kelantan. They think it’s boring, it’s lifeless, no alcohol, no pork, Hudud Law etc etc. But that’s so wronG!!!
Boo_licious: White house serves the best half boiled egg and kaya but the taukeh always charges extra!
S-Kay
(June 16, 2005 - 3:53 pm)ah…so many Kelantanese here. I’m one myself. Half breed lah =P Practically go back there every long term school holidays (usually end of the year and mid year and alternate CNY) since I was a kid. All my relatives are from there and so is my BF’s sister-in law. And Eileen is right, ppl are so wrong about Kelantan. They even got a shock when I said I love going back there. The ppl there are so much friendlier compared to those in KL. Malays, Chinese, Indians and other races live harmoniously there and they’re so helpful.
The food there is FANTASTIC. There used to be this lil shoplike stall nearby the Tambatan DiRaja. I dun know the name of the road but I know that aunty who is a Thai sells very nice nasi kerabu. No, it’s not those colored blue rice version coz they use dunno which leaf (the juice squeezed out from it ) to cook the rice with. So wangi. The Nasi Kukus on the way to Tg. Chat opposite the police quarters is kinda famous too.
There’s too many to name Lilian, you can see from the length of all our comments when you shouted out to all Kelantanese =P Maybe one day we should all have a road trip to Kelantan. Hehe. As for me, I know my way around there to get food but I dun know the name of the roads. heh.
I stopped eating at White House eversince they changed management. Somehow, it’s not the same anymore.
Becareful when you visit PCB though. The pasir there now not as clean adi. You can sometimes hurt your feet there and dun swim in the sea coz the waves are odd at times. Many have drowned there.
I miss Kelantan. Havent been back there for a year plus already due to exams. It’s such a peaceful place with such good food and good people
keropokman
(June 17, 2005 - 5:47 pm)After reading what you all read, I am so hungry!
What about Ayam Percik? No one mentioned it. I wanted to go Kelantan to eat!
Sorry to ask so many questions. Where is a reasonable place to stay in Kota Bahru?
Only Kelantan food i had was when I was working in KL long time ago, this Kelantan Foood stall the Picnic Food Court at KLCC. Long queue last time… yum yum…..
Malaysia Best » Off for holidays
(August 23, 2006 - 4:11 pm)[…] LOL, I just realised that I never posted about Perhentian Island. Hmmm…I wasn’t that avid a photographer and blogger then. But there is Pulau Banding and Kota Bahru Kelantan […]
Comments are closed.