Kota Bharu
The Heartland Of Malay Traditional Arts Shadow Puppetry, Giant Kites, Spinning Tops In The Most Religiously Conservative State In Malaysia, Which Has Restricted Some Of Them · Kota Bharu, Kelantan
KELANTAN IS THE MOST RELIGIOUSLY CONSERVATIVE STATE IN MALAYSIA AND IT IS ALSO THE HEARTLAND OF MALAY TRADITIONAL ART, AND THOSE TWO FACTS ARE IN TENSION HERE. This is where WAYANG KULIT - shadow puppetry performed to gamelan behind a lit screen - was kept alive; where WAU BULAN, giant decorated kites the size of a man, are made and flown; where GASING, spinning tops weighing several kilos, are hurled by hand AND SPIN FOR OVER AN HOUR. Songket is woven here, silat is taught here, and the batik is the best in the country. AND SOME OF IT HAS BEEN RESTRICTED BY THE STATE GOVERNMENT ON RELIGIOUS GROUNDS, which is a live and unresolved argument rather than history. Add SITI KHADIJAH MARKET, run almost entirely by women, and Kelantanese food, which is the sweetest and the best in Malaysia. The one practical thing to know is that Kelantan's weekend is Friday and Saturday, so shops, offices and some museums shut then while Sunday is an ordinary working day. Dress conservatively, and expect no alcohol anywhere in the state.
Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia
KOTA BHARU HAS AN AIRPORT with flights from Kuala Lumpur, and is the road head for the PERHENTIAN ISLANDS via Kuala Besut, about an hour away. SITI KHADIJAH MARKET is a MORNING PLACE and is at its best very early. THE STATE MUSEUMS, the ISTANA JAHAR and the royal buildings around Padang Merdeka keep daytime hours and charge small fees; SEVERAL CLOSE ON FRIDAYS RATHER THAN SUNDAYS, because KELANTAN'S WEEKEND IS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY - this catches almost everybody out and it applies to shops, offices and some museums. WAYANG KULIT AND GASING DEMONSTRATIONS happen at the cultural centre on a limited schedule and are not daily. DRESS CONSERVATIVELY - more so than anywhere else in Malaysia. ALCOHOL IS EFFECTIVELY UNAVAILABLE. The monsoon is heavy here, November to January.