Kota Bharu (Kelantanese: Koto Baru; Jawi: كوتبهارو), colloquially referred to as KB, is a town in Malaysia that serves as the state capital and royal seat of Kelantan. It is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia and lies near the mouth of the Kelantan River.
The town is home to many religious buildings, various museums, the unique architecture of the old royal palaces (still occupied by the sultan and sultanah and off-limits to visitors but viewable from outside) and former royal buildings (which can be visited). It is served by Keretapi Tanah Melayu's East Coast Line at the nearby Wakaf Bharu Terminal Station, in the town of Wakaf Bharu across the Kelantan River and Sultan Ismail Petra Airport, located in Pengkalan Chepa.
Kota Bharu itself offers many museums near Independence Square (Padang Merdeka). Several of the museums and the nearby Istana Balai Besar (the downtown Royal Palace) were built in a unique kind of elegant architecture that is well worth seeing. Arguably the most amazing building is the central market (Pasar Besar). It is an octagonal building in the centre of town and houses a very colourful and active market every day. Nearby is a plain square which turns into the local food market in the evenings (Pasar Malam = Night Market).
Some visitors (particularly those interested in the history and cultural heritage of Kelantan) may also find the Muzium Negeri Kelantan (Kelantan State Museum) on Jalan Hospital 15000 of interest.
The following museums in Kota Bharu are all open from 08:30-16:45 every day except Fridays, when they are closed:
Kota Bharu is full of delicious Kelantanese food, a unique cuisine influenced by Thai and Indian styles, among others. Lots of goodies are to be found in the pasars and in coffee shops throughout the city. Chinese food is also available at various restaurants and food courts.
Among the local specialities are:
For Chinese food, go to:
For Thai food, try restaurants in Taman Cemerlang and in nearby Wakaf Bharu town.
There are a few watering holes in KB - one has a disco feel about it (called Restoran), a few have a few "Thai drinks promoters".
Kota Bharu is the vibrant capital of the state of Kelantan, whose unique culture and dialect are proudly promoted and sustained in all aspects that do not conflict with orthodox Islam. Visitors can experience local culture in the form of the Thai- and Indian-influenced cuisine, dress (the state is probably the most famous for batik in Malaysia), handicrafts, some traditional architecture, museums showing the state's cultural heritage, and the sound of the Kelantanese dialect. Speakers of standard Malay may not be able to understand the local dialect, although if you speak standard Malay, locals will understand you and reply in standard Malay. You can hear Bahasa Kelantan not only in the markets and on the streets but also on local radio stations, and most shop signs are written in both standard romanized Malay and the Arabic-based Jawi script (even the shops with English names still spell out the English words in Jawi letters!).
Kota Bharu is a very socially conservative city in a state ruled by the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS). For instance, cinemas have been banned in the state of Kelantan since the 1990s, on moral grounds. Visitors will hear the azan (call for prayer) from many mosques 5 times a day, and the khutbah (sermon) may also be broadcast from some mosques with loudspeakers. Visitors should be prepared for breaks to be taken in many places including the Pasar Malam (Night Market) during Islamic prayer times.
