Fishing & camping site at Kelantan

Irama Beach / Pantai Irama
(Beach of Melody)

Beach Irama / Pantai Irama (Beach Of Melody)


Irama Beach (Beach of Melody) It also name as Beach of Melody whose exquisite beauty has inspired a lyrical name. Pantai lrama (Beach of Melody) situated in the district of Bachok about 25 km south of Kota Bharu.

Many who have been Irama Beach have come back declaring it the most beautiful beach on the entire east coast! So, it is believed that Irama Beach is the most beautiful beach in Kelantan.

Beach Irama / Pantai Irama (Beach Of Melody)

Irama Beach is a hit with picnickers and.campers alike. It offers choice picnic spots and eating stalls. Indeed, the beach lives up to this claim with good facilities, clear waters and gentle slopes. It has stretches of clean, white sand, swaying palms and casuarinas. It is no wonder that throngs of people visit the place year after year.




Cahaya Bulan Beach / Pantai Cahaya Bulan (PCB)

Beach Cahaya Bulan / Pantai Cahaya Bulan (PCB)


Formerly known as the Beach of Passionate Love or Pantai Cinta Berahi, this is a picture post card beach. The name was then changed to the current name, which means the "Moonlight Beach". This lovely stretch of shimmering sand is perhaps Kelanian's most famous beach. Its warm golden sands and crystal blue waters amidst tall and graceful palms encourages one to just lay on the sand and bask in the sun. Fringed by swaying casuarinas and coconut palms, providing the ideal place for picnics, camping and relaxation. It is the perfect getaway for the world-weary.

Beach Cahaya Bulan / Pantai Cahaya Bulan (PCB)

The beach stretches to about 1.2km. Cahaya Bulan Beach is definately a croud puller during the weekends, popular among the local to bath under the sun and cherish the tranquility offered by the natural beauty of the coastal East Coast. The abundance of cultural and artistic shops decorating the path to Cahaya Bulan Beach adding to its charm and beauty to this stretch of beach.

Beach Cahaya Bulan / Pantai Cahaya Bulan (PCB)

Visitors can stop by the multitute of artifat shops while passing some scenic villages and discover some of Kelantan's rich heritage, including batik prints, songket, kites and copper-tooled handicrafts. Feel free to drop by and have an hands-on to understand the technicality of producing such an intricate artifacts as most of the outlets welcomes visitors.



Bisikan Bayu Beach / Pantai Bisikan Bayu
(Beach of the Whispering Breeze)

Bisikan Bayu Beach / Pantai Bisikan Bayu (Beach of the Whispering Breeze)

Pantai Bisikan Bayu (Beach of the Whispering Breeze) Pantai Bisikan Bayu or Beach of the Whispering Breeze - a name so beautiful truly befits the location. It is also known as Pantai Dalam Rhu.

This beach is located both north and south of the village of Semerak in the district of Pasir Puteh, about 50 km away from Kota Bharu. Tall casuarinas offer restful shade where families can enjoy a picnic. The gentle breezes rustle the casuarina needles producing a hushed sound.

Bisikan Bayu Beach / Pantai Bisikan Bayu (Beach of the Whispering Breeze)

There is also lush greenery around the area that makes lazing under the sun a lot cosier and relaxing. Surfing can be good at certain times of the year, and wind surfers will find excellent sport.


Seri Tujuh Beach / Pantai Seri Tujuh
(Beach of Seven Lagoons)


Seri Tujuh Beach /Pantai Seri Tujuh (Beach of Seven Lagoons)



Pantai Seri Tujuh is the venue for Annual Malaysian International Kite Festival which held in Kelantan every year. This beach lies on the border of Thailand and Kelantan at Kampung Tujuh in Turnpat, about 7 km from Kota Bharu. This pristine beach is sheltered by the longest lagoon in Malaysia.

The beach has a variety of food and drink stalls as well as public amenities. Visitors will be enthralled by the scenic coastline fringing the South-China Sea en-route to Pantai Seri Tujuh.

Seri Tujuh Beach /Pantai Seri Tujuh (Beach of Seven Lagoons)

Take Bus No. 43 from the main terminal and enjoy the scenic ride along the way.


Jeram Lenang




Jeram Lenang is another favourite among the locals. The waterfall is only 12 metres high but nonetheless, draws the crowds. Bus No. 3 will take you to Pasir Puteh, from where you can board a taxi to Jeram Lenang.








Jeram Pasu


Jeram Pasu is by far the most popular. It is situated off the Kota Bharu - Pasir Puteh road at Kampung Pak Amat and is accessible by car. Or board Bus No. 3 from the main terminal to Padang Pak Amat. Then take a taxi from there to the waterfalls, about 8 km away. A dip in the crystal clear icy water does wonders to the spirit.


Lata Beringin



The jewel in the crown is undoubtedly Lata Beringin. At 120m, it is also one of the highest waterfalls in the country. The pool at the base provides a rejuvenating dip The magnificent view and lush surroundings make this a popular camping spot. Lata Beringin is near the Sungai Pas Kesedar Land Scheme. It is accessible via a dirt track leading off from the Kuala Krai-Gua Musang highway


Fishing Village

Fishing Village

No visit to Kelantan would be complete without a trip to a fishing village dubbed "the soul of Malaysia's East Coast". Two of the most well-known villages are the Sabak Beach (approx. 14 km from Kota Bharu) and Kuala Besar (15 km from Kota Bharu).
If you wish to fully capture the moment, you should arrive no later than 2:30 pm when the boats laden with the day's catch are first spotted on the horizon. As they come ashore. their intricately carved prows are a riot of colours. Then the bargaining begins between wholesalers and the fishermen - a noisy but interesting ritual.

You will also be able to witness other related activities such as fish-curing and the mending of nets. Buses No. 8 and 9 depart every half hour from the old market terminal to Sabak Beach.

Bus No. 28 leaves from the New Central Market to Kuala Besar every half hour.

Kelantan Darul Naim The Cradle of Malay Culture


Kelantan Wau, Kelantan


Kelantan Darul Naim, or simply known as Kelantan, is one of the most interesting states in Malaysia. The Arabic honorific, "Darul Naim" meaning "The Beautiful Abode" in English, perfectly describes Kelantan, as this state is indeed beautiful and rich in cultural heritage.

I remember when I was young, during the festive seasons, my dad would bring the whole family back to his hometown in Kota Bharu, Kelantan (Kota Bharu is the capital of Kelantan) to visit my grandma and my relatives.

Being brought up as a city kid, and being used to the fast-paced, interesting, exciting city life, I really disliked going back. The slow pace, the old wooden houses that my grandma used to live in, the culture, the language (Kelantanese have their own slang when they speak the Malay Language, it's hardly discernible for people who only speak the normal Malay Language)... in short, I disliked almost everything (except the food of course) in Kelantan. What choice did I have...but to follow my parents back every year?

It was not until many many years later, when my business required me to travel back to Kelantan almost twice every month that I started to grow fond of this place. I began to appreciate the beauty, culture and uniqueness of this intriguing state.

Now, I'm not saying that I absolutely LOVE this place. All I'm saying is that if someone were to ask me for my recommendation of the places to visit in Malaysia, Kelantan would definitely be among the top 3 places that I would recommend.

With a mixture of influence from various places (due to the fact that Kelantan shares borders with Thailand in the north, Perak in the West, Terengganu in the South-east and Pahang in the South), it is not surprising to find strong Thai influence here in the local cuisine and architecture. And with all these influences, I would say that Kelantan Darul Naim is the richest state in Malaysia where culture and tradition is concerned.

There are so many interesting places to visit and so many interesting things to see in Kelantan Darul Naim. With its kite (Wau) flying competitions, top (Gasing) spinning activities and puppet shadow plays (Wayang Kulit), a visit to Kelantan Darul Naim will definitely leave you intrigued.

Now, allow me to share with you some interesting places to visit in Kelantan. I will not go into the minute details of these places that I'm about to share with you. I'll leave that for another section on this page. This new section that I'll be adding in will be constantly updated with the latest and most interesting places to Visit in Kelantan.

Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing about it!

One of the most interesting places to travel to in Kelantan is the Siti Khadijah Market. This market is named after Prophet Muhammad's entrepreneurial wife.

I personally think that a good way to get to know a Malaysian town is to visit its markets. That's where you'll see all the bustling activities of bargaining, the sounds of laughter and the occasional sounds of shouting by the vendors to promote their goods.

When you're here, it's interesting to note that the majority of traders here are women and they are very entrepreneurial.

This market has something for everyone. Vegetables, local delicacies, traditional pastries (kuih-muih), fresh tropical fruits, dried food items such as fish crackers, salted fish, meat floss and a selection of local crafts can be found at this bustling market.

Another interesting place to visit when you're in Kelantan is the Cultural Centre. Known locally as the "Gelanggang Seni", The Cultural Centre is a veritable showcase of the state's rich cultural heritage.

Visitors who visit the centre will be treated to activities such as kite (Wau) flying, top (Gasing) spinning competitions, puppet shadow plays (Wayang Kulit), and traditional Malay dance and band performances.

A visit to the Cultural Centre is definitely the best and easiest way to see many of the arts that are dying out elsewhere in Malaysia.

Although Kelantan Darul Naim is predominantly made up of Malays and is considered the most Islamic state in Malaysia, it is surprising to know that Kelantan is home to quite a number of Buddhist temples (I don't know about you, but being a Malaysian, I was very very surprised to find out there were so many temples here). In fact some of the most beautiful temples in Malaysia are located here.

One of the most amazing temples in Kelantan is situated in Cabang Empat. Known as the "Wat Photivihan" Buddhist Temple, it houses a 40m long statue of a Reclining Buddha (also known as the Sleeping Buddha among the locals). It is believed to be the second longest reclining Buddha in the world and the longest in Southeast Asia.

Other ornate Buddhist temples are "Wat Machimmaram", boasting one of Southeast Asia's largest statue of the Sitting Buddha and "Wat Mai Suvankhiri", featuring a huge Dragon Boat.

Kelantan is also home to the many beautiful beaches of Malaysia. One of the most famous beaches in Kelantan is the "Pantai Cahaya Bulan" (Moonlight beach). This beach used to be known as "Pantai Cinta Berahi", when translated would mean the Beach of Passionate Love. They changed the name of the beach a few years back. (I don't know why...perhaps it's not appropriate to be too passionately in love when you're on the beach?)

The route to this beach is dotted with vibrant and colourful cottage industries that produce Batik, Songket, Giant Kites known as Wau and other local crafts.

One of the things you can't miss when you're in Kelantan is the food here. The local delicacies here are unique and special to this State.

Foods such as Nasi Dagang, Nasi Kerabu, Nasi Tumpang, Nasi Berlauk, Kau-Jam and Laksa Kelantan (pronounced "lakso") are "MUST-TRYs!" And if you like Thai food, you could always go to the border town of Tumpat for some unbelievably sour and spicy Tom Yam (thinking about it makes me salivate).

Looking back, I'd have to admit that I really did not know how to appreciate the beauty, culture and serenity of this slow-paced but relaxing place.

I have barely touched the surface of the places to visit in this amazing, intriguing state. But as I have mentioned earlier, I will start (and constantly update) a section on this page specially dedicated to the best places to visit and the unique foods to savor in Kelantan Darul Naim.

If you have already decided to travel to Kelantan Darul Naim, I would suggest that you download the Kelantan Darul Naim Map and the Kelantan - Kota Bharu Map (requires pdf reader) to make your traveling easier.


Best photo of the year



Here you go... This one was called Gare d'Orsay at night and I took it last January, when the weather was a bit cloudy. I remember thinking, "gee it really looks like a painting", and it does! There were other photos I could have picked instead of this one, so especially for you, here they are! Have a nice year everyone! And don't forget, today, everyone in the City Daily photo community will post his/her best photo of the yeat, so don't miss it!

My digital camera


Cyber-shot W300





Sony's new Cyber-shot DSC-W300 digital camera is expected to be among the industry's most pocket-able, high-resolution point-and-shoot digital cameras featuring niche performance options.

The camera announced today integrates an ultra-high 13.6-megapixel CCD imager along with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom lens, a 2.7-inch LCD screen and an eye-level viewfinder in a compact size. With its ultra-hard titanium coating, the model offers a premium look and finish that is highly-resistant to scratches and messy fingerprints.

The W300 camera newly features an "extra high-speed" burst mode that can shoot three-megapixel photos at five frames per second, ideal for fast-action shooting of sports, pets or children.

In addition to the blur-reducing effects of Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization, the camera also has a new "extra high sensitivity" mode (up to ISO 6400 in this mode only) to help minimize blurry photos when shooting in challenging lighting conditions, such as indoors or at twilight, even without a flash.

Noise reduction is now a user-selectable option, with high, low and standard settings, for greater control over the final look of images. For example, a low setting can help reduce noise without sacrificing resolution, making it ideal for landscapes and detailed subjects.

Sony's Smile Shutter technology prioritizes the faces of children or adults so that the camera takes the photo at the moment the intended subject smiles. Improved face detection technology can also prioritize child or adult faces as the basis for the camera to apply focus, exposure, white balance and flash color controls for up to eight faces in the camera's frame.

The model's intelligent scene recognition technology automatically can detect five different types of scenes and optimize the camera settings for those conditions for a better photo. And advanced mode can take two shots almost immediately - one with standard automatic settings and the other with optimized settings.

The W300 model has a number of features to maximize picture quality. Among them are five color modes, including "real" for less in-camera processing and more faithful color reproduction; 12 scene selection modes with a new "underwater" mode that adjusts white balance for more natural-looking photos; Sony's new D-Range Optimizer Plus that process picture to improve detail in photos with harsh highlights or dark shadows; and an improved auto focus system that includes macro ranges.

Viewing and image management has also been enhanced with helpful date and calendar views, in-camera search by face or date, slide show with longer music files, and high-definition component output for viewing photos on a compatible HDTV set.



Cyber-shot W300 Major Features:

  • Sony 13.6 Megapixel effective Super HAD CCD image sensor
  • Carl Zeiss 3x Zoom (35-105mm equivalent in 35mm photography)
  • Zoom-coupled optical viewfinder
  • Sony BIONZ high-speed image processing engine
  • MPEG Movie: 640x480 VX Fine w/audio at 30fps (Memory Stick Duo Pro required)
  • Auto, Program AE, Manual, plus 13 Scene modes (including Easy mode)
  • New Extra High ISO (High ISO+) and Extra High-Speed Burst modes
  • Burst at 1.9fps (up to a max of 100 frames) at full resolution
  • Burst at 5.0fps using Extra High-speed Burst mode (3-megapixel resolution)
  • Live histogram display in capture and playback
  • 9 Area Multi-point AF system with 1.96 in. minimum focus distance
  • Face Detection and Intelligent Scene (iSCN) technology
  • "Smile Shutter" mode
  • 2.7" Clear Photo (230,000 pixels) LCD Screen with Auto Brightness
  • ISO Sensitivity: Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400 (High ISO+ mode only)
  • User-selectable Noise Reduction: Low, Normal and High settings
  • Adjustments for Color Saturation, Contrat, and Sharpness: Low, Normal and High settings
  • Built-in flash with Auto, Fill, Red Eye Reduction and Slow Synch
  • USB 2.0 Auto-Connect to host computer
  • Powered by Li-ion rechargeable battery
  • 15MB internal memory plus Memory Stick Duo / Duo Pro compatible (up to 16GB)
  • DPOF and PictBridge direct-print USB compatible