KEDAH STATE - NICE PLACE TO VISIT

Air Terjun Puncak Janing

Air Terjun Puncak Janing in Padang Terap, 25 km from Alor Setar. Situated in the Janing Peak, is the ideal picnic area with its waterfall direct from the mountain.
The 1.5 km stretch of Sungai Janing and its unique landscape of rocks provide an ideal place for swimming, picnics and recreation. A wide variety of flora and fauna that encompassed lowland dipterocarp forest could be found here. There is a 3 km track that surrounds this recreational area and also a 15 km track that leads to Bukit Wang Recreational Forest.

Balai Besar

Located towards the back of the Kota Setar Palace complex is the Balai Besar. Its initial purpose was as a Balai Rong Seri or Balai Penghadapan (audience hall). Built in 1735 by the 19th Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin Muazzam Shah, this was a lovely building with wood pillars, roofs and flooring.
Unfortunately, the building was badly damaged in 1770 when the Bugis armada attacked the place, and ruined even further by the Siamese in 1821.
It was, however, refurbished in 1896 to prepare for the weddings of the reigning Sultan? children. Besides weddings, the Balai Besar was also used for official ceremonies and other royal events.

Balai Nobat

This building houses the sacred instruments of the Royal orchestra, played only during royal ceremonies such as inaugurations, weddings and funerals. The instruments consist of three drums, a gong and a flute, peculiar to the haunting srains of "nobat" music.

Batu Hampar

You can get to Batu Hampar quite easily from Yan. It is located just 3km from Yan, and 40km from Alor Star. Near this recreational forest is the Royal Cottage of the Sultan of Kedah.
Amongst the special natural features of the area are a waterfall and the Raga River that flows through the forest.
There is also a homestay village called Kampung Sungai Raja found near Batu Hampar. This recreational area has a large variety of flora and fauna and is a great spot for outdoor fun.

Duty Free Shop at Bukit Kayu Hitam

Bukit Kayu Hitam
The border town of Bukit Kayu Hitam is located in the northern part of Kedah and is the main entrance to Thailand on the West Coast. Visitors will be able to find a duty-free complex here in the town. For those that love a bit of relaxation, Bukit Kayu Hitam offers a newly constructed golf course of international standard with 36 holes.

Kota Kuala Kedah

Kota Kuala Kedah at the mouth of the Kedah River is also known as Kota Kuala Bahang. Kota means fort and this was actually a fort that was built to ward off Kedah's enemies who came from the sea. It was reportedly to have been built by stone masons especially brought in from India.

Today, it is a fishing village, known for the variety of seafood that is served by the numerous restaurants that have since carved their business at the old historic site.

Masjid Zahir

Officially opened in 1912, this state Mosque is an architectural landmark as it is one of the largest and grandest mosques in Malaysia.

Built in the tradition of the Moorish architecture, it has numerous arches and columns that are an epitome of grandeur. The state of Kedah's reading competition is held in the premises of the Mosque. The competitors are reading than from the Koran.

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source: cuti.com.my