Kelantan · Malaysia
Where to stay in Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu is a city in Kelantan, Malaysia, home to about 491,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- KBR6 km · Sultan Ismail Petra Airport
- Currency
- MYRMalaysian ringgit
- Time zone
- Asia/Kuala Lumpur
- Language
- Malay
About
About Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu (Kelantanese: Koto Baghu), 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.
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.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Kota Bharu
See
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).
- Muzium Kraftangan
- Muzium Negeri
- Memorial Peperangan Dunia Ke II
- Muzium Diraja
- Muzium Islam
- Muzium Adat Istiadat Diraja Kelantan
- The Kampung Laut Mosque
- Wat Pothivihan
- Wat Mai Suwan Khiri
- Wat Chonprachumthat
- Wat Machimarran Varran
- Wat Phothikyan Phutthaktham
Do
- Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Kota Bharu
54 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata; the 40 best known are shown, by the number of Wikipedia editions that cover them. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Capital O Ridel Hotel Kota Bharu OYO Rooms | 1.7 km | |
| Crown Garden Hotel | 0.7 km | |
| Crystal Lodge | 1.7 km | |
| De Viana Hotel & Apartments | 5.2 km | |
| Diamond Hotel | 0.9 km | |
| Dynasty Inn | 1.7 km | |
| Dynasty Inn - Wakaf Che Yeh | 5.3 km | |
| Flora Place Hotel | 0.9 km | |
| Grand Riverview Hotel | 1.8 km | |
| Holiday Villa Hotel & Suites Kota Bharu | 5.2 km | |
| Ibis Styles Kota Bharu | 2.1 km | |
| Jewels Hotel | 1.4 km | |
| Khalifa Suites Hotel & Apartment | 1.5 km | |
| OYO 44005 Senangin Resort & Cafe OYO Rooms | 16.3 km | |
| OYO 559 Aslah Boutique Hotel OYO Rooms | 1.3 km | |
| OYO 717 Mr J Hotel Wakaf Che Yeh 2 OYO Rooms | 4.9 km | |
| OYO 718 Mr J Hotel Wakaf Che Yeh 1 OYO Rooms | 5.3 km | |
| OYO 752 Ridel Hotel Kota Bharu | 1.8 km | |
| OYO 881 Bintang Square Hotel OYO Rooms | 4.9 km | |
| OYO 89419 Riverside Greenery Inn OYO Rooms | 1.3 km | |
| OYO 89434 Kb Rest Inn OYO Rooms | 0.9 km | |
| OYO 89438 Green Mango @ Sri Cemerlang OYO Rooms | 0.7 km | |
| OYO 89498 Sri Seroja Inn Budget Hotel OYO Rooms | 5.3 km | |
| OYO 89588 Destiny Riverside Hotel OYO Rooms | 1.8 km | |
| OYO 89651 Harmoni Hotel OYO Rooms | 1.6 km | |
| OYO 89784 Impiana Hotel OYO Rooms | 5.0 km | |
| OYO 89931 Aqamar Raxxiz Inn 1 OYO Rooms | 2.0 km | |
| OYO 89940 Menara One Hotel OYO Rooms | 0.8 km | |
| OYO 89998 Thank Q Inn 2 OYO Rooms | 1.3 km | |
| OYO 90099 G Home Hotel, Kota Bharu, Kelantan. OYO Rooms | 1.8 km | |
| OYO 90109 Fire Fly East Hotel OYO Rooms | 5.1 km | |
| OYO 90209 Bayu Chalet OYO Rooms | 7.4 km | |
| OYO 90274 Wadi Isfa Inn OYO Rooms | 5.2 km | |
| OYO 90278 Redzwan's Beach Resort OYO Rooms | 24.1 km | |
| OYO 90316 TT Rest House OYO Rooms | 18.8 km | |
| OYO 90410 D'geting Beach Resort OYO Rooms | 17.7 km | |
| OYO 90454 Haza Harmoni Guesthouse OYO Rooms | 2.6 km | |
| OYO 905 Hotel De'light Villa OYO Rooms | 2.8 km | |
| OYO HOME 90280 Darussalam Homestay OYO Rooms | 5.2 km | |
| OYO HOME 90307 Kb Guest House, Jln Pcb OYO Rooms | 2.2 km |
All 54 hotels in Kota Bharu, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; December is the wettest, with about 654 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Kota Bharu: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (KBR), about 6.0 km from the city centre in a straight line; Narathiwat Airport (NAW, 71 km) and Sultan Mahmud Airport (TGG, 126 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Kota Bharu is served by the small but efficient Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (KBR) and sees regular flights from Kuala Lumpur by Malaysia Airlines as well as budget carriers Air Asia and Firefly; from Penang by Firefly; from Singapore by Scoot. Advance bookings especially for AirAsia can be very cheap, sometimes even cheaper than the bus. The airport is 20 minutes from the city centre by taxi. You can also catch bus D12, which leaves every hour daily from 7AM-7PM. The nearest railway station to Kota Bharu is Wakaf Bharu station, some 6.5 kilometers away from the city center.
Getting around
BAS.MY (route info in Malay) runs several local bus routes connecting Kota Bahru and surrounding towns.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
KBR · Sultan Ismail Petra Airport
NAW · Narathiwat Airport
TGG · Sultan Mahmud Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Kota Bharu
Eat
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.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Kota Bharu: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Kota Bharu?
Kota Bharu has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; December is the wettest, with about 654 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Kota Bharu?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (KBR), about 6.0 km from the city centre in a straight line; Narathiwat Airport (NAW, 71 km) and Sultan Mahmud Airport (TGG, 126 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Kota Bharu?
Malaysian ringgit (MYR).
Nearby
Destinations near Kota Bharu
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.