Must see attractions in Kedah

The series of freshwater rock pools at Telaga Tujuh, located at the top of a waterfall inland from Pantai Kok, makes a refreshing alternative to splashing…

The jetty near Tanjung Rhu is the main departure point for boat trips into the extensive mangrove forests with stunning limestone formations that edge…

The highlight of this family-friendly amusement park is SkyCab, a cable car that whisks visitors to the top of Gunung Machinchang (713m). For an extra RM6…

On the north coast, Tanjung Rhu is one of Langkawi’s wider and better beaches, fronted by magnificent limestone stacks that bend the ocean into a pleasant…

On the far northwestern corner of Pulau Langkawi, the beaches at Teluk Datai are arguably some of the island’s most beautiful and secluded, but are really…

Muzium Padi is all about Kedah’s main crop: rice. It’s located 10km northwest of Alor Setar amid green rice paddies; a taxi costs RM25. The complex, which…

This beautiful, secluded public beach, with its soft white sand, clear water, shady trees and jungle backdrop, is popular with locals on weekends; during…

The busiest and most developed beach is the 2km-long strip of sand at Pantai Cenang. The beach is gorgeous: white sand, teal water and green palms. There…

This fort, completed in 1780, is opposite Kuala Kedah town on the far bank of Sungai Kedah, a 10-minute taxi ride from the ferry terminal. It was once…

The Kedah state mosque instantly impresses with its richly decorated arches and five broad domes, which represent the pillars of Islam. Built in 1912,…

The tallest mountain on Pulau Langkawi (881m) can be reached by a snaking, paved road through the jungle. It’s a spectacular drive to the top with views…

The swimming pools here are a 10-minute walk up paved steps through the forest, with pagoda-like shaded seating areas along the way. The water is always…

If the Petronas Towers in KL isn't enough for you, the second-tallest tower in the country is Menara Alor Setar, which at 165.5m is by far the tallest…

The story of Mahsuri, a Malay princess who was unjustly accused of adultery and put a curse on Langkawi in revenge, is commemorated at this historical…

Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia’s seventh and longest-serving prime minister, was born the youngest of nine children in Alor Setar in 1925. Rumah Kelahiran…

Although Alor Setar has weathered periods of Thai rule over the years, its main Buddhist community is Chinese in heritage. Thus the presence of this cross…

Built in 1906, this is a striking octagonal tower topped by an onion-shaped dome. It’s the repository of the nobat (royal orchestra), principally composed…

West of Tanjung Rhu is Langkawi’s much touted but ultimately disappointing ‘black-sand beach’. It isn’t technically a black-sand beach, but mineral oxides…

Now a museum, these connected structures with creaking wooden floorboards formerly served as the royal palace for the sultan and other members of the…

The former High Court, erected in 1922, is today a museum dedicated to Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, twice Malaysia’s head of state, the Yang Di Pertuan…