So, guys lets we start explore it!!
First, BUJANG VALLEY (Lembah Bujang) is
the richest archaeological area in Malaysia.
Bujang Valley Archaeological Museum is the only museum in Malaysia to display archeological artifacts proving the existence of international trade and development of the Hindu Buddha religion in South-East Asia in the 3rd - 12th century. This museum is located at the top of Bukit Batu Pahat, Merbok, Kedah about 23 km from Sungai Petani. It was built to facilitate in research and archaeological excavation works as well as a display centre for proto- historical artifacts before the coming of Islam at Bujang Valley.
The museum was opened on 23 January, 1980 by Al-Sultan Almu’tasimu Muhibbuddin Tuanku Alhaj Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, Sultan Kedah Darul Aman (The sultan is currently the 13th Agung of Malaysia). Archaeological artifacts displayed at the museum were obtained from excavations at sites around 400 km2 at Bujang Valley. These artifacts are proof that the area was a trading hub for travellers from the East and West, especially Chinese
Example of the artifacts.
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| A broken piece of the elephant-headed deity Ganesh |
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| Broken pottery. |
Now move on to the second places.
PADDY MUSEUM.
The Kedah Paddy Museum is nothing to do with Irishmen. It is dedicated to the rice plant, paddy, the world's most important crop.
Paddy Museum (Muzium Padi) is the first paddy museum in Malaysia, and the fourth to be opened in the world after Japan, German and Philipine. It is located at the foot of Gunung Keriang, which is about 8 km to the northwest of Alor Setar's city.
It is one of Kedah's pride as an important tourist destination in the state, which is known as the Rice Bowl state of Malaysia due to its important economic contribution to the country. The museum serves as an honour to the history, culture and significance of paddy farming in Kedah.
It was officially opened by KDYMM Tuanku Sultan Haji Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah, the Sultan of Kedah on 12th October, 2004 at a cost of RM24.7 million.
It was officially opened by KDYMM Tuanku Sultan Haji Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah, the Sultan of Kedah on 12th October, 2004 at a cost of RM24.7 million.
Paddy Museum features unique roof design that portrays bushels of harvested rice stalks. And not only that, throughout the building, visitors will also notice that the rice motifs are repeated almost everywhere on gate, fence and even the staircase banisters.
Its spiral staircase leads visitors to the top most portion that offers a spectacular bird's eye view of a revolving wall galleries. The mural displays the stages of rice cultivation from ploughing, planting, threshing and winnowing. Visitors will be mesmerized by the reverse effect of the revolving platform that they are standing on while enjoying the view of the mural without realising that in actual fact the scenery is not rotating around them.
This massive circular mural has an overall length of 103 metres in circumference and with a height of 8 metres tall, was a masterpiece artwork of 60 artists from North Korea.
This massive circular mural has an overall length of 103 metres in circumference and with a height of 8 metres tall, was a masterpiece artwork of 60 artists from North Korea.
Third is
ULU LEGONG HOT SPRING
The Ulu Legong Hot Spring Recreational Centre, located 22km from Baling, is a popular spot for those wanting to enjoy a therapeutic soak in its hot mineral waters. As the only hot spring in operation 24 hours, a hot dip is particularly gratifying when the temperature decreases at night.
Now we move to our next destination.
That is BERIS LAKE
Beris Lake (Tasik Beris) is a large man-made lake located in Sik district, Kedah. It was formed as a result of the construction of Beris dam. It is about 77 km from Sungai Petani town.
Beris Lake was originally a village called Kampung Sungai Batang, contained in this village is Kampung Kuala, Kampung Baru, Kampung Tengah, Kampung Paya and Kampung Besar.
When Beris dam and lake were in the process of construction, a few villages listed above had been submerged to make way for the project. Villagers involved were compensated and relocated to a well-planned township named Bandar Baru Beris Jaya (BBBJ) which is about 10 kilometers from the Sik town and 5 kilometers from the Jeniang town .
At the entrance of the Beris Lake Resort, there is a restaurant called D'Puncak Bris Restaurant built high above the picturesque lake . Take a right turn down the hill slopes, you will see plenty of chalets provided by the resort along your way to the lake.
There are also a lot of resting huts available for picnicking and fishing activities. Visitors can have a boat ride or peddling kayak around the scenic lake. It is a peaceful and relaxing spots for anglers that last for hours. Visitors will enjoy the breeze and windy atmosphere surrounded by lush greenery and stunning landscapes of Beris Lake.
Next is
Beris Lake Vineyard
( Ladang Anggur Tasik Beris )
Possible of growing grapes in Malaysia ?. To find out, look no further than visiting a vineyard located far north in Kedah state that bears fruits in large scale.
The Beris Lake Vineyard (Ladang Anggur Tasik Beris) is managed by Excel Agrotech Sdn. Bhd. and has a land area size of 34 acres. It is the first grape vineyard in Kedah, proven a big success in commercial grape growing of species such as Black Opal, Black Grape, White Malaga and Loose Pelite. The vineyard also has been visited by the Royal Highness of Kedah, DYTM Raja Muda Kedah.
Grapes are an excellent fruit for fresh use or processing into jam, jelly, juice, pie, or wine. The Beris Lake Vineyard also selling fresh grapes, juice, jam and cordial on the spot and even the transplant grape plants for visitors who are interested in growing grapes at home.
Now we move to our next destination
Glass Bottles Temple
( Wat Charok Padang )
Glass Bottles Temple (Wat Charok Padang) is about 43 km from Sungai Petani town and it is located at Kampung Charok Padang in Sik district, Kedah. The temple is also known as Wat Trok Padang.
The uniqueness of this Buddhist temple is the creative artwork that uses recycled glass bottles as part of building materials. Intricate designs and creativity patterns with
glass bottles outlines which are carefully arranged.
The glass bottles are a mixture of green Heineken bottles and brown Thai Chang beer which do not lose their colour and aid in good lighting. They are also easy to be cleaned and maintained.
Listed in the Malaysia Book of Records as the first temple to be built from glass bottles, where the main building including the tower consist of nearly 30000 glass bottles.
Bringing eco-friendly architecture into the temple is not an easy task as they require dedication and thoughtfulness in mindset, which is at the center of the Buddhist discipline.
Next is,
Bukit Wang Recreational Forest
Bukit Wang Recreational Forest (or Wang Hill Recreational Forest) is a forest reserve located in between Kubang Pasu and Padang Terap districts in the northern part of Kedah. The 867 hectares of classified Lowland Dipterocarp Forest is popular among the locals during weekends and public holidays.
The word "Wang" derives from Thai language, which means "hollow in between stone " as it is surrounded by hills from all sides, namely Bukit Hangus (470m) in the North, Bukit Besar (461 m) in the West,Bukit Tunggal Besar (260 m) in South and Bukit Buluh (440 m) in the East.
Facilities provided by the park as are toilets, campsites, car parks, paved cement walkways, footbridges, gazebos, multipurpose hall, foot reflexology path and children pool.
There are also food stores and sundries available right at the entrance of the recreational park. And for more adventurous visitors, there is a 3 km long crisscross trekking trails cutting through the rain forest and with another 15 km further will lead to the Puncak Janing Recreational Forest.
Lets explore our next destination,
Dhammanivetsunthorn Garden
( Pendang Buddhist Garden)
Dhammaivetsunthorn Garden is a beautiful Buddhist Garden built in 1995 and located in the rural area of Padang Kerbau, Pendang. It is about 25 km from Pendang town, towards Sungai Tiang to Kuala Nerang road.
Visitors may first notice that there are 7 statues of Buddha in a row when walking closer to the entrance of the garden. Each of these statues has different posture, which represents the particular day of the week from Sunday to Saturday. And at the corner of the ground level, lies a statue of Arahant Sivali holding an umbrella over his shoulder.
The staircase of the garden has a figure pair of dragons with glimering gems on both side and the garden is decorated with cemented stone rocks as part of its landscaping.
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At second level, displaying "The Birth" or "Jati" in Pali word for meaning that existence is suffering from the moment we are born, while on the other end is a Buddha statue sitting in a meditation pose facing the garden's pond. Near the pond in the middle is an angel statue with a sword and behind are the statues of a master and a donkey.
The topmost level has a statue of Buddha sitting on a lotus plinth beneath a huge Bodhi tree preaching the Dharma , complete with another statue of Sleeping Buddha on his death bed entering Nirvana ,with backdrop painting of his disciples who were Arahants.
The next destination is,
Sepachendera Palace
An old palace located at Jalan Kampung Baru in Alor Setar is known as the "Sepachendera Palace". It is also refered as "Istana Kampung Baru" in Malay.
It was built by the late Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah in 1882 as a gift to his first wife, Che Sepachendera upon his ascension to the royal throne.
The palace architectural designs has elements of a traditional Thai style. His Royal Highness Tuanku Ibrahim (or Tuanku Sulung) was born in this palace on the 1st of July,1884.
This palace remains inhabited even after the passing of the Che Sepachendera. And in 1922, the palace had beed converted into an Engish Schools and named as "Sekolah Perempuan Kampung Baru" (Kampung Baru Girls School).
The school was then relocated to Jalan Langgar in 1954, where the Sultanah Asma Secondary School was established. Later, the Palace was occupied by the Tunku Abdul Halim Primary School as well as the branch office of the Kedah State Education Department.
The most attraction that may have in Kedah is
Langkawi
The attraction that have in Langkawi Island ;
1. Eagle Square Of Langkawi, Kedah
Eagle Square or Dataran Lang is Langkawi's most outstanding landmark for visitors arriving by ferry. Dataran Lang (Eagle Square) is strategically located near the Kuah jetty and can hardly be missed as it boasts a majestic brown eagle all geared up for flight. Folklore dictates that the eagle is a symbol from where the name Langkawi originated. 'Lang' refers to helang (eagle) while 'kawi' means reddish brown in old Malay.
Elaborate with unique architectural concepts, the square also features picturesque terraces, ponds, bridges, restaurants and barrel vaults, made of bricks. Take time out and experience a quiet evening walk to dinner through the square while breathing in fresh air from the nearby sea. At night, it is such a sight to behold as the entire square is illuminated and lighted. From the sea, the panorama is simply awesome.
2. Langkawi Island, Kedah
Langkawi Island or Pulau Langkawi is an archipelago of 104 islands lying in the north western coast of Peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia). The exact location of these tropical islands is at the site where the Straits of Malacca meets the waters of the Andaman Seas. The largest of these islands is called Langkawi Island and is bigger than the Penang Island (Pulau Pinang). The other islands in this group are Island of Pregnant Maiden (Pulau Dayang Bunting), Lion Island (Pulau Singa Besar) and Beras Basah Island. The smallest of these islands are atolls roughly the size of an ordinary house. Langkawi is coined from the Malay words 'Lang' and 'Kawi'. 'Lang' is a brown eagle and 'Kawi' is a local manganese stone. The ancient fishermen must have seen eagles flying clutching the manganese stones.
A giant monument of a brown eagle clutching the manganese stone greets all visitors to Langkawi near the Kuah Jetty. The main tourist attraction of Langkawi Island is its virgin white sandy beaches. The beaches have very gentle continental slope and the water is crystal clear. This island is unique in the sense that it has so many legend sand myths associated with it. Langkawi Island is therefore also called Pulau Lagenda or Legendary Island. The most talked about legend is that of Mahsuri who is said to have laid a curse on this island for 7 generations. Luckily the period of this curse is over now and Langkawi Island is fast becoming an internationally recognized tourist destination. The government of Malaysia has declared the entire Langkawi Island as a duty free zone. Hence this island is also termed Duty Free Island. All goods sold in this island are exempted from government tax. Therefore this Legendary Island is a haven for the shoppers. You only need to stay in Langkawi for a minimum of 48 hours to take back home a reasonable amount of tax free goods.
3. Langkawi Crystal, Kedah
Located along Jalan Kisap, 5 km north of Kuah town and 20 km from the airport, Langkawi Crystal offers an attractive and exquisite range of glass products. Visitors will find a wide choice of skilfully crafted crystal items to suit every occasion. There are also special collections for those who demand exclusiveness. At Langkawi Crystaal you will be mesmerised by the extraordinary glass blowing skills of craftsmen dedicated to producing glassware of the highest standards and quality. Take the opportunity to test your glass blowing skills here.
4. Langkawi Cable Car, Kedah
Langkawi Cable Car is located inside the Oriental Village which takes the 2.2km ride up the mountain side on a 42 degree incline. A must is to go by the cable car at Langkawi, especially to whom afraid of height sitting in that small clear bubble shaped cable car. This is an absolutely wonderful experience for those who are first time arrived here. Starting from about sea level, the Cable Car rises from about sea level to an altitude of over 700m. There are two viewing stations and it is possible to get off and rejoin the cable car at station one.
A walking trek from Station One, uphill to Station Two has been carved through the vegetation allowing a refreshing walk through the forest. To access Station Two, passengers have to get back on one of the slow moving cable cars for a short ride to the summit. There are also camping sites, an open air lounge and organized treks through the surrounding forest reserve. Tourism can enjoy the fascinating view of the Andaman Sea and Langkawi Island here.
5. Underwater World Langkawi, Kedah
Nowhere else in Malaysia would one be able to view a larger collection of aquatic life of over 200 species than at Underwater World Langkawi, which is also the largest aquarium in Malaysia today. There are over 5000 fishes and other exhibits, which are presented in more than 117 specially designed tanks that are arranged along a zoom long passageway. The Underwater World Langkawi, a marine showcase featuring both fresh and salt water fish and other forms of marine life, is a must-see attraction.
Located at Pantai Cenang (Cenang Beach), a popular beach on the island, this aquarium features more than 5,000 types of marine life, exhibited in more than 100 tanks of different sizes. The highlight is a giant tank housing large marine species such as sharks, stingrays, groupers and green turtles, with a 15-metre tunnel for visitors to walk through and enjoy a spectacular view of the exhibits.
Underwater gardens of weeds and sea plants together with exotic fishes and exhibits of fossils and shells add to the range of interesting sights. Underwater World Langkawi is proud to introduce its coming attraction; a 60,000 sq. feet new building, housing three ecosystems, tropical rainforest, temperate and sub-Antarctic including a 200-seat 3D cinema. Underwater World Langkawi, "When Adventure Becomes Experience".
In Kedah also have several Beaches that may attract peolpe come to Kedah.
That it is,
1.Black Sand Beach, Kedah
Black Sand Beach. Some believe that the remains from the great battle between Garuda and Jentayu still existed, and can be seen as Skull Beach, Cape of Bones (Tanjung Tulang) and Black Sand Beach, where remains of skulls, broken bones and ship wrecks can be found. Others claim that these remains belong to the traders who sank together with their ships, because of the whirlpools that existed in the Northern part of Langkawi Island.
2. Cenang Beach, Langkawi, Kedah
Cenang Beach (Pantai Cenang) is undoubtedly one of Langkawi's most popular beaches. Many types of accommodations ranging from chalets to five-star resorts as well as restaurants and bars are found along this long stretch of beautiful beach. Pantai Cenang owed its origin to Haji Din, the owner of Sandy Beach Motel. As the story goes, a couple of Caucasians backpackers made their way to Langkawi and wanted to stay the night in Cenang Beach (Pantai Cenang). In those days, there weren't any chalets, motels or resorts as the locals didn't anticipate the arrival of tourists yet. As the couple was passing through Haji Din's place, they spotted his barn and asked him whether if it was okay for them to stay there for the night.
3. Merdeka Beach, Kedah
A long-established beach attraction, Pantai Merdeka or Merdeka Beach is located in the district of Kuala Muda 60 kilometres south of Alor Setar. The rustic rural setting with the quaint fishing villages of Tanjung Dawai, Teluk Nipah and Kampung Pulau Sayak make this place an ideal spot to languish in the typical atmosphere of a Kedah fishing settlement. Pantai Merdeka is another excellent place for beautiful sunsets. Parents can lie back with ease as its calm, shallow waters are safe for children. Take a boat ride to Pulau Sayak and see how prawns are bred using state-of-the-art techniques.
As the most popular beach in Kedah, Pantai Merdeka draws the crowds for a packed weekend of picnics and camping. Chalets and a rest house are also available. The food stalls here offer a wide variety of seafood and other local favorites. This enchanting beach is shaded by tall swaying palms, under which one may spend leisurely hours - picnicking or just lazing the hours away, Water skiing and sailing are also popular along this stretch of coastal water. The mountains and hills of Kedah offer a number of lovely picnic spots set within verdant greenery, cool mountain streams and the invigorating freshness of the mountain air.
4. Dayang Bunting Island, Kedah
Dayang Bunting Island (Pulau Dayang Bunting or Pregnant Maiden Island, translated literally) is the largest of the smaller islands surrounding the main island. This island is located opposite Kuah jetty and was shrouded in green tropical forest. In the centre of the island lies a large and beautiful lake popularly known as Tasik Dayang Bunting (Lake of the Pregnant Maiden). This lake is separated from the sea only by a thin wall of limestone. The name of both the island and the lake is attributed to the legend of a lovely fairy princess who married an earthly prince.
The outline of hills and rocky outcrops on one side of the lake resembles the shape of a pregnant maiden lying on her back. According to the tales, any woman who has difficulty to conceive will be rewarded and blessed with a child if she drank the water from the lake. Whether the women wish to conceive or not, a dip in the cool waters of the lake, or watching its spectacular, silent beauty after climbing the rise, does invigorating and refreshing. This island is also a good place for bird watching.
5. Singa Besar Island, Kedah
Pulau Singa Besar or Singa Besar Island is located about 45 minutes by boat to the south of the main island of Langkawi. The island measuring 6.5 km by 2.5 km has interesting geology, flora and fauna. Because of its diverse natural environment, this beach has designated as a permanent bird and animal sanctuary. Monkeys, deer, iguanas and peacocks also roam about freely on Pulau Singa Besar. Visitors will be amazed at the pristine tropical forest and its inhabitants.
To conserves the island's natural habitat, no hotels or chalets have been built. Among other facilities available are jungle treks, lookout points, rest areas and campsites. Camping equipment is available for rent at reasonable rates while showers and toilets are for the use of campers and day trippers alike. This experience is enjoyable and educational especially for students who keen to learn about nature.
6. Pulau Payar Marine Park, Kedah
Pulau Payar Marine Park is located in the northern part of the Straits of Malacca, 19 nautical miles south of Langkawi where many endangered species of fishes and marine organisms live within the sanctuary. Measuring 2km long and 1/4km wide, Pulau Payar (Payar Island) is the most popular of the islands as its sheltered waters are ideal for snorkelling, diving and swimming. For those who wish to explore the island, there are several sandy beaches on Pulau Payar (Payar Island) for picnics as well as hiking trails. Visitors also can indulge in the thrilling experience of feeding baby sharks.
There are gazebos, picnic tables, barbeque pits and restroom facilities available at selected areas for visitors. Visitors are permitted to cook only at allocated areas, no open fires for cooking or camp fires can be started. Having been cordoned off as a marine park in 1985, the marine life here has rejuvenated from the days of blast-fishing, trawling and heavy sedimentation. Now this park has been made a study centre for marine researchers and is one of the best dive sites in the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
That's all from our exploration about attraction that have in Kedah. Thank You.
