Fascinating Kedah Attractions

Interested to find out the most fascinating Kedah Attractions? Ready to be fascinated by the natural beauty and serenity of the paddy fields and scenic mountains in Kedah? If so, then let me have the pleasure to be your humble travel guide to Kedah, "The Rice Bowl of Malaysia".

Kedah, also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Aman (Abode of Peace) is situated in the North-Western part of Peninsular Malaysia. Kedah shares boundaries with Perlis to the North, Perak to the South, and Penang to the SouthWest. It also shares international boundaries with Thailand.

The capital and royal seat of Kedah is Alor Setar. It is also the government administration and commercial centre.

Traditionally, Kedah is known as "The Rice Bowl of Malaysia". This is due to the fact that Kedah is a rice depot where more than half of the rice in Malaysia is produced. When you're here in Kedah, you would definitely be fascinated by the vast seas of paddy fields, the lush green tropical rain forests and the amazing scenic mountains.

Before I introduce you to some of the most amazing Kedah Attractions, let me give you a brief introduction to the history of Kedah.

Kedah history and its royalty can be traced as far back as to the 4th century with its origins at Lembah Bujang (Bujang Valley). The Bujang Valley is home to the remains of a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom and is said to be the oldest civilization of Peninsular Malaysia. Here, at this archaeological site, are remnants of shrines that bear testimony to the existence of the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism in the state.

According to Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa (or the "Kedah Annals" in English), Kedah was founded by a Hindu King named Merong Mahawangsa. According to the text, the Sultanate of Kedah started in year 1136 when the 9th King of Kedah converted to Islam and adopted the name Sultan Mudzafar Shah.

Between the 7th and 8th centuries, Kedah became part of the Srivijaya Kingdom which was based in Sumatera. After the collapse of Srivijaya, Kedah came under the rule of Siam (Thailand) until the 15th century when it became part of the Melaka Sultanate.

In the 17th century, Kedah faced numerous attacks from the Portuguese and the Acehnese. Hoping that Great Britain would protect what remained of Kedah from Siam, the Sultan handed over Penang and the Province Wellesley to the British at the end of the 18th century. The Siamese nevertheless conquered Kedah in 1821 and it remained under Siamese control until 1909, when Kedah was handed over to the British.
During World War 2, Kedah along with Kelantan was the first part of the then Malaya to be invaded by Japan. The Japanese returned Kedah to their Thai allies who had it renamed Syburi, but it returned to British rule after the end of the war. Kedah joined the Federation of Malaya in 1948.

Today, Kedah is a vibrant commercial and industrial state with a picturesque landscape which attracts thousands of tourists from all around the globe. Besides the picturesque landscape and its pristine natural beauty, there are many amazingly beautiful and unique places to visit in Kedah. So, I'd like to invite you to sit back, relax and let's explore some of the Kedah attractions together.

As mentioned earlier, Kedah is home to the Bujang Valley (Lembah Bujang), which is said to be the oldest civilization in Peninsular Malaysia. Lembah Bujang is a sprawling historical complex and is situated near Merbok, Kedah, between Gunung Jerai (Mount Jerai) in the North and Sungai Muda (Muda River) in the South. This place is also the richest archaeological area in Malaysia.


Archaeological research indicates that there was an old Hindu-Buddhist empire built here. The ruins found here are said to be more than 1,500 years old. Up till now, more than fifty ancient tomb temples, called Candi (pronounced Chandi, not Candy, just in case you're wondering...haha) have also been unearthed and many of these Candis were built during the peak of the Bujang Valley civilization.

The most impressive and well-preserved Candi is located in Pengkalan Bayang Merbok. Incidentally, the Bujang Valley Archaeological Museum is also located here. This museum houses a collection of a thousand pieces of valuable historical artifacts that have been unearthed since 1948. Exhibits displayed here include photographs, store pillars, pottery and jewels dug out from the Bujang Valley.

One of the most interesting Kedah attractions that can be found here is the Paddy Museum. When I heard about it, I was like..."Huh? Paddy Museum?!?!" I didn't know they would build a museum specially dedicated to Paddy. The Paddy Museum is located at Gunung Keriang (Mount Keriang), about 8 km from Alor Setar.


This museum features the different aspects of paddy cultivation through the ages, including samplings of paddy plants from around the world. When you're here, you can even witness traditional methods of planting paddy, ancient paddy planting equipment and the development of paddy cultivation technologies from the olden days until recent times. This is indeed a very unique and interesting museum!

One of the major Kedah attractions that you should not miss when you're in Kedah is the tallest building in Alor Setar, the Alor Setar Tower.


This tower stands at 165.5 metres high and is the 19th tallest communication tower in the world.

The Alor Setar Tower is divided into three sections, namely the main tower, the amphitheater and the cafeteria.

The tower offers its visitors a panoramic view of the state capital.

Binoculars are even available at the observatory deck for visitors who want to take a closer view of the many interesting travel spots in Alor Setar.

Besides the Alor Setar Tower, one of the Kedah attractions worth mentioning here is the Pedu Lake. This lake is located about 90 km from Alor Setar and is a peaceful holiday retreat for city folks who want a break from their routine, hectic city life.

When you're here, you'd be surrounded by one of the world's oldest tropical rain forests and you would get to experience a "back to nature" vacation.


The Pedu lake is ideal for jet skiing, canoing, windsurfing and lake swimming. Besides that, you could also go jungle trekking, mountain hiking, fishing or just relax and enjoy a session of bird watching. If you are keen to explore the vast lake, you could take a boat ride out to the lake and enjoy the warm sunshine by the waters.

Kedah is also home to one of the most famous and beautiful Islands in Malaysia, the Legendary and Mythical Langkawi Island.


Langkawi Island comprises a group of 99 tropical islands lying off the North-Western coast of Peninsular Malaysia in the Straits of Melaka.

This Island is known for its idyllic setting, intriguing legends and mystical myths. The beautiful, soft, sandy beaches and the colourful underwater world here is simply amazing.

Among the more prominent islands in Langkawi are Pulau Dayang Bunting (Isle of the Pregnant Maiden), Pulau Singa Besar, a wildlife santuary, Pulau Payar,a marine park and Pulau Beras Basah (Isle of Wet Rice), a popular spot for swimming. Besides that, Langkawi is also a free port which means you can shop, shop and shop until you drop. It's truly a shopping haven here!

The travel destinations stated above are just some of the many many tourist attractions found here in Kedah.

Since it would be impossible to share with you all the amazing Kedah attractions on this single page, I will start (and constantly update) a new section on this page specially dedicated to the most amazing and interesting Kedah attractions. So, do check back often!