Thai goods shopping in Kelantan
WHEN it comes to shopping, Thailand is something for everyone - even those people who say they hate to shop.
For Sabahans, going to Thailand is always via Kuala Lumpur where you have to spend almost a day to reach the ‘land of smiles’. That is hassle to some people.
But do you know, Kelantan is a place where you can find ‘made in Thailand’ goods with similar price? The best part is, direct flight is available from Kota Kinabalu to Kota Bharu, three times weekly.
Rantau Panjang, located about 40km from Kota Bharu, is the main Kelantan border crossing between Malaysia and Thailand and it is also a popular duty free shopping zone selling electronic goods, toys, cigarettes, clothes, cosmetics, perfume, chocolate, watches and general goods.
Pengkalan Kubor is another border town with a tax free zone that attracts bargain hunters from both sides of the border after the cheap prices for electrical items, kitchenware, glassware, accessories, clothes and shoes.
Tourism Malaysia, collaborating with Sabah and Kelantan offices, recently organized a familiarization trip to Kota Bharu in conjunction with Sabah Destination Presentation and Mini Travel Mart which was co-sponsored by Sabah Tourism Board and MATTA Sabah Chapter.
The trip, which was participated by industry players from Sabah includes visits to Reclining Buddha, Sitting Buddha, Pengkalan Kubor Duty Free Zone, Ayu Fashion (Batik making factory), Serunding Kampung Laut (Serunding making village) and Pasar Siti Khadijah.
The three-day trip was an eye opener for a potential of domestic tourism exchanges between both states.
Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Kamarlin Ombi who led the trip said Kelantan is the place where shopping is similar to Thailand, without going out from the country.
“At this moment of economy, shopping local is the best way to save. I believe Kelantan is one of the best destinations for Sabahans to shop because of the variety. In fact, having Sabahans in Kelantan is like having ambassadors to promote Sabah not only to the people of Kelantan but also people from Thailand.
“It is the new trend of people from Thailand coming over to Malaysia for a holiday via Kelantan.
“Since Bhat is stronger compared to Ringgit, they are starting to spend their money in Malaysia. This is an opportunity for Sabah to pull these people coming to Sabah, because we offer tourism products which are absolutely unique and new to them,” he said.
With the commitment of Tourism Malaysia, Kelantan office to promote Sabah, Kamarlin said Sabahans who are traveling to Kelantan are another ‘promoters’ that can sell Sabah.
Kelantan is not only a perfect place for the locals to shop, but also for the small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) to look for business opportunities.
“Since most of the goods in Kelantan are cheaper, I can see the potential for business here. Local products made from Kelantan such as Batik and silver, food like Serunding, Bahulu and Nasi Kerabu have their own market in Sabah.
“It is also an opportunity for the SMEs and tourism players in Sabah to do the same, to introduce the uniqueness of our state to the people of Kelantan,” he said.
Kamarlin added Sabah and Kelantan shared the same culture, when it comes to the people humble and friendly.
“I must say Sabah and Kelantan people will get along well because of our nature of humble and friendly. When we have tens of ethnic groups in Sabah, people in Kelantan regardless of their beliefs are living in harmony although the state is an Islamic state.
“There are a large number of Buddhists in Kelantan and they have huge temples everywhere. This is another feature of Kelantan that is interesting to be discovered,” he added.
Wat Phothivihan located in Tumpat, is a famous temple for its reclining Buddha statue. It is Malaysia’s biggest reclining Buddha with a length of 40 meters.
Not far from Wat Phothivihan, a sitting Buddha is homed at Wat Machimmaram, claimed as the second largest sitting Buddha in Southeast Asia. Height is 30 metres and with the lotus base width of 47 metres.
Although Kelantan is portrayed as an Islamic state where the women are prohibited to sing in public, and you cannot find a single movie theater in any of its cities, it is not the reason not to visit Kelantan. Fun is limitless, as long as you are willing to open your heart to explore a bit deeper.
Food is another chapter that should be added in your Kelantan diary, as Kelantanese people are very serious about their food.
Some specialties worth looking out for include Ayam Percik, Laksam Kelantan, Nasi Dagang, Nasi Tumpang and Nasi Kerabu.
Whoever have tried Nasi Kerabu from the other states before, most of the rice for the Nasi Kerabu has been dyed with a shocking shade of blue. However, the authentic Kelantanese version of Nasi Kerabu is colored blue from the use of a wild flower, and not food coloring. It is served with slightly sweetened “budu”, a condiment made of fermented anchovies that is a staple of Kelantanese cuisine.
Popular desserts and snacks include Akok (steamed egg-based mini cakes), Bahulu (cakes), Seri Muka (a steamed dessert made from two layers of glutinous rice and pandan-flavored egg custard) and Fish Cracker.
Before ending your trip in Kelantan, there are two shopping spots that should be included in your itinerary for another round of shopping, namely Wakaf Che Yeah and Siti Khadijah Market.
Wakaf Che Yeh in Kelantan is the largest market in the state which also serves as the main wholesale market in the North East.
The night market is open seven days a week and comes alive at night. Situated about 15-20 minutes drive from Kota Bharu town area, the market is quite close to the Thai border and has been around for almost two decades now. Here you will find an assortment of local products ranging from fabrics to food.
Before heading to the airport for the afternoon flight, visit Siti Khadijah Market early in the morning. It is a local wet market which is probably the most famous market in Malaysia due to the uniqueness of the layout.
Locally called Pasar Siti Khadijah, this is the main and central market for the city. Here, local produce is sold by mostly ladies who sit up on a platform while the market roof is a sky light where natural sunlight illuminates the entire main area of the market.
Upstairs, dry goods are found along with the famous Kelantan Serunding, a type of dry beef floss best eaten with bread or even rice.