MY · Kedah · 6.12°N 100.37°E

alor setar

Rice-bowl capital: Pekan Rabu market, the Zahir Mosque and serious nasi kandar.

Best time
Any time of year. The first few months are usually drier. The paddy fields are greenest a few weeks after planting and turn gold just before harvest.
How long
1–2 days
Getting there
About 4.5 hours' drive from KL on the North–South Expressway, or about 1.5 hours from Penang. Flights from KL take about an hour, and the ETS train from KL Sentral stops here too.
Save postcard
MY · Kedahalor setar6.12°N 100.37°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Rice-bowl capital: Pekan Rabu market, the Zahir Mosque and serious nasi kandar.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingAlor SetarMY, Kedah
KLalor setar
≈ 362 km from KL, as the crow flies
Photo of Alor Setar

Photo: Unknown · CC BY-SA 3.0

1 / 4

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Kedah's capital sits among the paddy fields of the state known as Malaysia's rice bowl. It's an easy, unhurried city with a grand old mosque, royal buildings around the main square and plenty of good makan.

Makan

  1. Nasi kandarRice flooded with a mix of curries. Alor Setar takes it as seriously as Penang does.Map ↗
  2. Laksa KedahA thick, tangy fish-based laksa. The best-known version comes from Kuala Kedah, 20 minutes away.Map ↗
  3. Kuih karasA crunchy, lacy Kedah snack. Look for it at Pekan Rabu.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Zahir MosqueBuilt in 1912, with black domes and slim minarets. It's one of the oldest mosques in the country.Map ↗
  2. Pekan RabuThe city's old market building, packed with Kedah snacks, kain and handicrafts.Map ↗
  3. Alor Setar TowerA telecoms tower with an observation deck over the city and the paddy fields beyond.Map ↗
  4. Balai Besar and Balai NobatThe old royal audience hall and the tower that houses the royal drums, both by the main square.Map ↗
  5. Paddy MuseumA museum on rice growing near Gunung Keriang, with a large panoramic mural of the fields.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Dress modestly at the Zahir Mosque and avoid visiting during prayer times.
  • It makes a good overnight stop on the way to Thailand or the Langkawi ferry at Kuala Kedah.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.