MY · Kedah · 6.34°N 99.78°E

kota mahsuri

The tomb, well and kampung house of the maiden whose curse is Langkawi's best-known legend.

Best time
Any time of year; the museum and theatre are indoors, and the rest is a short walk. Mahsuri Day, held here each year, brings silat, dances and a re-enactment of the story.
How long
1–2 hours
Getting there
Langkawi is about an hour's flight from KL, or a ferry from Kuala Perlis or Kuala Kedah. Kota Mahsuri is about 15 minutes' drive from both the airport and Kuah.
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MY · Kedahkota mahsuri6.34°N 99.78°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,The tomb, well and kampung house of the maiden whose curse is Langkawi's best-known legend.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingKota MahsuriMY, Kedah
KLkota mahsuri
≈ 414 km from KL, as the crow flies

It's the legend Malaysians grow up with: Mahsuri, wrongly accused of adultery, bled white when she was executed and cursed Langkawi for seven generations. Her tomb at Kampung Mawat is now Kota Mahsuri, a complex with a small museum, a film theatre, her well and a traditional Kedah house.

Makan

  1. Laksa at Pantai SeramaThe island's sour, fish-gravy laksa from the trucks lined up by the sea opposite the airport, about 15 minutes away.Map ↗
  2. Seafood at Pantai CenangAbout 20 minutes away, for grilled fish and prawns by the beach at sunset.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. The tombMahsuri's white tomb, the reason everyone comes. People still pray here, so keep your voice down.Map ↗
  2. The museum and theatreHer original tombstone, family heirlooms and a short film telling the legend.Map ↗
  3. Mahsuri's wellDraw water from the well said to be the secret of her beauty.Map ↗
  4. The kampung houseA rebuilt traditional Kedah house on stilts, with caklempong, congkak and batik demonstrations on some days.Map ↗
  5. Beras TerbakarIn Padang Matsirat, near the airport, the field where villagers burned their rice during the Siamese invasion that followed her death. Locals say charred grains still surface after rain.Map ↗

Good to know

  • It's a grave as well as an attraction, so cover your shoulders and knees.
  • Tell the kids the curse is folklore. Her descendants live across the border in Phuket and have visited the tomb.

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