Kedah Travel Guide: From Langkawi to the Rice Fields

This Kedah travel guide covers a state that most people know by one name: Langkawi. The duty-free archipelago in the Andaman Sea draws the crowds, but mainland Kedah is worth a detour too. It is Malaysia’s rice bowl, a flat green quilt of paddy fields stretching from Alor Setar towards the Thai border, with a royal capital, a coastal mountain and ruins that predate Melaka by centuries.

Kedah sits in the north-west of the peninsula, bordered by Perlis, Penang, Perak and Thailand. It is quieter and more rural than its neighbour Penang, and noticeably cheaper.

Kedah travel guide: the regions at a glance

Langkawi

The main draw by a long way. Langkawi has the state’s best beaches, rainforest-covered mountains and easy island-hopping trips. Ride the Langkawi Cable Car up Gunung Mat Cincang, take a boat through the mangroves of Kilim Geoforest Park, then spend the evening on Pantai Cenang, the west-coast strip with most of the bars and restaurants.

Alor Setar

The state capital is compact and easy to see in a day. The black-domed Zahir Mosque, completed in 1912, is one of the oldest mosques in the country. Nearby stand the Balai Besar royal audience hall and the Menara Alor Setar telecommunications tower, which has a viewing deck over the paddy fields. The town is also a handy overnight stop between Penang and the Thai border.

Sungai Petani, Gunung Jerai and the Bujang Valley

South of Alor Setar, Gunung Jerai (1,217 metres) rises straight out of the coastal plain. A winding road climbs to a cool summit area with views over the rice fields of Yan and, on clear days, across to Penang. At its foot lies the Bujang Valley, where excavated temple foundations and the Bujang Valley Archaeological Museum record a Hindu-Buddhist trading kingdom that flourished here from around the 3rd to the 12th century.

The interior

Inland, Pedu Lake and the forested hills around Baling attract local weekenders for fishing, waterfalls and homestays. You will need a car to reach them.

Things to do in Kedah

• Spend three or four days on Langkawi, following our 4-day Langkawi itinerary.
• Visit the Zahir Mosque in Alor Setar outside prayer times, dressed modestly.
• Drive or cycle the back roads through the paddy fields, ideally when the rice is green or golden before harvest.
• Walk among the ancient candi (temple) foundations in the Bujang Valley.
• Head up Gunung Jerai for a cooler afternoon and sunset views.

Food in Kedah

Kedah cooking is Malay at heart with a Thai accent from across the border. Look for laksa Kedah, a sour fish-based noodle soup, and nasi ulam with fresh herbs. Seafood is cheap and plentiful in Kuala Kedah, where the riverside stalls grill fish and squid in the evening. On Langkawi, the night markets rotate around the island each evening and are the best place for satay, murtabak and grilled seafood.

When to go and how long to stay

The north-west has its driest, calmest weather from December to March, when the sea around Langkawi is at its clearest. The second half of the year is wetter, with September and October often the rainiest months, though showers tend to pass quickly. Langkawi is busiest during Malaysian school holidays and Chinese New Year, so book ahead then.

Allow 3 to 5 days for Langkawi and one extra day if you want to see Alor Setar or the Bujang Valley. If you are torn between islands, our Penang vs Langkawi comparison sets out the differences.