During the school holidays, my parents decided to take me to Kota Bharu in Kelantan for a holiday. We packed some clothing enough for four days and three nights. I was very excited as I had never been to Kota Bharu before. After a few hours of driving, we finally arrived in Kota Bharu. My father took us to a comfortable apartment which is located in the centre of the city. After a few minutes of resting and praying, we visited the city. As my father was familiar with Kota Bharu, we had no problems getting around the city.
My father took us to visit 'Istana Jahar', a royal custom museum. We were informed that the museum was built in 1887 and was a gift from Sultan Muhammad II to his grandson. It is a beautiful old wooden structure with carved panels and intricate framework which is testimony to the superb craftsmanship of the Kelantan people. Its houses have many valuable historical and cultural artefacts.
After that, we visited 'Syura Hall', an Islamic Museum and we found out why this museum is known as 'The Verandah To Makkah' and the history of Islam in Kelantan. Then, we went to visit 'Istana Balai'. 'Istana Balai' is known as a 'Palace of The Large Audience Hall' which is surrounded by walls. This place is closed to the public and is located opposite the 'Istana Batu' and was built in the early 1840s by Sultan Muhammad II to replace his place that was formally near the Kelantan River.
The next day, we went to 'Pantai Seri Tujuh'. This is a quiet and scenic beach where people can walk along peacefully. The beach is located near the fishing villages in Tumpat. It is one of the most beautiful beaches in Kelantan. Later, we visited 'Bank Kerapu', a War Memorial Museum which has a good collection of Japanese photographic memorabilia and documents relating to World War II. This museum which also has Japanese swords on display is located in the oldest brick building in Kelantan.
