Alor Setar

Worth seeing in and around Alor Setar

10 places within 25 km that the world writes about, in the order of how widely: the ones a visitor has heard of first, then the ones only a local would name.

1. 01
   Zahir Mosque

   The Zahir Mosque is a Sunni mosque in Alor Setar, Kota Setar, Kedah, Malaysia, and the state mosque of Kedah. Built in British Malaya in 1912, the Zahir Mosque is one of the grandest and oldest mosques in Malaysia.

   500 m · mosque in Malaysia · Wikipedia
2. 02
   Darul Aman Stadium

   The Darul Aman Stadium is a multi-purpose all-seater stadium in Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia. It is currently used mostly for football matches.

   2 km · stadium in Alor Star, Kedah, Malaysia · Wikipedia
3. 03
   Alor Setar Tower

   Alor Setar Tower, is a 165.5-metre-tall telecommunication tower in Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia. It is the third tallest tower in Malaysia behind Kuantan 188, the tallest structure in both Kedah and Alor Setar.

   700 m · Skyscraper in Malaysia · Wikipedia
4. 04
   Kedah Royal Mausoleum

   Kedah Royal Mausoleum or Langgar Royal Mausoleum is a royal burial ground in the Kedah state of Malaysia. It is located in Langgar, in Kota Setar District.

   7.6 km · cemetery in Kedah, Malaysia · Wikipedia
5. 05
   Paddy Museum

   The Paddy Museum is a museum in Alor Setar, Kota Setar, Kedah, Malaysia.

   9.4 km · museum in Kedah, Malaysia · Wikipedia
6. 06
   Kedah State Art Gallery

   The Kedah State Art Gallery is an art gallery in Alor Setar, Kota Setar District, Kedah, Malaysia.

   400 m · Art gallery in Kedah, Malaysia · Wikipedia
7. 07
   Aman Central Mall

   Aman Central Mall is a shopping mall in Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia. It is located at the intersection of Jalan Tambang Badak, Jalan Mahdali and Jalan Teluk Wanjah, along Lebuhraya Darulaman opposite Alor Setar Tower.

   800 m · shopping mall in Alor Setar, Kedah · Wikipedia
8. 08
   Pekan Rabu

   Pekan Rabu, which literally means "Wednesday Market", is a shopping centre located in the middle of Alor Star, the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia.

   300 m · shopping Centre in Malaysia · Wikipedia
9. 09
   Top Fast-Food Toy Collections Museum

   The Top Fast-Food Toy Collections Museum is a private toy museum in Alor Setar, Malaysia, dedicated to the collection and display of memorabilia from McDonald's, including primarily Happy Meal toys but also employee uniforms, signs, menus, packaging, and other items. As of 2025, the museum contained over 80,000 items.

   4 km · museum in Alor Setar, Malaysia · Wikipedia
10. 10
    Albukhary Mosque

    The Albukhary Mosque is a mosque located in Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia. It serves as the spiritual centerpiece of the Albukhary Complex, which also houses the Albukhary International University and a medical center.

    3.8 km · mosque in Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia · Wikipedia

Ranked by the number of language editions of Wikipedia with an article on each, from Wikidata; the sentences are the openings of those articles, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What Wikivoyage says to see

1. 01
   Wat Nikrodharam

   The capital's biggest, most prominent, and most architecturally impressive Buddhist temple complex strategically located in downtown Alor Setar.

2. 02
   Balai Seni Negeri

   The Kedah State Art Gallery was set up with the objective of fostering interest in and an appreciation of art in the state.

3. 03
   Balai Nobat

   This building houses the sacred instruments of the Royal orchestra, played only during royal ceremonies such as inaugurations, weddings and funerals.

4. 04
   Balai Besar

   Located towards the back of the Kota Star Palace complex is the Balai Besar.

5. 05
   Menara Alor Setar

   Located in the heart of Alor Setar, this tower, standing at 165.5 metres tall, is a prominent and modern landmark that signifies the rapid development in the state of Kedah.

6. 06
   Kota Kuala Kedah

   Kota Kuala Kedah at the mouth of the Kedah River is also known as Kota Kuala Bahang.

From Wikivoyage: Alor Setar, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.

Things to do

Car tour of Yan. Only if you arrive by car from south, exit North-South Expressway at Sungai Petani (30 km to south), drive to Merbok to see archealogy museum, then to Tanjong Dawai fishing village, buy belacan (shrimp paste used for cooking), then to Yan town, proceed to Kuala Kedah fort then have dinner at Perindu, a seafood place. Then to downtown hotel. This tour takes leisurely 6 hours.

From Wikivoyage: Alor Setar, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.

Where to eat

Fishermen's Ikan Kembong, famous warong (roadside eatery) on road to Kuala Kedah, at junction of road to Yan. Place open only from 11AM to 1PM. Real fishermen's cuisine liked by the townfolks. Laksa Telok Kechai, midway on the Alor Setar - Kuala Kedah road. Famous local rice noodle in fish gravy. Inconspicuous shop, ask locals. Open from 7PM until midnight.

From Wikivoyage: Alor Setar, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.

Getting to Alor Setar

Airports

Langkawi (LGK), 75 km · Hat Yai (HDY), 91 km · Penang (PEN), 92 km

Stations

Sultan Abdul Halim Airport, 8.5 km · Alor Setar railway station, 400 m · Anak Bukit railway station, 7.3 km

• Langkawi → Alor Setar

  69 km · quickest by ferry, 4h 52m · RM49–151
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• Penang → Alor Setar

  80 km · quickest by road, 2h 32m · RM24–32
  GuideToday
• Ipoh → Alor Setar

  189 km · quickest by road, 3h 45m · RM47–65
  GuideToday
• From anywhere

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Road and air are today’s quick answer; timetabled trains, buses and ferries load on the results page from the operators’ feeds.

No local-transport research exists yet for Alor Setar

Our researched notes are written from a sourced entry: every shared taxi, boat and village bus with its operator, its rule, its fare and the year we saw it, and what could not be confirmed. Nobody has done that work for Alor Setar. What is above is what we hold from open sources; nothing here pretends to be more.

If you know how people move in Alor Setar – the stand, the rule, the fare – tell us, and the note gets an entry.