Kotabharu practical information is important to know before making a visit.

Kotabharu means ‘new castle.’ It is the capital of State of Kelantan. It is on the eastern coast at the mouth of River Kelantan.

Population

Kotabharu is the eleventh city in the list of populated cities on the eastern coast. It encompasses about a 152-square-mile area. The population is 700,000 with the density of 3794 per square mile. The literacy rate is quite good here. It is above 90 percent and the tele-density is above 50 percent. You can enjoy the good coverage of mobile here and Internet connectivity is also not a problem in the region.

Religion and Languages

Most of the groups are Islamic here, while others include Chinese, Indian and Thai people as well. The major business experts belong to Muslim community in the region. The official language in the city is Malay (called as Bahasa Melayu). It is widely spoken here with a heavy Sabahan accent. The diverging English called  Manglish, locally, is spoken as well. It is similar to Singlish of Singapore. However, English is promoted by the local government and made mandatory in the primary schools and in official communications.

Weather

The temperature here ranges from 22 degree C to 32 degree C. The temperature remains almost the same throughout the year. The rain falls here from September to December. You can rarely see the complete clear sky in the normal days of the year.

Currency

The currency widely accepted here is Ringgit (RM). It has 100 sen. The currency notes like RM 1 to RM 100 are available widely here. The exchange rate varies close to $1 to 3.40 RM.

Note

If you are planning your visit to Kotabharu for travel or for business purposes, you need a tourist visa or business visa, respectively. The international driving license is required here to travel. The precaution against the tropical illness is required in the city prior to visiting here. Take extra care and move about in groups.