Kelantan, Northeastern state in Peninsular Malaysia
Kelantan is a state on the northeastern coast of the Malay Peninsula, located between the Thai border and the South China Sea. The landscape alternates between flat coastal plains with sandy beaches, forested hills inland, and wide river valleys with extensive rice paddies.
The region was part of a medieval trade network stretching from India to China and fell under the influence of the Srivijaya empire. Later it came under Siamese rule before becoming a British protectorate in 1909 and finally joining the Malaysian federation in 1957.
The name comes from the local language and refers to the fertile delta of a river that has fed rice fields for centuries. Visitors today still experience lively markets where women sell hand-painted fabrics and fishermen unload fresh catches.
Travelers reach the state through Sultan Ismail Petra Airport in the capital Kota Bharu, which offers regular connections to Kuala Lumpur. The rainy season from November to January brings frequent downpours, while the rest of the year is drier and more comfortable for travel.
In small workshops along the coast, craftsmen build traditional kites from bamboo and rice paper that rise into the sky at annual competitions with diameters of several meters. Some of these kites carry musical instruments that produce humming sounds in the wind.
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