Hotels in Kuala Kangsar Town

Kuala Kangsar is a district in itself and at the same time, also a royal town of the state of Perak, Malaysia. It is located 25 kilometres north from the state capital, Ipoh and 98 kilometres south from George Town, Penang. The town lies on the downstream of the Kangsar River where it meets Perak River. From the historical point of view, Sultan Yusuf Sharifuddin Mudzaffar Shah who ruled Perak from 1877 to 1887 decided to build his first royal place, “Istana Sri Sayong”, nearby the riverbank. This is unconventional to the practices back then where the royal palaces would be built from a carefully selected vantage points in order to scout enemy from afar. Later, there is the problem of the force of the monsoon seasons, since the water flowed from the jungle would eventually flood the palace considering its close location to the riverbank. After a major flood called the Big Flood which occurred in 1926, decisions are made to move the palace to its current location which remains till this day. Kuala Kangsar has always been the place where the Sultan of Perak resides, being the Perak’s royal seat since the 18th century. It is also used to be the capital of Perak until 1876 when Ipoh is appointed as the new capital following the rapid development of the tin industry which is centered in Ipoh. Due to the rise of Ipoh and Taiping as major mining towns in the 1890s, Kuala Kangsar became slightly eclipsed, nonetheless it remains as an attractive Malay royal capital till this day.

How to Get There

By Car

People driving from Kuala Lumpur may drive via North-South Highway/E1 for immediate access to the township of Kuala Kangsar. The journey could take up to two hours and thirty minutes depending on the current traffic situation.

By Train

From Kuala Lumpur International Airport, visitors can catch the Express Rail Link (ERL) train which goes to KL Sentral/Bandar Tasik Putrajaya/Cyberjaya/Salak Tinggi/KLIA route. There, one can board the Electric Train Services (ETS) northbound coach and stop by the Kuala Kangsar station.

By Bus

The Kuala Kangsar express bus terminal is located at Persiaran Bendahara. Take the direct trip from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) terminal using express bus services such as Transnasional Express and Maju Express.

Tourist Attractions

Ubudiah Mosque

Being the royal mosque of the Perak state, Ubudiah Mosque is ranked high as one of the country’s most beautiful mosque, with a golden dome and minarets providing a magnificent sight from afar as well as the Indo-Saracenic style architecture. Designed by Arthur Benison Hubback, the mosque is built in 1913 during the rule of Sultan Idris Murshidul Adzam Shah I, the 28th ruler of Perak and commissioned on his royal order. The Sultan vowed that he would like to build a mosque of great beauty as a sign of gratefulness for his recovery from a plaguing disease. The construction works completed four years later at a cost of RM200, 000 – a figure that is considered very high for that time.

Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery

Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery is a gallery that houses and displays the history and milestones of the illustrious life of Sultan Azlan Shah, thus providing insights into the Perak Royal family. Originally, this building was built in 1898 and completed in 1903 to be used as a residence of Sultan Idris Shah I and was known as the Ulu Palace. The creation of the gallery came from the idea of Sultan Azlan Shah and approved by the Perak State Government in 2001. The gallery is later opened in 2003 after ongoing construction works for two years.

Hotels

Golden Roof Hotel Kuala Kangsar

A decent hotel situated in Jalan Dato Sagor. A clean and minimalistic two-star hotel with basic facilities such as satellite cable television, shower, desk and WiFi.

Blue Star Hotel Kuala Kangsar

A budget hotel in First Floor, Jalan Chulan with modest atmosphere and accommodations with rates that are kind to the budget.