Discover Kedah 2016 - Keriang Hill

Gunung Keriang Hill Resort is located at the foothills of a limestone hill on the flat plain of Kedah, the Rice Bowl of Malaysia. It reached a height of 217.92 metre above sea level and has a folklore attached to it.

At Keriang Hill Resort, visitors can view sample of Malay traditional houses.

The mythological legend was that the hill was actually a ship carrying a royal bride who refused to marry the Sang Gedembai and cursed into stome. The hill has caves and in the olden days, community around the hill used to borrow tablewares and cooking utensils from the caves to hold the kenduri or feasts but now all had turned into stones because of the bad habits and attitude of those who had borrowed them.

Today Gunung Keriang or Keriang Hill has a few attractions around the foothills including the Muzium Padi, Aquatic Complex, National Science Centre, Recreational Centre and two Resorts.

Arial view of Keriang Hill and its surrounding attractions

One of the resort is the Keriang Hill Resort and recently it hosted a three days AOR Festival 2015. The chalets at Keriang Hill Resort are traditional Malay houses and guest can experience staying in one of these.

AOR Festival 2015 was officiated by Kedah's Menteri Besar , Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.

The Menteri Besar showing his skill hitting the drum during the opening ceremony after officiating it.

It was a display and promotion fest by local artists peddling their home made arts products including books most of them not found in popular bookstalls and new brand name casual wears. Among the participants that I see anchor the displays are the group from Projek Rabak, displaying books from different publications such as,

 Among the attractions during the fest was the presence of the Helang Merah football players who emerged Champion of the 2015 Super League and together with them is the coveted cup that they had won.

After officiating the event, the Menteri Besar made a visit to the open air stalls and mingle with the crowd.

DS Mukhriz presented with a potrait of himself and his father Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammed, the Fouth Prime Minister of Malaysia, during his walkabout to visit the displays.

Datuk Seri Mukhriz appeared on stage for a few minutes to voice out his views and opinion about the challenges of Arts development with time. In future media social that is the in thing of today might be something obsolete.

To keep a momento of my visit to the AOR Festival 2015, I bought a book Travelog My Traveler

by Meor Farid Asyradi

If you plan to visit Alor Setar during the Discover Kedah 2016, you can list down Gunung Keriang on your itenary. If you want to experience the secluded resort at the foot of the hill or stay in Alor City, about 1/2 an hour away, depends on your choice. However do not misss the Museum Padi next to the Keriang Hill Resort or/and the National Science Centre across the fence of the museum. 

If you stay at Keriang Hill Resort, you can make an appointment to try out scuba diving at Baie Scuba Centre located within the proximity of the Kedah Aquatic Complex nearby. Experience scuba diving in a safe environment because its not the open sea but just a diving pool for first timer scuba divers and attended by a qualified open sea scuba trainer. 

Rumah Seri Banai and Rumah Tok Su @ Kampung Warisan Melayu

If you want to visit a sample of the traditional Malay house, you don't have to go to the kampungs in search of it since you can visit the Malay Heritage Village (Kampung Warisan Melayu) in Alor Setar City.

Muzium Negeri Kedah had preserved two traditional heritage houses Rumah Seri Banai and Rumah Tok Su and put on display at Jalan Lumba Kuda off Jalan Anak Bukit. 

Rumah Tok Su's original site was at Kampung Permatang Kerat Telunjuk in Bandar Baharu about 200 km south of Alor Setar City while Rumah Seri Banai from Kampung Banai, Mukim Pelubang in the district of Kubang Pasu. 

Rumah Seri Banai

Rumah Seri Banai is a sample of Rumah Kedah with elongated roof. The owner of the house was Tuan Hj Saad bin Taib, the headman of Mukim Pelubang who stayed with his wife Hajjah Saodah binti Ahmad. It was built by Tok Bakar, a local house builder and most of the timber used for building the house were of Meranti nd Temak wood. 

The house too has a history if its own whereby the ground level was formerly used as a Community school. The teacher was Cikgu Ahmad, who was a clerk of Tuan Haji Saad. This community school was later relocated to Kepala Batu and named as Sekolah Seri Banai. 

It was donated to Universiti Utara Malaysia when the temporary campus was at Tanah Merah near Jitra. The house was named Seri Banai after her original location.

Rumah Tok Su

The house covers an area of 1,700 square feet and has 34 pillars. It included six main halls comprising the varendah, the main hall called Rumah Ibu Berbumbung  Potongan Belanda dan Beranjung, the Middle Hall, Ruang Selang, the kitchen and the platform. 

The house was once the dwelling of the village headman, Encik Noor. The 100 years house was originally owned by Tuan Haji Mahmud, a local wealthy man who owned many properties in the village. Tuan Haji Mahmud is Encik Noor's father and Tok Su is his youngest child. 

When the Japanese surrendered in World War II, before the arrival of the British, the Communist took the opportunity to harass the villagers. The villagers then held a meeting in the house and decided to start an organization called "Barisan Pemuda " to counter the harassments.

Both houses has the the traditional masterpiece of Malay house decorated with Bunga Kerawang  unique of the Malay art of carvings implemented in the architectural decorations. 

The idea to relocate and preserve both houses was made by former Menteri Besar of Kedah Tan Sri Sanusi Junid (1995-1999) for future generations to witness the high carving skills and Malay architecture. 

Both houses also depicts the dwelling privacy in the Malay culture with different segments depicted in the layout compared to modern day houses. 

Since its opening, both house has been used as location settings for documentaries, film and dramas by local TV stations and and production house from local and abroad. 

Rumah Seri Banai and Rumah Tok Su also displays antiques that was once domestic items used by locals in their homes. 

How To Go

Driving from Alor Setar City Centre, take Lebuhraya Darulaman on the borthbound (Airport / Jitra / Kerpala Batas) direction. The houses is on the right next to Wisma Darulaman and before Kedah Medical Centre

The house is open to visitors everyday from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.


Read more about the to house HERE and HERE

For further Details Contact;

Lembaga Muzium Negeri Kedah Darul Aman,
Lebuhraya Darul Aman,
Bakar Bata,
05100 Alor Setar,
Kedah Darul Aman.

Tel : 04-733 1162

Faks : 04-730 5100