Kuala Kangsar

Kuala Kangsar, Perak, with Timothy Tye (31 January, 2006)


B. Melayu

Kuala Kangsar (GPS: 4.77352, 100.94169) is the Royal Town of the Sultanate of Perak, Malaysia. As a tourist destination, it is best known as the site of Ubudiah Mosque, arguably one of the most beautiful mosques in the country. Kuala Kangsar is located where the Perak River makes a sharp bend. Located on the western bank of the Perak River, at the confluence with Sungai Kangsar, Kuala Kangsar is a beautifully preserved town that is worth exploring, especially for heritage enthusiasts. Within Kuala Kangsar are some of the most charming palaces and mosques in Malaysia.

Map of Kuala Kangsar

Places of Interest in Kuala Kangsar

Streets in Kuala Kangsar

Categories of sights in Kuala Kangsar

Getting there Kuala Kangsar

By Car
The most practical way to reach Kuala Kangsar is by car. Exit the North-South Expressway (E1) at Exit 143.

By Train
The KTM Electric Train Service makes a stop at Kuala Kangsar Railway Station at 12:05 pm from Kuala Lumpur, and at 6:40 pm from Butterworth.

Nearby towns and villages to Kuala Kangsar

Here I am at Istana Ulu, Kuala Kangsar (31 January, 2006)

History of Kuala Kangsar

The name Kuala Kangsar is believed to have come from "Kuala Karong-Sa", which means "99 tributaries", referring to the tributaries that empty into the Perak River. Along the bend of the river, Sultan Yusuf Sharifuddin Mudzaffar Shah (1877-1887) erected his palace, Istana Sri Sayong. This was a strange decision, as the palace was exposed to enemy invasion as well as the unpredictable river.

Even though an invasion did not materialize, its vulnerability to the elements proved to be its undoing when, the Big Flood or Air Bah of 1926 almost swept it away. Only then was a decision made to move the palace to higher ground. The site chosen was a gentle knoll close-by, on which today stands the present residence of the Sultan of Perak, the Istana Iskandariah, a fine piece of Art-Deco architecture.

The royal quarters, which include Istana Iskandariah, Istana Ulu, the Ubudiah Mosque and Istana Kenangan, all stand on one side of Kuala Kangsar, on a knoll called Bukit Chandan away from the rest of town, and separated by a large park along the riverbank called Dataran Sungai Perak.

Pavilion Square Tower, Kuala Kangsar (31 January 2006)


Kuala Kangsar Clock Tower, Kuala Kangsar (31 January 2006)


Kuala Kangsar signboard (24 July 2023)


Confluence of Sungai Kangsar with Sungai Perak (31 January, 2006)

Chronology of Kuala Kangsar Architectural Heritage

The following are dates associated with the major landmarks in Kuala Kangsar:

1877 - First Rubber Tree in Malaya was planted.
1903 - Istana Ulu was built.
1905 - Kuala Kangsar Malay College opened.
1917 - Ubudiah Mosque was built.
1926 - Istana Iskandariah and Istana Kenangan were built.
1930 - Pavilion Square Tower was built.

Near to Kuala Kangsar, across the Perak River, is the village of Sayong which is famous for its water gourds.

Labu Sayong fountain at Istana Ulu, Kuala Kangsar (31 January, 2006)

Kuala Kangsar is on the Map of towns in Perak

Kuala Kangsar on Google Maps Street View

The famed Ubudiah Mosque in Kuala Kangsar

Back to Perak mainpage; list of Towns in Perak and Towns in Malaysia

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About this website

Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

While I try my best to provide you information as accurate as I can get it to be, I do apologize for any errors and for outdated information which I am unaware. Nevertheless, I hope that what I have described here will be useful to you.