Northern Region

Kedah and Perlis are the two northern most states of Peninsular Malaysia and together with Penang and Perak make up the states of the northern region. There is a rural feel north of the peninsula and despite development these agricultural states have managed to retain a character of their own.

Perlis – Little Northern Gem

Perlis is Malaysia's smallest state with an area of 795sq km. It is flanked by Thailand in the north and Kedah in the south. Kangar is the capital of Perlis while Arau, 10km away is the Royal town. Historically this state was part of the Kedah sultanate and came under Thai domination at various points. When the Thais conquered Kedah in 1821, the sultan had to accede to Siamese terms and when Kedah was finally restored to him in 1842, Perlis was established as a vassal state. The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 transferred Thai suzerainty over Perlis to the British but during the Japanese occupation, the state was placed under Thai rule. After the Japanese surrender, Perlis once again came under British protection until it gained independence in 1957. One of Perlis’ attraction is its caving adventure:

Caving
- Kelam Cave

Kedah – The Ricebowl of Malaysia

Kedah Darul Aman has an area of 9425sqkm and has a population of more than 1.5 million people. Primarily agricultural, Kedah offers a pleasing rural landscape which can take on different hues depending on the seasons of padi. The countryside is greenest when the newly planted padi is sprouting, turns a golden yellow at harvest time and turns into a brown, earthy hue after the harvest. It appears that much may be hidden under the rolling plains of rice, for Kedah was once the cradle of an ancient civilisation, the threads of which are just beginning.to emerge from slow excavation of various historical sites found in the state. Alor Setar is the capital of Kedah and the seat of government and royalty. It is also the main commercial centre of the state. Recorded history shows that in the 5th century AD traders plying the east-west trade route stopped at the port of Kuala Muda, using Gunung Jerai, Kedah's highest peak, as a navigational point. The ruins of ancient Candi (temples) in the Bujang Valley show that a Hindu-Buddhist civilisation existed here and may have been one of the first places to have come into contact with Indian traders. During the 7th and 8th centuries, Kedah paid tribute to the Sumatran Srivijaya empire. After the decline of the empire, it became a vassal state of the Thais until the 15th Century. The Thais handed Kedah over to the British in 1909, and after the Japanese occupation, it became one of the states of the Malayan Union and subsequently the Federation of Malaya in 1948. Kedah has some great nature offerings such as Langkawi, the most well-known island on the peninsula and other hot spots namely:

Mountain Climbing
- Mount Jerai (1217m)

Angling
- Perak Island, Langkawi Island (Sea Fishing)

Scuba Diving
- Payar Island
- Segantang Island
- Langkawi Island
- Kaca Island
- Lembu Island

Penang – Pearl of the Orient

Penang, often referred to as the Pearl of the Orient is one of the most picturesque and romantic cities of the East. Located on the north-west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Penang received its name from the Pinang or Betel Nut tree once commonly found on the island. Established as the first British trading post in the Far East in 1786, Penang today is a bustling metropolis reflecting a uniquely exotic blend of East and West. On Penang island is the capital Georgetown, a city steeped in history and tradition yet sparkling with progress and modern development. Certain sections of Penang present a quaint picture from the past where narrow side streets, trishaws, temples and traders plying their goods, seem to belong to a forgotten era. Penang is a shoppers' paradise for goods old and new, at bargain prices. There is a wide, competitive choice of cameras, electronic and electrical goods, clothing, batik, souvenirs, antiques and knick-knacks. The island also boasts some of the best food in the region, ranging from Nyonya cuisine to stall favourites like nasi kandar, char-kway teow and Penang laksa, which is a different variety from that found in other states.

Captain Francis Light landed on the island in 1786. Light received Penang on behalf of the East India Company by promising the Sultan of Kedah protection against the Siamese. The island was sparsely inhabited when Light arrived and there is a story that he shot pieces of gold out of a cannon into the interior to encourage laborers to clear the land. He renamed the island Prince of Wales Island, as the acquisition happened to occur on the Prince's birthday. In 1805 Penang became a dependency of Bengal. It was later elevated to become a fourth Indian Residency government with an administrative structure similar to that of Madras and Bombay. In 1826 Malacca and Singapore were transferred to Penang and the Residency of the Straits settlements was formed. The economy boomed and Georgetown developed the first English-language school in South-East Asia In 1816. Although mostly known for its cultural and culinary heritage, there’s refuge from the hustle and bustle of Penang at:

Mountain Climbing
- Bendera Hill (Penang Hill) (821m)

Perak – The Silver State

Perak's known civilisation dates back to the 15th century and right up to the 18th century it had a colourful history of politics and power struggles. The first governments were in Bruas and Manjung in the 15th century. The present sultanate of Perak dates back to 1528 when Sultan Muzaffar the eldest son of the last Sultan of Malacca, established his dynasty on the banks of the Perak river. Perak has a scenic undulating landscape. Here and there you will spot pleasant farmland and rustic plantations set against a background of green jungle and rugged limestone hills. Covering some 21,000sq km, Perak lies between Kedah in the north and Selangor in the south. The Main Range cuts across the state of Perak lying in dramatic juxtaposition to the flat plains of the western coastline. Often referred to as a Land of Grace, for its laid-back, timeless beautyThe nearest is Pangkor island, off the coastal town of Lumut, Pangkor's unique island lifestyle offers visitors a variety of experiences and some outstanding beaches. Perak’s main nature attaractions include:

Mountain Climbing
- Mount Korbu (2183m)
- Mount Bubu (1568m)

Bird Watching
- Bukit Larut (Maxwell Hill) (Montane forest)
- Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary (Mangrove forest) 

Caving
- Tempurung Cave, Kampar
- Kundu Cave, Gopeng
- Harimau Cave

White Water Rafting
- Sungkai River

Angling
- Temenggor Lake (Freshwater Fish)
- Chenderoh Lake (Freshwater Fish)

Scuba Diving
- Pangkor Island

Customised from Malaysia Travel Manual - Tourism Malaysia, Ministry of Tourism