Kota Bharu's famous central market is a four-storey landmark and the social hub of the city. The ground floor is a wet market selling fresh fish, meat, fruits, and vegetables — the Kelantan coast is nearby and the fish is excellent. Upper floors are devoted to dried fish, spices, batik, Kelantan's famous keropok lekor (fish crackers), and woven textiles. Virtually all the vendors are women, a local tradition so deeply embedded that it has its own social logic.
Come early — the market is at its best between 6am and 10am, when the produce is freshest and the atmosphere most electric. The building itself, painted a cheerful yellow, is a landmark of Kota Bharu's skyline.