Even if you never thought of going to Perlis, maybe it’s time to rethink. It’s a small state, but it’s beautiful, with a blend of padi fields and limestone outcrops and the hills along the north eastern border. With the state inviting visitors with their ‘Visit Perlis 2024/25’, the locals are ready to welcome you with some pretty decent places to stay and great places to eat. You need to eat and sleep and we share the low-down on both, after spending four days there recently.
Eat and sleep where?
We were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the accommodation and the care put in to their design and finishing. These are new entrepreneurs and co-operatives of kampung folk, with big ideas, enthusiasm and the support of the Perlis arm of Suruhanjaya Koperasi Malaysia (Malaysian Cooperative Commission).
Whether you want to Relax in the padi fields, Combine tech with ‘Hello Kitty’, Go for comfort and convenience, Save with Basic budget, or stick with Traditional with a pool, we’ve got something for you.
Likewise the food, all the meals were Halal, a mix of seafood, traditional Malay cooking and the Perlis version of ‘Western’. They’re all located in our Google Map below, which you can open in a new page by clicking on the [ ] in the right hand corner.
Where to sleep?
We only stayed in two of the places , but we visited the other three and had a good look around. Here’s what we discovered.
JJE Ujung Bukit
1, Jalan Utama, Homestay,
Kampung Ujung Bukit,
01000 Kangar
Phone: 011-3551 6001
+6010-8036001
Facebook
Website
Email: [email protected]
We really loved the atmosphere in Unjung Bukit. All the chalets were occupied, so we weren’t able to look inside, but the surroundings are so peaceful and ‘Instaworthy’ we were busy taking photos. They are suitable for a large or small group of family or friends, or company team building events.
JJE Unjung Bukia and Al Ameen Boutique Hotel are both run by the Koperasi Al-Ameen Perlis Berhad. Al-Ameen is a joint development between a techie developer and an interior designer, both drawing on their strengths. Their most recent venture has just opened for visitors
Al Ameen Boutique Hotel
Lorong Kekabu,
off Jln Kaki Bukit,
Taman Beseri Indah,
Kangar
Phone / Whatsapp: +60 10-786 3007
Contact them via email: [email protected] or through their website.
The owners of Koperasi (co-op) Al Ameen took over an existing business and renovated it into an 11 room hotel, using different themes in each room, all of which have their own bathroom and some with connecting doors. The hotel is tech-driven. There’s no reception desk, access is by QR code scan at the entrance and visual ID, whereby guests are given a QR code to access the hotel’s premises and rooms. All rooms have a smart tv and access to youtube. But you have to note, that there’s no lift and the staircase is quite steep.
The hotel is close to attractions like Wang Kelian viewpoint to the north west, and the Padang Besar shopping hub northwards along the main road. Rates begin at MYR100 per night per room and travellers will be introduced to Perlis’ ecotourism attractions. There’s no in-house restaurant, but the neighbourhood is well supplied with small restaurants and roadside hawker stalls.
201 -Modern luxury (queen bed)RM 120
202- Hello Kitty (queen bed) RM120
204-Rustic Cozy (twin bed) Industrial RM 100
205- Rainforest (double gueen bed);RM 200
206-Cozy Industrial (queen bed+sofa bed) RM 150
207-Avengers(twin bed) RM120
All In Hotel
NO. 33 Persiaran Jejawi Utara,
Kompleks Perniagaan Jejawi,
Arau 02600 Perlis
Phone: +60 4-977 8599
Contact them by email: [email protected] or through their website.
Check-in : 3:00 pm Check-out : 12:00 pm
Set in a roadside commercial area, the All In Hotel is 11 km from the Kota Kayang local history Museum in Perlis, close to the Colourful Kampung and all the seafood restaurants. Arau Royal railway station is 6 km away, so getting there by ride hire is not difficult or expensive. There is a cafe with a connecting door into the reception, but it is not clear if it is also part of the hotel.
LS Village Hotel
The LS Village Hotel is owned by Koperasi Felcra Lubuk Sireh and offer 23 rooms ranging from dormitory style to Standard (one double, one single bed) or Deluxe (two double beds) rooms with ensuite bathrooms. The hotel has been open since 2018 after the cooperative purchased the building and developed it from scratch, with more passion than initial expertise. They are proud to admit that they are ‘learning as they go’ and post-COVID, occupancy has steadily picked up.
As the hotel is quite close to Padang Besar, it is a convenient and inexpensive option for train travellers and they are able to arrange to collect guests from the Padang Besar ETS station. Prices range between RM80 and RM150.
Hotel Seri Malaysia, Kangar
8101 Mukim Utan Aji,
Persiaran Wawasan,
Taman Budaya,
01000 Kangar
Tel :+604 977 1777 Fax: +604 977 2777
The hotel is in Kangar, the state capital of Perlis though you almost feel you’re out in the country, and 10 minutes’ drive from Bandar DiRaja Arau, the Royal town. There’s also a railway station there if you arrive by train. Hotel Seri Malaysia Kangar is a traditional style hotel in the 1980’s style, with a swimming pool and restaurant. You can enjoy a good Malaysian breakfast, with nasi lemak, porridge, eggs, toast and fruit among the offerings. The surroundings are peaceful and there’s a garden and if you can get to the road behind the hotel, you can climb up to a lookout point about half way up. Get up early to enjoy a beautiful sunrise.
There are a number of places of interest worth visiting while you’re here. Gua Kelam is a limestone cave and former tin mine, and you may pick up something new or tasty at the Wang Kelian Sunday market.
Food – Where to eat
We’ve shared five memorable meals here, Malaysian food Perlis style, Seafood dinners, a Western meal with a twist and a substantial lunch before we left. Nobody could say we didn’t eat and sleep well during our stay!
Sabut Ikan Bakar Restaurant
No 2, Pengkalan Jeti Tok Kuning,
off Jln Dato Ali,
Kampung Kota Kayang,
02000 Kuala Perlis, Perlis
This is quite close to Kota Kayang Museum, a local history and archaeological museum and like the others in Kuala Perlis, not far from the Colourful Kampungs, Kampung Warna-Warni. The food was delicious with a strong Thai influence in the tomyam dishes and a popular dish of curried crab. We ate under the stars beside the estuary, near the moored fishing boats, nicely lit for photographing.
Umar Seafood & Grill
No.PT 5969, Kg Batu Tandiap,
Seberang Ramai,
02000 Kuala Perlis
This restaurant is large and airy, with plenty of parking. You can check out what’s on offer as soon as you walk in, and it’s super fresh. Beautiful fish, crab and other assorted shellfish and sea creatures were on display and they offer a wide range of cooking styles. We tried some of their signature dishes, all of which looked enticing. For me, the standouts were the horseshoe crab with Thai salad and the Malaysian style calamari. Definitely going back for more of these two!
Restoran Nyiru Klasik Ikan Bakar
Changlun – Kuala Perlis Hwy,
Pekan Kuala Perlis,
02000 Kuala Perlis
The food was refreshingly simple the Malay style dishes freshly prepared and served with a variety of different sauces. The curried squid was excellent and the deep fried green eggplant was this writer’s favourite. It didn’t look like much and presentation was ‘plonk on plate’ style, but it was delicious.
This is a busy restaurant with what looks like an extensive menu, based mainly on protein – beef, lamb, chicken and seafood. We had a mixed platter of chicken (two styles) lamb and beef with a side of wedges drizzled with cheese. I found the portions generous, and gave most away, except the crumbed chicken, which was delicious. And a little roasted lamb, which didn’t really need the gravy as it was already tasty.
They do have various menu options, including ‘all you can eat and a ‘kids’ menu’ They offer indoor and outdoor seating options and can cater to large groups.
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