FINAL VERSION FOR APPROVAL - Sdn Bhd - WWF Malaysia

Gunung Stong State Park Preliminary Management Plan
Tourism in Kelantan could be due to the following:
• Rustic appeal
As other parts of the peninsula become more developed, there is greater yearning among
domestic tourists for the rustic village lifestyle with its closely-knit community values and
the association of Kelantan as a heartland of Malay culture. Foreign tourists in Peninsular
Malaysia also visit Kelantan for its rustic charm.
• Proximity to Thailand
Those domestic tourists who visit Kelantan also make it a point to shop at the border
towns of Rantau Panjang and Pengkalan Kubur, and sometimes, side incursions into
Thailand. Foreign visitors with longer stays in Thailand enter Penang or Kota Bharu, for
their visa renewals, before re-entering Thailand. Also, ethnic-Malay Thais, enter
Kelantan to work (or on their way to work in other states), and before expiry of the travel
visas, return to Thailand. (These migrant workers are erroneously reported as tourists).
• Pulau Perhentian
The allure of Pulau Perhentian attracts backpackers to enter Kelantan, stay in Kota Bharu
before continuing to Kuala Besut and the islands. It is no coincidence that occupancy
rates in guest-houses and cheap hotels rise during the summer periods of April to August,
corresponding to the peak season for foreign tourists at Pulau Perhentian. For domestic
tourists, they travel direct to Kuala Besut (and not to Kota Bharu), before proceeding to
Pulau Perhentian.
Tourism is an increasingly important contributor to the state economy, and there are
indications that it may achieve RM1 billion (3 million visitors) by the end of the decade. It
depends on the state government on how best to capitalise on this, and develop a mix of
strategies and policies to keep Kelantan attractive to tourists.
1.5.5 Weather
The climate in Malaysia is Tropical Equatorial, characterised by high humidity, high
temperatures, and constant rain, with some variations depending on the location. States in the
extreme north-west (Perlis, parts of Kedah and Langkawi) experience a markedly tropical
monsoonal influence.
There are basically four weather periods in Kelantan: Inter-monsoon (September-October),
north-east monsoon (November-February), inter-monsoon (March-May), and the south-west
monsoon (June-August).
The inter-monsoon period between the south-west monsoon and the north-east monsoon is
characterised by localised, late afternoon thunderstorms and lightning, followed by occasional
high winds, and high sea waves. The north-east monsoon brings rain that can sometimes last
several days, interspersed with a few days of calm weather. This is the flood season, where
heavy rains in the highlands coupled with the strong seas (3-5 m) inundate the lowlands.
There is another period between the north-east and the south-west monsoon, where it is hot
and dry, and drought is common during this time. The onset of the south-west monsoon
brings respite from the heat, with rain in the afternoons and evenings.
Table 1.6 provides the mean annual temperatures from 1994 to 2004.
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