Moon sighting
The crescent of Ramadan and Eid is sought here.
Qhairy — CC BY 4.0 · Theo.Vilein — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Chongkian — CC BY-SA 3.0 · NR182 — CC BY-SA 4.0
A 165.5-metre telecommunications tower, the tallest structure in Kedah and the third-tallest tower in Malaysia, opened in 1997. It can be seen from all over the city, and at night it glows with coloured lights. The tower has a role few visitors would guess: it is an official crescent-moon observatory, from which the new moon of Ramadan, Shawwal and Dhu al-Hijjah is sought to fix the start of the months and the Eid holidays. Visitors have a glassed-in observation deck at 88 metres and, above it, an open-air deck at 105 metres, with views over the city and the green rice fields as far as the hills on clear days. A ticket for the indoor deck is about ten ringgit per adult, while the open-air deck costs much more, about thirty-six ringgit. It opens daily from about half past eight in the morning to half past ten at night, and the tower has a restaurant and a souvenir shop. The best time to go up is just before sunset, to see the city in daylight and then watch its lights come on. It is a few minutes' walk from the Zahir Mosque, so combine the two in one outing.
The crescent of Ramadan and Eid is sought here.
At 105 metres.
Views over Kedah's green plains.
Central Alor Setar, a few minutes' walk from the Zahir Mosque
Zahir MosqueKedah's state mosque and one of the oldest and most beautiful mosques in Malaysi6 minutes walk
Kedah Royal MuseumAn old royal palace known as Istana Pelamin, the wedding palace, completed in 177 minutes walk
Kedah State MuseumKedah's main state museum, founded in 1957 as the Kedah History Museum and moved16 minutes walkThe glassed-in indoor deck is cheaper and enough for most visitors; the open deck is higher and pricier, with fresh air and a view without glass.