Buat · Make
Kampung Penambang: Watch Songket and Batik Made by Hand near Kota Bharu
A short ride from central Kota Bharu, on the way toward the coast. Look for the cluster of family workshops and roadside craft houses in Kampung Penambang.
Family-friendly craft village. Modest dress is welcome and appreciated. Surau and mosques sit nearby for prayer times.
Kampung Penambang, just outside Kota Bharu town
Weekday mornings, when looms are busiest and weavers have time to kkecek. Many family workshops slow on Fridays around prayers, so plan around midday.
If Kelantan has a sound at Gelanggang Seni, it has a rhythm here too. Kampung Penambang, just outside Kota Bharu, is where songket and batik are still made by hand, and the soft clack of the handloom is the heartbeat of the village. Kito (we) send guests here when they want to see how the beauty is actually buat (made).
Songket is the headline. Watch a weaver pass gold or silver thread through the warp, line by patient line, and you understand why a single piece can take weeks. Nearby, batik is stamped and hand-drawn, the wax laid down before the colour, every length a little different. Nothing here comes off a faceless machine.
The lovely part is buying direct. When you purchase from the family who wove it, more of the money stays with the maker, and you leave with the real story of your cloth. A scarf, a sampin, a full sarong, there is something at every budget, and the smaller offcuts make sedak (lovely) little keepsakes.
Go on a weekday morning if you can, when the looms are busy and people have time to talk. Dress modestly, it is appreciated, and mind Friday prayer times when some workshops pause. Prices, opening days and which families are weaving can shift, so it is always worth confirming locally before a special trip.
What to buy
- Handwoven songket with gold or silver thread, by the piece or as a sampin
- Block-printed and hand-drawn batik sarongs and lengths
- Smaller offcuts, scarves and trims if you want a lighter, lower-cost keepsake
Good to know
Can we watch the weaving, not just shop?
Yes, that is the joy of Penambang. Many family workshops let you stand and watch the handloom at work. Ask permission first, kkecek a little, and you will usually be welcomed warmly.
Is buying direct cheaper, and can we bargain?
Buying from the makers often means fairer prices and the full story of the piece. Gentle, respectful bargaining is normal, but remember real songket takes weeks to weave, so honour the work.
How do we tell good songket from machine-made?
Hand-woven songket has slight, honest irregularities and threads worked right into the cloth. The weavers are proud to show you, and they love teaching guests, so just ask them to explain.