Bank Kerapu (War Museum)

Bank Kerapu was built by Mercantile Bank in 1912, on a land that apparently belongs to Nik Yusof, a renowned local chieftain. It is also believed to be the first stone. In 1941, during the Pacific War (1941-1945), Japanese troop landed near Kota Bahru. During the occupation, Bank Kerapu was used by the Japanese as their ‘Kempen Tai’, which is a secret police station for war coordination. Upon the fall of Japan and the return of British, Bank Kerapu continued to function as bank until 1992, when it was turn into a war memorial by the Kelantan Museum Corporation. It houses more than 1,000 exhibits relating to the war and a mixture of Japanese tool used during the occupation, including Japanese bicycle. Photographs, articles and artifacts in this memorial can bring you back to 1912 using your imagination.

There are many more attractions in Kota Bahru for you to experience the Kelantanese lifestyle. Thorough visits can take more than 3 full days and a compact tour will take 2 full days. There are many hotels available for short and long stay and Kelantan hotel ranges from RM 100-300 per night for short stay.