One of Langkawi's most revered legends depicts the story of Mahsuri, said to be the most beautiful woman in her village before she was wrongly accused of adultery and sentenced to death. With her last breath, Mahsuri cursed the island with bad luck for 7 generations. The end of the curse coincided with the beginning of Langkawi's tourism boom and economic prosperity.
Kota Mahsuri is a historical and cultural complex dedicated to portraying traditional village life in Mahusri's time. It is the site of her final resting place, located in her former village. Set against thriving rice fields, the complex includes cultural displays, a museum, and a theatre, as well as a reconstruction of Mahsuri's house, the well said to be the source of her beauty, and of course, her tomb.
Start your visit with cultural displays including traditional dance, musical instruments called caklempong, a local game called congkak, live plays, and a batik workshop where you can paint your own batik masterpiece.
Next, visit the Mahsuri museum to read the martyr's tragic story, watch a movie depicting her life, and see the series of disasters that befell Langkawi following her death. The museum houses Mahsuri's original tombstone, as well as jewelry, weapons, and household items belonging to her family.
Finally, wander around the stilted wooden village to see Mahsuri's final resting place and examples of local architecture and farming equipment. You can even draw water from Mahsuri's well which is said to contain healing properties - the supposed source of the heroine's famed beauty.
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Price
International: Adult: RM10 (USD$2.25), Children (3-12): RM5 ($1.12), Mykad holder: Adult: RM5 ($1.12), Child: RM2.50 ($0.56)
Hours
9am-5pm7 days
Look Around
Who Will Like Kota Mahsuri
Culture Buff
Learn the fascinating legend of Mahsuri at the museum and decide whether you think her curse influenced Langkawi's past. Walk through reconstructed and restored homes from Mahsuri's time and delve into Malay culture by sampling local sweets and having a go at batik painting.
Fun Expert
Learn the fascinating legend of Mahsuri at the museum and decide whether you think her curse influenced Langkawi's past. Walk through reconstructed and restored homes from Mahsuri's time and delve into Malay culture by sampling local sweets and having a go at batik painting.
Wellness Pursuer
Buy bottles of water from Mahsuri's well to see if it really was the source of her beauty. Alternatively, visit the onsite shop to purchase sea-cucumber-based beauty products, said to have anti-aging properties.
Bucketlist Bandit
Watch an exhibition of Silat Melayu - an authentic local martial art requiring strength, balance, and control. This is one of the only places it can be found in Langkawi.
Insider Tips For Kota Mahsuri
- Read the legend of Mahsuri before your visit to better understand the sights.
- Batik painting costs RM20 (USD$4.50) per person to paint a small picture to take home. A professional batik artist will show you what to do.
- The museum includes a movie on Mahsuri's life that plays on a loop in a series of languages. Alternate languages show English subtitles.
- A live play runs at 11am & 2pm each day and costs RM1 (USD$0.22) per person. Actors wear traditional outfits and depict Mahsuri's story. The play is only in Bahasa Malaysia, not English, but if you read the story and visit the museum beforehand, you should understand what's going on.
- Watch your head when entering Mahsuri's house as the doorframe is very low.
- There is a small play area for children in the outdoor area with traditional games and hopscotch.
Video
How To Get There
Car
Free • A large parking lot is available near the main entrance.
Motorbike
Free parking for scooters and motorbikes in the main parking lot.
Rideshare
Drivers pick up and drop off near the main entrance.
Tech & Photography
Wifi
Public wifi access: None
Photography
Photography allowed: Yesflash is ok
Tripod allowed: Not encouraged
Selfie sticks allowed: Yes
Best time to shoot: Late Morning
Tips: Photography is not allowed in some areas of the museum - keep an eye out for signage. For fast-paced action shots during the Silat Melayu exhibition, use shutter priority mode at a speed of at least 1/400 sec. Capturing close-up facial expressions of the play is best done with a telephoto zoom lens - 200mm is ideal. All guests are welcome to take photos with the cast at the end of the play.
Drones
Drones allowed: No
Bags
Backpacks allowed: Yes
Secured bag lockers available: No
Food & Drink
There is a small onsite café selling drinks and snacks. Some small food venders selling traditional cakes are located near Mahsuri's house.
Backstory
According to the legend, Mahsuri, was the daughter of Thai immigrants and lived in Langkawi between 1762 and 1800. Due to her great beauty, Mahsuri had many suitors but married Wan Darus, the brother of the village chief. Mahsuri gave birth to a son not long before her husband left to fight against invading Siamese. While he was away, local women jealous of Mahsuri's beauty accused her of being unfaithful to her husband with a traveler named Deraman.
Mahsuri pleaded her innocence while tied to a tree while to await her punishment, but she was sentenced to death. However, knives, daggers, and swords could not penetrate her skin, so she told the villagers to kill her with her family's ceremonial keris. She was stabbed and white blood flowed, signifying her innocence. With her dying breath, Mahsuri cursed Langkawi with bad luck for 7 generations.
Following Mahsuri's death, Langkawi did indeed experience bad luck, including invading armies and natural disasters from droughts to floods. The seventh-generation from Mahsuri's curse passed at the same time the island experienced a tourism boom and an end to economic hardships, causing many to believe in Mahsuri's curse.
Kota Mahsuri was founded in 1983 and was one of Langkawi's first tourist attractions.
Etiquette
- Remove your shoes before entering the traditional-style houses.
- Be quiet and respectful around Mahsuri's gravesite.
- Talk during the play, dances, or movie.
- Touch exhibits in the museum.
Scorecard
- Informative museum with posters and items that portray the story of Mahsuri.
- Variety of cultural activities to understand village life in Mahsuri's time.
- Exquisite batik paintings and clothing available for sale.
- Live play depicting Mahsuri's life is not in English.
Oh, you're so close
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But that's ok! You're welcome to join the cool club for free.
Joining only takes a minute and it's... um... free! Plus you get other perks like badges, points, and unicorns.
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