Kangar, The name being derived from a species of hawk named Kangkok or Spizaetus Limnaetu is the state capital. A small and low-lying town, set amidst a vast expanse of green padi fields that turn a golden yellow at harvest time. Although new buildings can be seen, Kangar retains much of its old world charm with people trading mainly in seafood, rice, sugar, mangoes and other local fruits.

A small town, with everything within walking distance, downtown Kangar is a mixture of old and new shop-houses, The centre of Kangar is Sena Province, dubbed as 'Uptown Sena'. The most significant landmark in Kangar is the beautiful Masjid Alwi. Other attractions in the town include the museum and the elegant colonial State Secretariat building and clock tower from the 1930s. The Putra Palace Hotel is the foremost among the state�s accommodation facilities.


Masjid Alwi
The major landmark of the town is the state mosque, Masjid Alwi. Built in 1910, it is situated along Jalan Kangar in Kangar. With its beautiful Moorish style, it used to be the State Mosque and is also known as Masjid Kangar (Kangar Mosque). The new state mosque is presently the gold domed mosque located in the royal capital of Arau.


The Perlis State Museum
Built towards the end of the 19th century, it was once the residence of the Raja of Perlis, Raja Syed Salim and then the building became the official residence of the state British Advisors. The first British Advisor, Mr. Meadow Frost and his successors resided in the house until the Second World War in 1941. From 1941 until 1943, the building was taken over by Japanese Military Administration, while from 1943 until 1945, the Thai Military Government took over the building. After Independence, the building became the Perlis Chief Minister's official residence and later became popularly known as Rumah Tetamu (Guest House) after it was vacated by the
Chief Minister in early 1980s.


In 1991, the building was demolished to make way for the construction of the present State Museum, which is structurally identical to the old building. It now displays the history of Perlis under the ruling of Siam's, British and The Japanese and up to the present time.
Location � From Kangar town, take Jalan Kolam, heading
 eastward until you reach Jalan Tun Abdul Razak.
The museum is located near the junction



Arau