Pasar Payang: A Visitor’s Guide to Kuala Terengganu’s Central Market

Fishmongers at dawn, trays of traditional cakes, batik upstairs and a clock tower reborn: a visitor’s guide to Pasar Payang, the central market of Kuala Terengganu.

Every Malaysian state capital has a central market, but few are as much a part of local life as Pasar Payang in Kuala Terengganu, the capital of Terengganu on the peninsula’s north-east coast. Its full name is Pasar Besar Kedai Payang: pasar besar means “big market”. For decades it has been where fishermen, farmers, cooks and craft sellers meet, and after a long rebuild it now occupies two modern buildings by the Terengganu River.

What’s in a Name

Older traders say the name comes from the perahu payang, the open wooden boats that Terengganu fishermen have used for generations, Sinar Harian reported in March 2024. The market still stands beside the Terengganu River. The name matters to people here. When the federal housing ministry suggested rebranding the new building as “Central Market@Pasar Payang” in February 2024, the state government said it would keep the old name, and traders told the newspaper that visitors already knew it, and that the market had stood in the area since the 1960s.

A Market Rebuilt

According to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), the redevelopment began in August 2017. The first building, Pasar Payang 2, was completed in May 2019 to house traders during construction, and the main two-storey building, Pasar Payang 1, was finished in July 2023 at a federal cost of RM70.03 million (about US$17 million). It has 412 shop lots and 369 trading stalls. The new Pasar Payang 1 opened to visitors in August 2024, reported Utusan Malaysia.

The two halves now have different jobs. The state government positioned Pasar Payang 1 as an arts and tourism market, for batik, silk and other crafts, while Pasar Payang 2 serves as the daily market for fish, meat, vegetables, groceries and snacks. One much-loved detail survived the rebuild: in July 2025, Utusan Malaysia reported that the market’s clock tower, a landmark since 1957, has been rebuilt at 12 metres tall, styled on a traditional Terengganu Malay house and decorated with stork motifs and coloured glass.

What to Eat

Come hungry, and come early. Food stalls in and around the market sell the dishes Terengganu is known for, many of them made the same morning:

• Nasi dagang: the state’s favourite breakfast, rice steamed with coconut milk and served with a tuna curry. Our nasi dagang guide explains it.
• Keropok lekor: chewy fish sausages made from fish and sago flour, fried and eaten with chilli sauce. See our guide to Terengganu’s fish snacks.
• Kuih: traditional bite-sized cakes and sweets, sold by the piece or in small boxes.
• Noodle soups: simple bowls of rice noodles in broth make a quick, cheap breakfast.

The Fish Market

Terengganu is a fishing state, and the seafood section is the market at its liveliest. Early in the morning, fishmongers sort and weigh the night’s catch: mackerel, scad, tuna, squid and prawns. Even if you are not cooking, it is worth a look. Bring small notes, wear shoes you do not mind getting wet, and ask before photographing traders up close.

Crafts Upstairs

After breakfast, move to the craft side. Pasar Payang has long been one of the best places in the state to buy batik and songket (silk woven with gold or silver thread), along with brassware, woven pandanus bags and dried seafood to take home. Compare a few stalls before you buy, and ask whether a batik is hand-drawn or printed. Our guide to Terengganu batik and songket explains what to look for.

Polite bargaining is normal at craft and souvenir stalls, especially if you buy several pieces, but food and fish prices are usually fixed. Many stalls now accept QR-code payments through Malaysian banking apps, though cash is still the safest choice for visitors. If you are flying home, ask stallholders to wrap dried seafood well, and check your own country’s rules on bringing food in.

Planning Your Visit

• Hours: in August 2025, Terengganu’s state tourism chairman gave the market’s normal hours as 8am to 6pm. In June 2026, Utusan Malaysia reported that weekend night opening had been approved by the city council and was expected to start soon. Check locally before planning an evening visit.
• Best time: before 9am for the fish market and breakfast; late morning for crafts.
• Getting there: the market is in the centre of Kuala Terengganu, beside the river. Sultan Mahmud Airport has flights from Kuala Lumpur.
• Dress: Terengganu is a conservative state. Cover shoulders and knees.

What is your first stop at Pasar Payang? Tell us in the comments below.

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