Coming down off the Titiwangsa on the Kelantan side, the jungle slowly loosens its grip. The road drops towards the town of Jeli, rubber and oil palm plantations begin to replace the forest, and kampung houses on stilts appear among fruit trees. Here the highway meets the east coast world: a different dialect, a different cuisine, a more conservative culture, and in Kelantan the weekend falls on Friday and Saturday rather than Saturday and Sunday, which can catch out anyone planning around shop hours.
Near Jeli lies the Pergau Dam, a hydroelectric project built in the 1990s that became famous far beyond Malaysia. Its funding was tied up in a British political scandal over aid and arms deals, and the affair led to a landmark court case in London. Today the lake behind the dam is quiet and green, surrounded by forest, and the road around it makes a pleasant detour. Jeli also has natural hot springs, where locals boil eggs in the water and soak their feet, and the countryside around has waterfalls in the forest.
Kelantan is one of the most distinctive states in Malaysia, with a strong Malay identity and a rich tradition of crafts and performance: kite making and flying, top spinning, batik and songket weaving, and shadow puppetry. The food is a reason to linger. Nasi kerabu, rice tinted blue with butterfly-pea flowers and served with herbs, fish and coconut, is the signature dish, along with nasi dagang and grilled chicken with a sweet, spicy sauce. Roadside stalls in Jeli serve these dishes for a few ringgit.
The highway on this side has long descents with sweeping bends, then flattens out as it approaches the plains. Watch for trucks, motorbikes and livestock, and for elephants in the forest sections, especially at dusk. Jeli has fuel, food and basic accommodation, and Tanah Merah, about thirty-five kilometres further east, is a larger town with more services. From there, the road continues to Kota Bharu and the coast. The monsoon season, from November to February, brings heavy rains and flooding to Kelantan, so March to October is the riding season here.