KOTA BHARU, March 26 — Once a sleepy fishing village with rows of shabby houses, Kampung Sungai Budor, here, is now a spectacular setting to capture great Instagram photos.
Ever since the houses were painted with a rainbow of colours, its rural landscape has changed, bringing an air of freshness and creating a cheerful atmosphere.
Today this charming Instagram-worthy hidden gem featuring houses in rainbow hues is a must-visit location for tourists to the state.
The idea to add colour to this dreary village was mooted by the Kelantan Women’s Association in collaboration with Kota Bharu Municipal Council (MPKB) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in 2018.
A resident, Wan Rosdi Wan Ismail, when met by Bernama said, since the houses in the settlement were painted with vibrant colours, local and foreign tourists have been drawn to the riverside spot.
He said, to date almost 10 village houses have been painted with bright colours and hundreds are waiting in line to add more cheer to the surrounding areas.
“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign tourists from South Korea, Japan, Australia have been visiting the settlement as the unique and magical backdrops have transformed this place into a favourite photography location.
“We are grateful to the parties involved, including the state government, for their efforts in beautifying our homes because with our low income we simply would not be able to afford it,” he said when met at Kampung Sungai Budor, recently.
The 56-year-old barber said the villagers were so thrilled with the project that some, including himself, took the initiative to paint their houses themselves to speed up the process.
Another resident, Wan Nazrul Sham Wan Samat, 23, said the effort had not only revived the tourism sector in the state, but the arrival of tourists in the village to experience local culture and food had helped generate economic opportunities for the locals.
“I plan to open a batik shop at my house early next year to earn some income,” he said adding that some residents have already set up food stalls to cater to the visitors.
Meanwhile, painting contractor supervisor, Azizan Hadi, 45, said under the project, six people have been assigned to paint the houses using seven colours of the rainbow.
“The workers work on the houses from 8am to 6 pm daily and it would take them about one to three days to complete one house, depending on the area to be covered,” he added.
Source: BERNAMA