Pasar Besar Payang @ Payang Central Market, Kuala Terengganu

You want some action? Then come to Kuala Terengganu's Central Market or locally known as Pasar Besar Payang @ Pasar Payang. You can see all kind of activities here from people unloading goods and merchandises from the lorries, buyers haggling prices, people window shopping, the smell of variety of fruits, vegetables and produces, traffic jams and also hustle and bustle of people hurrying to their destinations.

Before Pasar Besar Payang existed, there once had two big market. One was called “Pasar Tanjung” (The Cove Market), which was known by the locals as “Pasar Kedai Hilir” (Downstream River Market) and the other was called “Pasar Payang”. The market was called Pasar Payang because “perahu payang” (a kind of traditional Terengganu boat) always anchored by the market and unloads all the seafood caught at the sea directly to the market as the market located besides the river. Between the two market, Pasar Tanjung had the most occupiers and traders run their business every day. During those time almost all the traders are Malay and the rest are Indian who sells large variety of spices, herbs and other household items. A long row of shops, cafes, textile shops, goldsmiths, silversmiths and others can be found along the alleyway stretching from north to south.

Approaching the 60’s, Pasar Payang Kuala Terengganu were modified and enlarged. All the old building were replaced with new concrete buildings. After rebuilding project completed, many peddlers, traders and shop owners either from Pasar Tanjung or other markets moved to the new Pasar Payang.

During the late 70’s, Pasar Tanjung becoming quiet and deserted after the government ordered all traders to move to Pasar Payang which were later renamed Pasar Besar Payang. Pasar Tanjung were redeveloped into a food courts. This area were officiated and renamed Taman Selera Tanjung (The Cove Food Court).