Tengku Tengah Zaharah Mosque

Completed in 1995 at Kuala Ibai on the edge of Kuala Terengganu, this was the first mosque in Malaysia built to float - meaning built on a platform in a man-made lagoon fed by the river, so that from the bank the white building appears to stand directly on the water. The style is a mix of modern and Moorish, white throughout with a large ribbed dome, arcaded galleries and a minaret, and the reflection in still water is the whole point of the composition. It is named for the mother of the sultan of Terengganu. Compared with the Crystal Mosque a few kilometres away it is plainer, less of an attraction and much quieter, which is a fair reason to prefer it. Sunset and the hour after are when it looks best.

What you actually see

• A mosque on a lagoon - built out over water so it reads as floating.
• A white ribbed dome - with arcaded galleries and a single minaret.
• Reflections in still water - the composition the design was built around.
• A quiet alternative - far less visited than the Crystal Mosque nearby.

When to go

All year; sunset for the reflection. An hour.

Honest expectations

Closed to visitors at prayer times and around Friday midday. Robes required and provided. Wind ruins the reflection. There is little else at the site.

Nearby

The Crystal Mosque and Islamic Heritage Park are a few kilometres north.