In short
- Mainland Kedah is reached by road. Langkawi needs a ferry or flight for people and kit.
- Alor Setar's heritage and royal buildings come with their own permissions.
- In Kulim, company premises set the filming rules, not the event organiser.
- Ask the venue early about drone approval, rain and camera positions.
Kedah has three kinds of filming day: a heritage or town venue, a company or village site, and an island. Each one changes how the crew arrives and what you ask the venue.
Which setting is your event in?
| Setting | Typical events | Key question | Place page |
|---|---|---|---|
| State capital and royal heritage core | Weddings, state and company functions | Who approves cameras at the mosque, palace or hall? | Alor Setar |
| Second-largest town, on the road and rail line towards Penang | Family, school and community events | Which venues are on the day, and how far apart? | Sungai Petani |
| Industrial district beside Penang | Annual dinners, family days, factory events | Is the venue public or company-controlled? | Kulim |
| Northern district town near Perlis and the Thai border | Weddings, kenduri, temple and community events | Are the ceremony and the reception in the same place? | Jitra |
| Wide rural district in the east | Kenduri, village and school events | Exact compound, power and shelter | Baling |
| Ferry terminal on the way to the island | Guests and crew crossing to Langkawi | Which crossing, and when? | Kuala Kedah |
| Island | Destination weddings, resort and convention events | How do crew and kit get there? | Langkawi |
What changes when the event is on Langkawi?
Treat it as an outstation job, even if your family lives in Kedah. According to one travel guide, ferries reach Kuah from Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah, and flights come in from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Tell us your route and we confirm ours. The Langkawi page covers resorts, the convention centre and weather.
For a drone, CAAM (Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia) asks for standard applications at least 14 working days before the activity. Read planning lead time for a drone application before you promise aerial shots to guests.
What changes on the mainland?
In Alor Setar, the Balai Besar and Zahir Mosque stand in the same heritage area, and both have their own rules. In Kulim, the Hi-Tech Park is run by a state-owned developer and sites inside can have controlled entry. Elsewhere the questions are the usual ones: power, sound feed and who runs the schedule. Our venue questions cover them.
Speeches in Kedah may switch between Malay, Mandarin, Hokkien, Tamil and English. Tell us which languages to expect, so we place microphones and plan multilingual speech properly.
What do we settle with you before the date?
- The venue, and who gives permission for an outside crew.
- Which moments must be filmed in full.
- For Langkawi, how crew and kit cross, and the arrival day.
- Whether a drone is wanted and who applies.
- A rain plan for outdoor moments.
Where else do Kedah events connect?
Crews and guests also pass through neighbouring states. Perlis holds the Kuala Perlis jetty, and Penang sits next to Kulim and Sungai Petani. Write your needs in the video brief builder and send it with the venue and date for event videography. The outstation filming budget worksheet lists what moves the quote, and the guide on local or travelling crew explains the trade-offs.
Tell us the venue and date, and whether it is on the mainland or Langkawi. We confirm the crew and what travel is involved.
Ask about coverage hereSources
- Langkawi Development Authority, Profile, checked 2026-10-06
- CAAM, Unmanned Aircraft System, checked 2026-10-06
- Langkawi Book, How to get to Langkawi, checked 2026-10-10
- Free Malaysia Today, Alor Setar heritage trail, checked 2026-10-10
- MIDA, Kulim Hi-Tech Park expansion, checked 2026-10-10
Checked on the date shown. Rules and venue requirements change, so confirm them for your own event.