It is located around km 16 along the Alor Star–Gurun main trunk road Federal Route 1 at a junction leading to Pendang town.
[citation needed] Another version suggests that the town's name originated during the Kedah Sultanate's construction of defences against Siam.
"[1] Today, the main federal road cuts through the quiet town from Gurun to Alor Setar.
The Wan Mat Saman Aqueduct, a historical canal channelling water to the paddy fields in Kedah since colonial days, also passes through the town centre.
Although the construction of the North–South Expressway made the town less accessible, it did include a sign marking the nearest exit (175), which helps to draw in some travelers who prefer the old route.