George Town is the colorful, multicultural capital of the Malaysian island of Penang. Once an important Straits of Malacca trading hub, the city is known for its British colonial buildings, Chinese shophouses and mosques.
Malaysia: Penang – Kek Lok Si Temple
Kek Lok Si Temple is a Buddhist temple situated in Air Itam, Penang, Malaysia. It is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia, and is also an important pilgrimage centre for Buddhists from Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and other countries in Southeast Asia.
The temple is one of Southeast Asia’s biggest Buddhist temple complexes and is the largest in Malaysia. It is an important pilgrimage centre for Buddhists from Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and other countries in Southeast Asia. The entire complex of temples was built over a period from 1890 to 1930 and covers an area of 12.1 hectares (30 acres).
The entrance to the temple is from the car park at the base of the hill. There is no charge to enter the temple complex. From the car park, you have two options to get to the temple buildings, walk or take the inclined lift for a small charge. There are four stations in total, the first at the Foothill Car Park, the second at the Avalokiteshvara Hall, the third at the Main Prayer Hall, and the last at the Kuan Yin Statue. We chose to walk the first leg from the car park.
Just next to the chairlift station, accessed by the Foothill Car Park, is the new Liberation Pond, a large pool filled with water and many beautiful tortoises that either swim or rest on a small hillock. The pond is nicely surrounded by Chinese arched bridges and a viewing platform.
As we proceeded from the Liberation Pond, we walked up a flight of stairs to reach Kek Lok Si’s second car park. It led us to a huge shrine, the Avalokiteshvara Hall, where three majestic, seated Bodhisattva’s wait for believers in prayer. The hall itself is adorned by hundreds of small niches where seated Buddha figurines are placed, and there are altars strewn with burning joss sticks and votive offers to the gods.
Right outside this main hall, one can have a good view of Kek Lok Si Pagoda.
From the Avalokiteshvara Hall, we took the path up through a finely decorated corridor that faces a landscaped garden where another statue of the meditating Buddha sits surrounded by deer and through an oval door to the Buddha Pavilion. There are dozens of Buddha statues placed on the perimeter of this landscaped garden, at whose centre soars a building with other smaller prayer halls.
We found our way into a large gift shop, where there was the inclined lift station up to the statue of Goddess of Mercy Kuan Yin. Karen was struggling with her back, so she opted to take the lift. I thought I would walk, but there was a lot of construction work going on which made the walk (a) ugly and (b) long – so I came back and took the inclined lift as well.
The statue itself is impressive standing at 36.5m but we couldn’t climb up to its base platform, so it was hard to get a good direct view. Whilst I explored to find a way up, Karen and another visitor spotted that one of the waste bins was on fire. Karen went off to find help while the lady doused the flames with her water bottle. Luckily, a combination of water and the arrival of a team of staff helped save the day. In the meantime, I hadn’t found a way up to the statue, so we had to settle for gazing out from the large viewing deck at the impressive view of George Town below.
We took the inclined lift down to the shop and walked across to Kek Lok Si’s impressive 7-storey pagoda, which stands at 30 metres. It is also known as Pho Tar and is definitely the complex’s highlight. It has an octagonal base and a structure that blends Chinese, Thai and Burmese elements. We paid the RM2 entry fee, which gave us access to the pagoda and the beautifully landscaped garden that surrounds Ban Pho Tar.
Each of the 7 levels houses a different jade Buddhas in the Thai and Burmese styles and striking Chinese antiques. We love the ground-level hall, with its two life-sized stork statues, aquariums teeming with tropical fish, and beautiful flowers everywhere. It takes only about 5 minutes to climb to the top level: each progressive floor has a balcony from where the views over the Kek Lok Si temple complex grounds and Penang Hill get more and more striking. I sadly only made it to the fifth level because of the combination of the height and low level of the balustrade on the outside balconies on the higher floors.
After visiting the Pagoda it was time to walk all the way back down the hill to the lower car park. Going down was definitely much easier than going up!
Planning your visit to Kek Lok Si Temple
| Website: | http://kekloksitemple.com/ |
| Address: | Kek Lok Si Temple, Jln Balik Pulau, 11500 Air Itam, |
| Telephone: | +60 4-828 3317 |
| Hours: | Monday to Sunday including Public Holidays from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm |
| Cost: | Kek So Si entrance fee: free! There’s a 2 MYR fee to climb Ban Po Thar pagoda, and you can choose to pay 3 MYR for the inclined lift to the Kuan Yin Statue for 3 MYR |
If you are using public transportation, the Rapid Penang buses 203 and 204 go directly to either Air Itam market or the base of Kek Lok Si Temple itself.
If you are driving your own car, proceed from George Town or other parts of Penang to Air Itam. The road that continues to Paya Terubong crisscrosses the market junction, where you have to turn inside to reach the base of the temple.
There is a modern and large parking lot at the bottom of the Kek Lok Si Temple. It cost RM3 for the first three hours and RM1 extra per additional hour.
You can also drive up the hill to a smaller parking lot that’s right below the main Kek Lok Si temple hall on the ground level. Even here, parking costs RM3 per entry, and you can easily proceed on foot from here to the other pavilions.
The best time to visit George Town
The climate of George Town
George Town, in Malaysia, has a prominent Af Köppen climate classification. This delineation identifies the area as having a Tropical rainforest climatic zone, imbued with high temperatures and abundant rainfall year-round – two main characteristics driven by its latitude close to the equator.
Throughout the year, the city is marked by high temperatures, consistently ranging from a minimum of 23.8°C to a soaring 31.6°C. Each month, there are limited fluctuations in such thermal readings, as the lowest temperature seldom falls below 23.8°C while the upper temperature rarely surpasses 31.6°C. Correspondingly, relative humidity remains comparably high throughout the year, primarily within 76% to 81%, thus contributing to the overall sensation of warmth.
Rainfall in George Town varies from month to month, judging by the parameters provided. The range dips to a low of 65mm, and climbs a high of 193mm, marking December as the month with the heaviest rain showers. Correspondingly, the number of rainfall days has a similar trend, with a peak in November and December, where rain is expected for more than 28 days.
Observing the number of sunshine hours, they fluctuate narrowly from a modest 7.6 hours in November to a bright 9.3 hours in February, reflecting the region’s tropical nature. In conjunction with daylight hours, they remain quite constant throughout the year, hovering approximately around 12 hours daily.
The best time to visit George Town
Taking into consideration predominantly the temperature, humidity, and rainfall, the period from February to April emerges as the most suitable time to visit George Town. In these months, rainfall measures stay below 106mm and the days with rain are notably fewer than other times, below 24 per February. Concurrently, the temperature hovers between the comfortable 23.8°C and 31.3°C, allowing for outdoor exploration without extreme heat. During this time, hours of sunshine are also in their peak, exceeding 9 hours daily.
Other places to visit while in Penang
1. KHOO KONGSI
Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, or Khoo Kongsi for short, is one of the most distinctive Chinese clan associations in Malaysia. It is known for its extensive lineage that can be traced back 650 years ago, as well as its closely-knit and defensive congregation of buildings and a magnificent clanhouse.
2. CHEONG FATT TZE (THE BLUE MANSION)
Built between 1896 to 1904, teams of master craftsmen from China were hired. The majestic blue house was built with 38 rooms and 5 courtyards. At that time, 3 of his wives occupied the Blue Mansion. The Blue Mansion (otherwise known as Cheong Fatt Tze’s Mansion) was large enough to accommodate his extended family.
3. GEORGE TOWN STREET ART
George Town’s street art scene boomed in 2012. That year Ernest Zacharevicm, a Lithuanian artist, created 6 wall paintings during the celebration of the annual George Town festival. These murals soon achieved worldwide fame.
4. GEORGE TOWN – CHEW JETTY
Chew Jetty was one of 5 wooden jetties constructed in 1888 as part of a development project on the quayside in George Town. 2 other wooden jetties were built in the same area in the 1960s. One jetty burnt down so only five remain.
Where to stay Penang
1. MID-RANGE – NOORDIN MEWS
Nestled in the heart of Penang’s heritage centre, Noordin Mews is an intimate 1920s Peranakan shophouse turned hotel. With rooms meticulously restored to capture the essence of a simpler age, Noordin Mews is a living memory of Penang’s colonial architecture.
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Set within a working-class neighbourhood known as the Seven Streets Precinct, our converted Straits Eclectic shophouse was originally for the trishaws and hand carts that populated Noordin Street in the early 1900s.
Abandoned after its purpose declined over the years, the main hotel building was rediscovered by an acclaimed hotelier, who skilfully restored it to its glorious years, coupled with modern times’ finer touches.
2. LUXURY – EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTELÂ
The Eastern & Oriental Hotel – known simply as the ‘E&O’ to generations of travellers – exudes a charm that is inimitably its own. For most of its history, its passageways and halls were the preserve of the rich and privileged from the Western world – intrepid travellers that included acclaimed writers and aspiring literati who arrived in steamships seeking to experience the exotic East. Even with the passage of time, this unique pearl at the heart of George Town continues to shine as a testament to the grand elegance of the British colonial era, the embodiment of both a special time and a special place. Indeed, at the E&O, life’s true pleasures never go out of fashion. For over 138 years, the hotel has welcomed the world in timeless style. This legacy is conserved and further elevated with the re-opening of the Heritage Wing that is now setting the new standard as a leading destination in classic hospitality.
3. BUDGET – SWING & PILLOWS @ BEACH STREET
Swing & Pillows @ Beach Street is located in George Town, within 1.5 miles of Northam Beach and a 17-minute walk of Penang Times Square. Among the facilities at this property are a shared kitchen and a shared lounge, along with free WiFi throughout the property. Straits Quay is 5.1 miles from the hostel and Penang Botanic Gardens is 5.3 miles away.
All guest rooms at the hostel feature air conditioning and a desk.
More to Explore
