Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang

Being one of the biggest Buddhist temple not only in Penang, Malaysia but also in Southeast Asia, Kek Lok Si Temple deserves its own post. It is located at Air Itam and you can get there by taxi cab (drivers don't usually use their meters, haggling is the unspoken rule in taxi cabs here) or the Rapid Penang bus with numbers 201, 203, 204, 502. The fare is from RM 1.40 to RM 2.00 (RM 1.00 = PhP 14.00) depending on where bus stop you came from. According to the my Penang City map I have;

KEK LOK SI TEMPLE - Kek Lok Si means 'Temple of Supreme Bliss'. Construction began in 1890, with the completion of its seven-storey handcrafted 'Pagoda of ten Thousand Buddhas' in 1930. The pagoda is considered one of Penang's most beautiful architectural wonders with its Chinese octagonal base, Thai middle tier and Burnese crown. A 30.2 meters Kuan Yin bronze statue was completed in 2002. 

Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Tel. #: +604 - 828 3317

It was a nice Friday morning and I tagged along my mom and aunt to this temple. Good thing my uncle drove us there. One thing I noticed in Penang was that it was 7:00 a.m. when I woke up but it felt like 5:00 a.m. here in the Philippines, no signs of dawn breaking. It was only at around 7:20 a.m. that the sun started to show up. I digress.

The construction began in 1890 and up to now, some major constructions are still on its way to this majestic temple. There are no entrance fees here (as any of the temples around Penang) but should you wish to get into the Pagoda of 10,000 buddhas, you have to pay RM 2.00. 

the first one that will greet you

We went there at around 10:00 a.m. I thought that at that time, tourists and locals were few but I was wrong. Locals were there early to offer food and joss sticks and also to kneel and pray. While tourists were all around the place. But some said that it was not as busy as it was on a Saturday or a Sunday (check here for discounted tours, transportation and activities in Penang). 

mom, me and my aunt

my personal favorite

It was a complex of many temples with many buddhas. Buddha-overload. There were also some souvenir shops (I saw 3) for a little shopping on the side. My favorite was the three buddhas because of their eyes - or maybe because my favorite color is gold so I'm just biased. 

joss sticks, etc.

There were so many mini temples inside and my mom asked me, "Di ba 'yung mga buddha eh malaki 'yung tiyan tapos nakangiti? Bakit dito iba?" My mom is so classic!

with no left arm

After exploring the lower portion of the temple, we went uphill for the Kuan Yin statue.

going to the Kuan Yin statue (view from the lift)

There's an inclined lift (like in Penang Hill - we paid RM 3.60 for the two-way ride) for you to see the statue of Kuan Yin or Goddess of Mercy statue - Mahayana Buddhism. The pavilion is 82.7 meters high with 16 carved pillars around it supporting the roof while the statue is 30.2 meters. It was so huge that your neck will get tired after looking at it for minutes.

the 30.2 meters statue of Kuan Yin

first group pic courtesy of a Chinese man who offered, nice:)

For RM30, you can donate for the building fund and even write your name on one of the roof tiles. I didn't get to do this 'coz I'm saving all my Ringgits for my solo-roaming-around-penang-trips.

Everything in Kek Lok Si temple speaks of its grandeur and beauty. There's no doubt that I would definitely come back here. 

It was a fun experience given that I'm with the "oldies". Funny remarks from my mom and aunt with the bloody accent from my uncle was indeed a treasured one for me. 

Check Penang, Malaysia accommodations here