*Behold the glorious hill top Kek Lok Si Temple!*

About a 20 minutes drive from the George Town city center lies the Air Itam suburb and within you’ll find 2 of Penang Island’s most popular tourist attractions: The Penang Hill Resort, and the largest buddhist temple in Malaysia, the Kek Lok Si Temple.

Though I am not a devout Buddhist, When I was on my holiday to Penang, Malaysia I knew that I wanted to see the grandeur and awe-inspiring beauty of this Chinese Buddhist temple. If not for its religious significance then for its history and cultural influences.

Also there is a little fun historical fact regarding the Thai royal family behind one of Kek Lok Si’s iconic structures. So come with me as I bring you to explore the Kek Lok Si Temple!

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My YouTube Video on Kek Lok Si Temple!

If you want to explore Kek Lok Si Temple with me in glorious video as well as eat some amazing foods in George Town, Penang then check out my YouTube video above! Also if you enjoy the video how about supporting me by subscribing to my YouTube Channel? ;)

The Largest Buddhist Temple in Malaysia

Built in 1891, the Kek Lok Si Temple was founded by the priest, Venerable Beow Lean, who after deciding the Huock-san(Crane Hill) hill exhibited the right amount of feng-sui, commissioned the construction of the Kek Lok Si Temple to serve not only as a monastery but also as a Buddhist retreat.

The Kek Lok Si Temple has gone through many renovations and structural additions throughout the years, with the most recent being the installation of the giant statue of Kuan Yin which I will explore later in this blog.

Over time and through many hands of leadership, the Kek Lok Si Temple has grown to become the largest Chinese Buddhist temple in Malaysia and also as a center for Chinese Buddhist teachings in Southeast Asia.

Exploring the Kek Lok Si Temple

In Malaysia, though you can experience Chinese influences through food, I think absorbing the knowledge and history from these landmarks is a better way to understand the deep rooted importance that Chinese culture has within Malaysia.

The architectural design of the Kek Lok Si Temple is a mixture of Chinese, Burmese, and Thai influences. From the bright yellow, red, and white tilings to the intricate stone carvings of various Buddhist imagery. Simple just looking around is a pleasant experience.

Kek Lok Si Temple lanterns — *Many of these lanterns were donated*

Traversing through the Kek Lok Si Temple grounds honestly felt a bit like walking through a maze, in a good way of course. There are many small branching paths that lead to minor shrines, decorated balconies, mini gardens, and prayer rooms.

And the winding nature of the paths caused by the hilly terrain makes exploring the temple a joy, feels almost like an adventure, albeit I can’t help but feel like I’ve probably missed out on a lot of things.

The Kek Lok Si Temple is a pretty vertical compound, but the good thing is a pair of vertical inclined elevator carts (similar to the iconic Funicular Railway at Penang Hill) are available for you to take up to the top if you don’t want to climb up the winding paths and stairs.

I took the elevator cart up and walked back down. The elevator isn’t free though, it’s 8 MYR for adults, one way. 2 ways is 16 MYR. Was it worth it? I’d say no, the walk isn’t as tiring as you think, if you are somewhat active then you’ll have no problem. Plus, walking gives you the chance to soak in the environment around you.

Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas

The Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas is THE iconic structure of the Kek Lok Si Temple complex. It stands at an impressive 30 meters tall, and as the name suggests walking up the spiral stairs, you’ll certainly encounter the 10,000 Buddha statues. Probably, I don’t know I didn’t count but if you want to you can.

A fun fact is that the Pagoda’s towering structure is divided into 3 architectural styles. If you look carefully, you’ll see 3 distinct cultural styles with the bottom 1/3 being in a Chinese style, the middle being Thai, and the top golden spire is Burmese.

Here is also where the Thai Royal Family comes in, because this pagoda is also known as the Rama Pagoda after the Thai King, Rama VI. This is because the founding stone of the pagoda was laid by the Thai King, later on a large Buddha statue would be donated to the temple by the late Thai King Rama IX. There is even a framed picture at the base of the Pagoda depicting the visit of King Rama IX, so that was pretty cool to see.

The pagoda’s entry fee is 2 MYR and if you managed to scale all the way up to the top of the Pagoda, you’ll be treated to a gorgeous view of the lush forest-y Air Itam terrain. I didn’t make it up there because I was sweating profusely and felt nauseous from the hot weather…

So another tip, bring water and perhaps those portable handheld fans if you’re planning to travel to Malaysia during the hotter seasons.

The Giant Guan Yin Statue

Kek Lok Si Temple Guan Yin Statue — *The great bronze statue of Guan Yin under maintenance*

Guan Yin is the Goddess of Mercy and the Kek Lok Si Temple features a gigantic 36 meter tall statue of here made entirely out of bronze. Actually the current statue that you’ll see if a replacement in 2002 for a prior Guan Yin statue that was destroyed by a fire…

Nevertheless, the statue is still impressive with it being situated in a large 3 tiered pavilion surrounded by 16 carved stone pillars meant to replicate the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China.

As I was approaching the Kek Lok Si Temple on my Grab, I caught a glimpse of Guan Yin but seeing the statue up close in person is awe-inspiring, this is where you can take the inclined elevator up to see her. I highly recommend you check out the Guan Yin Statue.

Main Prayer Halls and Shrines at the Kek Lok Si Temple

Kek Lok Si Hall of Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara — *Statue of the 3 Bodhisattvas with the walls decorated in golden Guan Yins*

There are. many prayer halls and shrines to discover in the Kek Lok Si Temple, though I didn’t manage to see all of them I’ll tell you about a few that really stood out to me.

Hall of Bodhisattvas (Avalokitesvara Hall) - Here is where you can find 3 giant Bodhisattva statues where the walls are decorated with hundreds of golden Guan Yin statues. In Buddhism a “Bodhisattva” is a person who is on the path to reaching nirvana or what is known as an “awakening”

Kek Lok Si Temple central courtyard — *The Buddha statue in the central courtyard*

Central Courtyard - Not really a prayer hall but a beautiful area nonetheless. You can find a fountain with a circular platform behind it housing a Buddha statue. Off to the side is a pathway adorned with those red Chinese lanterns donated by various organizations.
Hall of Mahavira - This is the main prayer hall where a statue of cheerful Laughing Buddha can be found, inside is also the Hall of the Horse-Headed Guan Yin.

Kek Lok Si Temple Laughing Buddha Hall of Mahavira — *What a cheerful guy*

My personal favorite spaces are is central courtyard, I just really like the serene atmosphere and the sounds of the gentle flowing waterfall adds to the vibe. I also liked the Laughing Buddha, I thought it was pretty funny, but like in a cheerful and respectful way.

Annual Festivals at the Kek Lok Si Temple

Kek Lok Si Temple Festival — *Such beautiful lights and colors, feels like I’m on LSD… Photo by Penang Foodie.*

If you come during Chinese New Year, you’ll be in for a big treat. Due to the large Chinese cultural population in Penang, during this period the Kek Lok Si Temple is decorated with an army of neon lights and illuminated lanterns. And it’s not just lights but there are also fireworks! The whole temple looks like something from a Cyberpunk future with all the lights. This festival goes on for 30 days following the Chinese New Year so there is plenty of time to check it out.

I didn’t get to see the lights myself because I went during New Years (not Chinese) so a bit too early for that. However seeing the photos online, it really is something spectacular to witness. Shame I didn’t get to experience. But now that I’ve told you about it, you guys can!

Visiting the Nearby Penang Hill Resort

Penang Hill Viewpoint — *At Penang Hill, when the skies are clear, you can see the whole of George Town!*

You’ll also want to visit the nearby Penang Hill Resort, these two attractions go hand in hand. Penang Hill (Bukit Bendera) is Penang island’s most popular historic tourist destinations. A hill resort home to a diverse array of fauna and flora, as well as various hiking trails and education centers like The Habitat Eco-Park.

A word of warning though, you’ll need to take the iconic Funicular Railway Train to get to the top, and there is a lot of people there. I had a spare 3 hours after I purchased my railway ticket so I used that opportunity to visit the Kek Lok Si Temple, I suggest you do the same. You’ll want to make good use of your time because there is a lot to do at Penang Hill.

In fact, to make your travels way easier, I recommend you join a tour like this Georgetown City & Temple Tour which brings you around not only George Town but to Penang Hill and Kek Lok Si Temple as well. And the best thing is a fast track ticket for the Penang Hill Funicular Railway is included meaning you don’t have to wait in hour long queues.

Details About the Kek Lok Si Temple

Kek Lok Si Temple is the largest Chinese Buddhist Temple in Malaysia and it’s a center for Buddhism in the region. The Temple is located in the Air Itam Suburb atop a hill and features many notable structures like the Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas and the towering bronze statue of Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy.

Location: Jln Balik Pulau, 11500 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM | Mon - Sun

Entry Fee: Free Entry (but 8 MYR for sky lift, 2 MYR for pagoda)

How to get to the Kek Lok Si Temple

I’ll assume you are traveling George Town, there are basically only 2 ways to get to Kek Lok Si Temple, public bus or car (Taxi or Grab).

I personally took a public bus (bus number 203 or 204)from the Komtar Bus Terminal, the journey takes about 50 minutes to get to Air Itam, and tickets are only 2 MYR. From there I used the ride hailing service, Grab.

I would recommend a Grab straight from George Town to the Kek Lok Si Temple, its drivers and plentiful and it’s just easier and faster, with the ride taking about 30 minutes. Price can vary but expect to pay around 12 MYR.

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Useful Resources for Traveling in Malaysia

Tourism Information - All the information you need when travelling in Malaysia
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KLIA Ekspress Ticket - Ticket for the KLIA transfer via express train