Enclaves of Enlightenment

Visit any one of them and contemplate life’s biggest questions, or join in the cultural festivities of Siamese and Chinese communities.

Kek Lok Si

Known as the ‘Temple of Supreme Bliss’ in Penang Hokkien, Kek Lok Si holds the distinction for being the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia. The iconic seven-storey Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas, 30.2m tall bronze statue of Bodhisattva Guan Yin and its ornate shelter serve as emblems of this tourist hot-spot.

Wat Buppharam

The temple goes by the moniker ‘Temple of the Lifting Buddha’ as it is famous for an ancient miniature bronze Buddha figurine. Other than the statuette, the site is adorned with ornate carvings. Wat Buppharam is one of two temples in Penang which often stage major festivals celebrated by the Siamese community.

Wat Chaiyamangkalaram

It earned the sobriquet ‘Temple of the Reclining Buddha’ because of its 33m-long gradiose reclining Buddha figure. In addition, this temple houses a crematorium and Thai cemetery and its rich history started when Queen Victoria accorded them a 5-arce piece of land in 1845 to promote trade relations with Siam.

Sian Chye Tong Temple

The late Khoo Guan Seong founded this temple to pay homage to Bodhisattva Sudhanakumara (locally known as Sian Chye Phor Sat) after he discovered his ability to channel the bodhisattva at will. In 1955, a piece of land was granted by the Kuam In Kok Temple for the construction of the present-day temple.

Wat Pinbang-Onn

This temple was built to accommodate the Siamese-Buddhists in Penang. Originally known as Wat Batu Lanchang, it was renamed to Wat Pinbang-Onn by Prince Svasti Sobhon, the 37th son of King Mongkut (Rama IV). The tomb of Thailand’s first Prime Minister of Thailand lies on the grounds of this temple.

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