Temples in Penang: 22 Temples, Mosques, Churches and Clan Houses
Last updated: October 2026
The temples in Penang tell the story of a port city built by traders from China, India, Burma, Thailand, Aceh and Europe. In George Town's UNESCO-listed heritage zone, a single street holds a Chinese temple, a Hindu temple, a mosque and an Anglican church, and the clan houses of the Hokkien families are among the most ornate buildings in Malaysia. Beyond the centre are hilltop shrines, a temple over the sea and a Thai reclining Buddha.
This guide covers 22 places of worship in Penang: Chinese temples and clan houses, Thai, Burmese and Theravada temples, Hindu temples, mosques, churches and a gurdwara. Each entry lists opening hours, entry fees, dress code and visitor etiquette, all checked in October 2026. Most are free; the clan houses charge a small admission.
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Chinese Temples and Clan Houses in Penang
Penang's Chinese temples range from the hillside Kek Lok Si complex to clan houses (kongsi) built by Hokkien families in the 19th century. Clan houses charge admission; temples are free.
Kek Lok Si Temple
Kek Lok Si is the largest Buddhist temple complex in Malaysia, built on a hillside at Air Itam from the 1890s onwards. Its landmark is the seven-storey Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas, which combines a Chinese base, a Thai middle section and a Burmese crown. Higher up, a bronze statue of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, stands about 30 metres tall under a carved pavilion.
Entry to the temple is free; climbing the pagoda costs RM2, and an inclined lift (cash only) runs up to the Kuan Yin statue terrace. The approach is through a covered walkway of souvenir stalls and a turtle pond. Around Chinese New Year the whole complex is lit with thousands of lanterns and stays open into the evening. Rapid Penang buses from Komtar run to Air Itam, and the temple combines well with Penang Hill nearby. See our Penang attractions guide for more.
Kuan Yin Teng (Goddess of Mercy Temple)
Kuan Yin Teng dates from around 1800 and is one of the oldest Chinese temples in Penang. It is dedicated to Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, and has long served as a shared temple for the island's Hokkien and Cantonese communities. Its roof is decorated with dragons made from cut porcelain shards.
The temple is at its busiest on the 1st and 15th days of the lunar month and on Kuan Yin's festival days, when the courtyard fills with incense smoke and puppet or opera performances are sometimes staged outside. Entry is free; stay out of worshippers' way at the main altar. It sits on the 'Street of Harmony', a short walk from the Kapitan Keling Mosque, Sri Mahamariamman Temple and St George's Church.
Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi
Khoo Kongsi is the clan house and ancestral temple of the Khoo clan, one of the Five Big Clans of Penang's Hokkien community. The present building was completed in 1906 after an earlier hall burned down, and it is the most elaborate clan temple in Malaysia: gilded wood carvings, carved granite pillars, painted door gods and a roof crowded with porcelain figures.
The ground floor houses a small museum on the clan's history, and the courtyard faces a traditional Chinese opera stage. Entry is paid, and the ticket desk can confirm the current fee. Allow an hour to see the hall, museum and the surrounding clan houses on Cannon Square. More detail on our Penang attractions page.
Seh Tek Tong Cheah Kongsi
The Cheah Kongsi is the oldest of Penang's Five Big Clans of the Hokkien community, founded in the early 1800s. Its clan temple on Armenian Street mixes Chinese, Malay and European design, with a classical colonnaded facade below a Chinese tiled roof.
The ancestral hall upstairs holds the clan's ancestor tablets and altars. It is quieter than Khoo Kongsi and opens only on weekdays and Saturday mornings. Admission has been reported at around RM10 for adults; bring cash. The temple sits next to the Armenian Street street-art and souvenir shops.
Yap Kongsi and Choo Chay Keong Temple
The Yap Kongsi is the clan association of the Yap family, and the Choo Chay Keong temple beside it is the clan's ancestral temple, built in 1924. The red-and-white Straits Eclectic facade, with its decorated gables and roof ridges, is one of the most photographed buildings on Armenian Street.
It is smaller than the big kongsi and free to enter. Visitors can look into the temple hall and courtyard; keep to the edges when people are praying. Combine it with Cheah Kongsi, Khoo Kongsi and the street art on Armenian Street, all within a few minutes' walk.
Han Jiang Teochew Ancestral Temple
Han Jiang is the community temple of the Penang Teochew Association, completed in 1870 on Chulia Street. It follows the Teochew style of southern China, with three halls set around open courtyards and fine wood and stone carving.
A careful restoration, finished in 2005, was recognised with a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The temple is free to visit when the gates are open. It sits in the busy backpacker stretch of Chulia Street, close to the Kapitan Keling Mosque.
Hean Boo Thean Floating Temple
Hean Boo Thean is a Kuan Yin temple built on stilts over the sea at the end of the clan jetties on Weld Quay. Its red-and-gold halls, pavilions and dragon pillars stand out over the water, and the open deck faces the Penang Strait and the mainland.
Entry is free. Sunset is the most popular time to come, both for the view and because the temple lights come on at dusk. Remove shoes where signs ask you to and be careful on the steps down to the water. It is a short walk from Chew Jetty and the other clan jetties.
Snake Temple (Temple of the Azure Cloud)
Built in 1850 in honour of the Buddhist monk Chor Soo Kong, the Snake Temple is known for the pit vipers that rest on its altars and in the trees of the courtyard. Devotees believe the snakes are the monk's protectors, and incense smoke is said to keep them drowsy.
Look but do not touch: the snakes are venomous. Entry to the temple is free; a separate snake farm behind it charges a small fee. The temple is about 10 minutes from Penang International Airport, so it is an easy stop on the way to or from a flight.
Thai and Burmese Temples in Penang
The Thai and Burmese temples on Lorong Burma face each other across the road in Pulau Tikus, and Theravada Buddhism has a long-established home on Anson Road.
Wat Chayamangkalaram (Thai Reclining Buddha Temple)
Founded in 1845, Wat Chayamangkalaram is Penang's best-known Thai temple. Its main hall houses a gilded reclining Buddha about 33 metres long, one of the largest in Southeast Asia, and the compound is guarded by giant yaksha figures and naga serpents in Thai style.
Remove shoes before entering the hall and do not point your feet towards the Buddha image when seated. Entry is free; donations go towards the temple's upkeep. It sits directly opposite the Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, so visit both together. Pulau Tikus is about 10 minutes by Grab from central George Town.
Dhammikarama Burmese Temple
Established in 1803, Dhammikarama is the oldest Buddhist temple in Penang and was founded by the island's Burmese community. A pair of white elephant statues guards the entrance, and the grounds include a gilded stupa, a wishing pond and a large standing Buddha in the main shrine hall.
Entry is free. Shoes come off before any shrine building. The temple is across the road from Wat Chayamangkalaram, and together they make a calm one-hour stop away from the crowds of the heritage core.
Penang Buddhist Association
Founded in 1925, the Penang Buddhist Association occupies a 1931 building in the Straits Eclectic style. Inside, the main shrine hall is laid with polished tiles and hung with crystal chandeliers, with Buddha images, paintings of the Buddha's life and mother-of-pearl inlaid furniture.
It is an active place of worship and the focus of Penang's Wesak Day celebrations. Visitors are welcome to view the shrine hall quietly with shoes removed. It is on Anson Road, about 10 minutes by Grab from Komtar.
Hindu Temples in Penang
Penang's Hindu temples are at their busiest during Thaipusam, when a silver chariot procession runs from Little India to Waterfall Road. Shoes always come off at the entrance.
Arulmigu Sri Mahamariamman Temple
Built in 1833, Sri Mahamariamman is the oldest Hindu temple in Penang and sits in the heart of Little India. Its gopuram gate tower is covered in painted sculptures of Hindu gods and goddesses, and the temple keeps a gem-studded statue of Lord Subramaniam that is carried out during the Navarathri festival.
Remove shoes at the entrance and keep away from the inner sanctum. The temple closes in the afternoon, so come in the morning or for the evening puja. Entry is free. It is a few steps from the spice shops and banana-leaf restaurants of Little India.
Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple
The Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple was founded around 1854 by the Chettiar community and is dedicated to Lord Murugan. It is the end point of Penang's Thaipusam silver chariot procession, and the recesses of its roof are lined with religious paintings brought from India.
Visitors are welcome outside puja times with shoes removed and modest dress. The temple closes from 12:30 to 4:30 pm. It sits near the foot of the Waterfall Hilltop Temple steps and the Penang Botanic Gardens, so all three fit into one morning.
Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple (Waterfall Hilltop Temple)
Reached by a climb of 513 steps, the hilltop temple opened in its current form in 2012 and is dedicated to Lord Murugan. Its seven-storey, 21.6-metre gopuram is often described as the tallest of any Murugan temple outside India, and the summit gives wide views over George Town to the sea.
Start the climb early in the morning, before the heat builds, and bring water. A separate staircase is used for the descent at busy times. Shoes come off at the top before entering the temple. It is closed between 12:15 and 4:30 pm. The Arulmigu Sree Ganeshar Temple stands at the foot of the steps.
Mosques in Penang
Penang's mosques range from early 19th-century heritage buildings in George Town to a modern mosque over the sea. Visiting is free outside prayer times, and Friday midday is reserved for congregational prayer.
Kapitan Keling Mosque
Kapitan Keling Mosque was founded in 1801 by Penang's Indian Muslim community and rebuilt in the early 20th century with Mughal-style domes, arches and a tall minaret. It is the largest historic mosque in George Town and anchors the 'Street of Harmony' alongside Chinese, Hindu and Christian places of worship.
Non-Muslim visitors are welcome during set hours; robes and headscarves are provided, and volunteer guides are often on hand to explain the building and answer questions about Islam. Shoes stay outside. The mosque closes to visitors during prayers and on Friday mornings. See our Penang attractions page for the surrounding heritage walk.
Acheen Street Mosque (Masjid Melayu Lebuh Acheh)
Built in 1808 by Tengku Syed Hussain Al-Aidid, a wealthy Acehnese merchant, the Acheen Street Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Penang. Its unusual minaret, in an Egyptian style, has a hole in its side that local legend attributes to a cannonball fired during the 1867 Penang Riots. The founder's family tombs are in the grounds.
Visitors can walk the grounds outside prayer times; dress modestly and ask before entering the prayer hall. Caretakers sometimes offer short informal tours (a tip is appreciated). The mosque is a two-minute walk from Khoo Kongsi.
Masjid Negeri Pulau Pinang (Penang State Mosque)
Penang's state mosque was built in the 1970s to a design by Filipino architect Efren Brindez Paz. Its golden dome is shaped like an opening hibiscus, Malaysia's national flower, and the modernist prayer hall holds around 5,000 worshippers.
Non-Muslim visitors are welcome outside prayer times when dressed modestly; ask at the office for a robe if needed. It is on the main road to Air Itam, so it can be combined with Kek Lok Si.
Tanjung Bungah Floating Mosque (Masjid Syed Sheikh Al-Hadi)
Malaysia's first mosque built over the sea stands on stilts off the Tanjung Bungah coast, so at high tide it appears to float. The Moorish-style building cost around RM15 million. It has been renamed Masjid Syed Sheikh Al-Hadi and designated as Penang's tourism mosque, with a visitor programme for non-Muslims.
Robes are provided for visitors who need them. Avoid Friday midday prayers. The mosque is on the coast road between George Town and Batu Ferringhi, about 20 minutes by Grab from the heritage zone, and makes an easy stop on the way to the beach.
Churches in Penang
Penang's churches are among the oldest in Southeast Asia and remain active parishes, so plan visits around services.
St George's Church
Completed in 1818, St George's is the oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia. The white Georgian building with its Doric portico and spire was built by the East India Company, and a domed memorial pavilion to Captain Francis Light, Penang's founder, stands on the lawn.
The church remains an active parish. Its front portico has been under repair after cracks caused by traffic vibration, and access to the interior may be restricted while work continues; the heritage centre on site stays open. Dress modestly and avoid visiting during services unless attending. It is opposite the Penang State Museum.
Church of the Assumption
The Church of the Assumption traces its parish to 1786, when Eurasian Catholics arrived from Kedah on the feast of the Assumption, the same year Penang was founded. The present twin-towered building dates from the 1860s and served as the diocese's cathedral until the 2000s. A RM2.5 million restoration was completed in 2016.
Visitors may enter quietly during weekday opening hours. Next door, a small diocesan museum covers the history of the Catholic Church in Penang. It is a short walk from St George's Church and the E&O Hotel.
Church of the Immaculate Conception
This parish was founded in 1811 by Eurasian Catholics who fled Phuket and settled in Pulau Tikus, forming the Kampung Serani (Eurasian village) around the church. The present building dates from 1899. St Jacques-Honore Chastan, later martyred in Korea and canonised in 1984, served here as parish priest in the 1830s.
The church is an active parish; visit outside Mass times and dress modestly. It is a few minutes from the Lorong Burma Thai and Burmese temples and the Pulau Tikus market.
Sikh Gurdwara in Penang
Penang's Sikh community dates back to the 19th century, when many served in the colonial police.
Wadda Gurdwara Sahib
Wadda Gurdwara Sahib is one of the oldest Sikh temples in Southeast Asia. The land was granted to the Sikh community in 1897, Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year, and the gurdwara was completed soon after. A RM6.1 million restoration completed in 2026 has returned the heritage building to its white facade and golden dome.
Visitors of all faiths are welcome. Cover your head, remove shoes and wash your feet before entering the prayer hall, and do not bring tobacco or alcohol. The community kitchen (langar) serves free vegetarian meals. It is about 10 minutes by Grab from the heritage core.
Visiting Temples in Penang: Practical Tips
Dress code
Cover shoulders and knees at every place of worship. Mosques lend robes and headscarves at the entrance, and gurdwaras provide head scarves. A light scarf or sarong in your bag covers most situations, including the clan houses and Kek Lok Si.
Shoes and feet
Remove shoes before entering Hindu temples, mosques, Thai and Burmese shrine halls and gurdwaras. Chinese temples and clan houses usually allow shoes in courtyards, but follow any signs. Do not point the soles of your feet at Buddha images or altars.
Prayer times and Fridays
Mosques close to non-Muslim visitors during the five daily prayers and on Friday around midday. Hindu temples typically close from about 12:30 to 4:30 pm. Plan mosques and Hindu temples for the morning and Chinese temples, which stay open through the day, for the afternoon.
A heritage-zone temple walk
Start at the Kapitan Keling Mosque, walk north along Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling past Sri Mahamariamman and Kuan Yin Teng to St George's Church and the Church of the Assumption, then loop back south to Han Jiang, the Acheen Street Mosque, Khoo Kongsi, Cheah Kongsi and Yap Kongsi. Allow three to four hours with stops, and finish at Hean Boo Thean on the waterfront for sunset.
Photography and donations
Ask before photographing worshippers and avoid flash in prayer halls. Most places on this list are free; a donation of RM5–10 is welcome. During festivals such as Chinese New Year, Thaipusam, Wesak Day and the Hungry Ghost Festival, expect crowds, street performances and special ceremonies.
Temples in Penang: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most famous temple in Penang?
Kek Lok Si in Air Itam is the most famous. It is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia, with the seven-storey Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas and a bronze Kuan Yin statue about 30 metres tall. In George Town, Khoo Kongsi is the best-known clan temple.
Are temples in Penang free to enter?
Most are. Kek Lok Si, Kuan Yin Teng, the Thai and Burmese temples, the Hindu temples, mosques, churches and the gurdwara are free. The clan houses charge admission: Khoo Kongsi about RM15 for adults and Cheah Kongsi around RM10. Kek Lok Si's pagoda costs RM2.
Can non-Muslims visit mosques in Penang?
Yes. The Kapitan Keling Mosque has set visiting hours with free robes and volunteer guides, and the Tanjung Bungah Floating Mosque runs a visitor programme. Avoid prayer times and Friday midday, and dress modestly.
What should I wear to visit temples in Penang?
Wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, and shoes you can slip off. Women visiting mosques will be lent a robe and headscarf; everyone must cover their head at a gurdwara. Hats should come off inside Chinese and Buddhist shrine halls.
Which Penang temples can I see in one walk?
In George Town's heritage zone, the Kapitan Keling Mosque, Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuan Yin Teng, St George's Church, Han Jiang, the Acheen Street Mosque, Khoo Kongsi, Cheah Kongsi and Yap Kongsi are all within about 15 minutes' walk of each other. Kek Lok Si, the Waterfall Hilltop Temple and the Lorong Burma temples need a short Grab ride.