August 10, 2011

Kek Lok Si, South East Asia’s largest Buddhist temple is a Penang landmark

Location: Kek Lok Si, Penang, Malaysia (5° 23′ 58.29″ N, 100° 16′ 25.43″ E)
Date: 8 August 2011; 11.20am
Camera: HP Compact Camera SB360

Georgetown of Penang together with Melaka was awarded a UNESCO Heritage status, both being dubbed "Historical Cities of the Straits of Malacca ’s a couple of years ago. The town’s main claim to the UNESCO status was its amazing web of still enormous number of colonial buildings, churches, government buildings, temples and still-inhabited pre-war shops and houses as well as art-deco structures. The town is a living testimony to the multi-cultural heritage and tradition of Asia, and European colonial influences. In the “old-town” area, which incidentally is still the major chunk of Georgetown, one can spot an architectural and cultural gem in virtually any corner one turns, be it beautifully and lovingly refurbished heritage mansions or living clan temples and schools. The amazing thing about Georgetown is that it is a truly living old town where in very few exceptions, people still lives a normal life in these old buildings and structures. Life still goes on unchanged for the majority of the inhabitants despite the UNESCO award; unlike Melaka where one feels a distinctly commercialised and touristy atmosphere as businesses cash in the UNESCO status.

Penang is not only Georgetown as there are many other interesting tourist destinations on the island, including Kek Lok Si (Temple of Supreme Bliss), the largest Buddhist temple in South East Asia. Furthermore Penang is truly a food heaven, where its distinctly Penang Hawker Food is famed all over Asia. I will have a couple more posts on Penang in the next few days.

1 comment:

adamjoe said...

Both photos and information look good.