The Reclining Buddha
Among the longest in the world.
shankar s. from Dubai, united arab emirates — CC BY 2.0 · shankar s. from Dubai, united arab emirates — CC BY 2.0 · Marufish from Alor Setar, Malaysia — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Marufish from Alor Setar, Malaysia — CC BY-SA 2.0 · HundenvonPenang — CC BY-SA 4.0
Penang's oldest Thai Buddhist temple, known to visitors as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha because its main hall holds a gilded reclining Buddha about thirty-three metres long, among the longest of its kind in the world and the largest in Malaysia. The temple was founded in 1845 on land granted by the British government to the Siamese and Burmese communities in Queen Victoria's time, to strengthen trade ties with the Kingdom of Siam. It remains the centre of the city's Thai community festivals. The entrance is an ornate gateway guarded by giant figures and mythical serpents in bright colours, and inside, behind the great statue, you will see rows of small urns holding the ashes of the dead. Entry is free, shoes come off before the hall and modest dress is expected. It stands on a quiet street directly opposite the Burmese Dhammikarama Temple, so you can see both in under an hour and then carry on to nearby Gurney Drive for food and a seafront stroll.
Among the longest in the world.
Giants and colourful serpents.
Penang's oldest Thai temple.
Lorong Burma, Pulau Tikus, about three kilometres from central George Town
Yes, the two temples face each other on the same street; seeing both takes less than an hour, and both are free.
