Express buses ply the route from Penang to / from Kuala Lumpur and major cities in the country. Please visit (http://www.plusliner.com/) for more info. The main bus terminal in Penang is located next to the Ferry Terminal.
By Taxi
To get to Penang Island, long distance taxi service can be hired at Weld Quay, Penang. Tel: +604-2625721
By Plane
Daily flights via Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysiaairlines.com, tel:1 300 88 3000 ) and AirAsia (www.airasia.com, tel: 1-300-88 9933) to / from Penang to major cities in Malaysia. Penang's Bayan lepas International Airport is roughly 20km (45-minnute drive) from the Georgetown city centre.
By Rail
You can take the train from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, where it stops at the Penang Railway Station, close to the ferry terminal. For more information, visit www.ktmb.com.my or call their call centre at +603-22671200.
By Boat
Ferries can be boarded at Butterworth, in the mainland portion of Penang. Among Ferry Services available are:
Langkawi Ferry Services (Tel: +604-2643088
Ekspress Bahagia (Tel: +604-2636255)
From the Ferry Terminal you can easily get a taxi ride into Georgetown city centre.
Located at Lebuh Cannon in the heart of Georgetown City, this temple can be assessed through Lebuh Acheh, Lebuh Armenian and Lebuh Pantai. Take a bus from Komtar, or negotiate a taxi for a reasonable rate to get here.
Khoo Kongsi
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This 1906's historical structure in Penang is the most impressive clan house in Malaysia. The clan house has elaborate pillars, fine carvings, walls adorned with gold leaf inlays and roofbeams made of the most superior wood from ancient China."
Introduction
One of five clan houses still standing in Georgetown, the Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi (Khoo Kongsi for short) clan house takes on a remarkable resemblance to a mini clan village. One of the grandest clan houses in Penang, the Khoo Kongsi features tall thin columns supporting a gently sloping, red tile roof, topped with carvings of dragons, phoenixes, anumals and various scenes from popular Chinese legends.
The clan house also has a grand hall adorned with resplendent and intricate carvings and richly ornamented pillars which are said to have been crafted by master craftsmen from China. Other major Hokkien clans that can be found in Penang are the Cheah Kongsi, Yeah Kongsi, Lim Kongsi and Tan Kongsi.
History
When the first immigrants hailing from the Sin Kang clan village in the Hokkien province of China arrived in Penang, one of the first things they set out to do was to build one of the most magnificent clan houses in Penang. Work began on the clan house in the 1890's which resulted in what was said to be a palace which rivalled that of the Emperor of China's. As the story goes, this extravagance incurred the wrath of the Gods and on the 29th night of the clan house's completion, an unexplainable fire broke out and burnt the house down. It wasn't until 1902 that the current clan house began construction.
Admission Fees:
Adult RM5.00
Children below 12 years old RM1.00
Student in uniform or group RM1.00
For more information, please contact:
Penang Tourist Centre
Pesara King Edward
Tel : 604-261 6663
Opens daily from 9am to 5pm
Penang's most popular attraction, the Kek Lok Si Temple is the biggest and most beautiful Buddhist temple complex in Malaysia. It is also one of the first being built in the South East Asia region.
Coming through the narrow entrance, you will get a pleasant surprise. The Cheah Kongsi is a splendid double-storey Chinese temple with an open balcony and sweeping roof. It is decorated with British lionheads.
"Magnificent.I think this is helps identify my Chinese/Buddhist culture!" by james
"It's time you do something different whilst in Penang. Take a break from the beach and try tracking down the heritage trails of that island. You'll discover many interesting places. One of them is the Khoo Kongsi." by Ole
"Khoo Kongsi was built in 1894 and completed in 1902. Misterious fire burnt the building in 1902 and rebuilt in 1905. The first building took 8 years to built and the second building took them another 6 years to build."
