Wat Chayamangkalaram, where the 33 meter long and beautiful gold plated reclining Buddha covered with gold leaf lies, is another attraction in Penang Island. Wat Chayamangkalaram is a Buddhist Temple of Thai architecture and a reminiscent of the many Siamese wats seen in Bangkok. It was built in 1845 and located at Burmah Lane (or locally Lorong Burmah) in Penang, between George Town and Batu Ferringhi area, about 10 minutes driving range from Georgetown. The first monk in Wat Chayamangkalaram was a Theravada Buddhist monk from Thailand, Phorthan Kuat. Legend stated that he was very fond of Laksa, a local specialty and even today devotees bring a bowl of Laksa as an off rand to his shrine.

The first impression when you reach Wat Chayamangkalaram Temple will be the brightly painted colorful Dragon Serpents statues, guarding and greeting you at the door.

Most visitors come to pay homage and admire the majestic golden Buddha. Some visitors said that there is a meaning of the Buddha’s reclining pose. What is it? Find out the meaning when you are there. In front of the Reclining Buddha there are smaller shrines of different Buddhas and Buddhist and popular Thai deities. On the fantastically ornate temple grounds the visitors can see many beautifully carved and lavishly colored statues of Devas and other mythical creatures. Besides the reclining Buddha, you will find series of painted pictures telling the story of the Lord Gautama Buddha. Behind the reclining Buddha, there are storages of cremated urns filled with the remains of worshippers.

Visitors can find out their fortune here. There is a wheel to spin to predict your luck. Unfortunately, all the predictions tend to be negative. So it is advisable not to spin it. Be happy everyday!

Wat Chayamangkalaram Temple open early morning from 6:00am till late afternoon at 5:30pm. Admission is free. However, any donations are welcome. Please remember to take off shoes when entering. You have to remove your shoes entering and there is a sign warning of shoe thieves. You can always put your shoes in a plastic beg and carried it with you if you are wearing an expensive brand or do not want someone else to step on them. The parking is free inside the temple. So there is no need to entertain the “parking attendant”.

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Islands & Beaches
Famed Beaches | Aman Island | Jerejak Island

Hills/Forest Parks
Teluk Bahang Recreational Forest | Penang Hill

Places of Interest
Batu Ferringhi’s Sidewalk Bazaar | Bird Park | Botanic Gardens | Bukit Jambul Orchid and Hibiscus Garden | Butterfly Farm | Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion | City Hall Esplanade | Clock Tower | Dharmikarama Burmese Temple | Fort Cornwallis | Gurney Drive | Kapitan Kling Mosque | Kek Lok Si Temple | Khoo Kongsi | Komtar | Kuan Yin Temple | Penang Bridge | Penang Museum | P. Ramlee’s House | Snake Temple | St George’s Church | Tropical Fruit Farm | Wat Chayamangkalaram

Place of interest:

1. Penang Island Snake Temple Penang Island Snake Temple is located at Sungai Kluang,...
2. Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang State Kek Lok Si Temple, the one of the finest...
3. Batu Ferringhi Sidewalk Bazaar (Batu Ferringhi Night Market), Penang State Batu Ferringhi has many established world-class resorts together with...
4. Penang Island (Pulau Pinang), George Town, Penang State [caption id="attachment_288" align="alignright" width="330" caption="Penang George Town Roofscape"][/caption] Penang...
5. Gurney Drive (Persiaran Gurney), Penang State Gurney Drive (or locally Persiaran Gurney) is a popular...