Penang - Wat Chayamangkararam

Malaysia is a very multi racial country. Where ever you turn, there seems to be a Chinese temple, a mosque or an Indian temple. They're all very ornate, but with varying degrees of care being taken in their maintenance. Apart from all these temples, there is also a traditional Thai Buddhist temple.


The Thai Buddhist temple is called Wat Chayamangkararam. Try saying that six times whilst drunk. Hang on, saying it once while sober is pretty hard!

This temple is located in Georgetown, it's easy enough to find. Inside, the star attraction is a reclining buddha. As with all such statues, it's big. Very big. Unlike the one in the royal temple in Bangkok though, it's not very well made. The buddha looks like a plastic doll that's been held over a fire by a sadistic child and melted. It's still charming though...


Outside the temple, is the usual suspect of Thai Buddhist imagery. You have the ubiquitous Nagas everywhere. They're the multi headed snake like creatures from Thai myth. There's also the pointed headed lady and the half bird, half lion thingamee.


The temple is located right across the road from another Penang attraction - the Dharmmikarama Burmese Temple. Both are free - bargain!