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Khoo Kongsi

Khoo Kongsi, George Town: Hours, Address, Khoo Kongsi Reviews: 4/5

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Khoo Kongsi

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Khoo Kongsi
4
1,775
#9 of 138 things to do in George Town
Speciality Museums
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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The area
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Restaurants
1,426 within 5 kms
Yin's Sourdough Bakery and Cafe
217
0.4 km$$ - $$$ • Bakeries • Cafe • Soups
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245
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126
0.5 km$$ - $$$ • Bar • Pub
My Own Cafe
419
0.1 km$ • Cafe • Asian • Malaysian
Merry Me
1,208
0.3 km$$ - $$$ • Dessert • Cafe • Malaysian
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651
0.2 km$$ - $$$ • Malaysian • Arabic • Vegetarian Friendly
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194
0.5 km$$ - $$$ • Bar • Vegetarian Friendly
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293
79 m$$ - $$$ • Swiss • Vegetarian Friendly
Tek Sen Restaurant
1,559
0.4 km$$ - $$$ • Malaysian • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
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344
0.4 km$$ - $$$ • Cafe • Asian • Malaysian
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Attractions
183 within 10 kms
Asia Camera Museum
280
0.1 kmSpeciality Museums
George Town
492
0.1 kmHistoric Sites
Cannon Street
415
0.1 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Armenian Street
1,565
0.2 kmHistoric Sites • Neighbourhoods
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79
0.1 kmReligious Sites
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49
72 mArt Museums
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147
0.1 kmArchitectural Buildings • Religious Sites
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362
0.2 kmHistory Museums
George Town World Heritage Incorporated
120
0.2 kmHistory Museums
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86
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Popular mentions
4.0
1,775 reviews
Excellent
753
Very good
736
Average
233
Poor
31
Terrible
22
saronic
Zurich, Switzerland21,131 contributions
a richly ornamented clan house
Nov 2019
Off the small Cannon street is one of George Town's main attractions. Through a rather inconspicuous gate, where one pays an entrance fee of 10 MYR one comes to a square with granite flagstones. In front is a very ornate temple in typical Chinese architecture with upturned eaves at the roof corners and a more than usual opulent decoration. At the front are two lions guarding the temple, also made from granite.

On the sides are now boutique residences. The main sights here are the temple itself and an attached museum with interesting informations about the place. A 'Kongsi', a 'company' in the Hokkien dialect, which was prevalent among the Chinese of South East Asia, was meant to bind together people frome the same place and the same name. Here it was the Khoo from the village of Sin Kang in Fujian province, forming one of the 5 big clans in George Town.

Arriving mainly in the 19th century they belong to a second wave of immigrants, which was called by the already established Peranakan slighty derogatory as 'Sinkeh'. Through the Kongsi the members of a clan were able to worship their patron deities and ancestors, to reminisce about their roots, but also to help each other out, to find work for new arrivals and to develop business contacts. With time the Khoo became wealthy merchants, not the least thanks to the 'bamboo network' of the Chinese in South East Asia.

There were times, as during the Penang Riots 1867, when different clans were fighting each and then together the British, who managed to supress this revolt using Sepoys, Indian soldiers in the British Army. The British were suspicious of the so-called Chinese 'secret societies', but they soon made a difference between the benevolent Kongsi and the Hui, involved in illegal activities, from which the criminal Triads evolved.
Written 8 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Krithika
9 contributions
A must visit when in Penang
Sep 2020 • Couples
A beautiful ornate clan temple in the heart of Georgetown. The intricate carvings on the temple walls and ceiling are sure to leave you spellbound.
Written 9 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
OOISIANGLUN@SEU338E
123 contributions
Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi
Nov 2019
Khoo Kongsi is one of the most distinctive Chinese clan association in Malaysia. Khoo Kongsi is one of the Penang major historic attraction.
Written 12 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
VerityE
39 contributions
Well worth the visit!
Dec 2019
This is a fantastic, ornate clan house that is well worth the visit. My family and I arrived when all the tourist groups had either left or not arrived and it was EMPTY. We wandered around and it was literally just my family. We really enjoyed exploring it and reading up on the history. The building is STUNNING.
The entry fee is very small and completely worth it. In my opinion, this is the best thing to see in Penang.
Written 26 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Patricia S
Melbourne, Australia201 contributions
Cultural history
Feb 2020
We had the place to ourselves so had plenty of time to try and digest the myriad of paintings, statues, giltwork and historical information. Worth reading up before you visit.
Written 16 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
IRHS
Rochester191 contributions
Very popular, very crowded
Feb 2020
Excellent example of a Kongsi but very crowded with tour groups. You have to maneuver your way around them to get a view of the area. I visited in the morning when the sun was behind the building, difficult to get a good view of the roof figures.
Written 6 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
glenda g
Perth, Australia17 contributions
Interesting
Feb 2020
Well worth a visit to this clan house come temple in the centre of Georgetown. Not a lot of information available inside but lovely to look at.
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Dnaray
Aberdeen, UK837 contributions
Hard to find
Feb 2020
The first day we walked past but got there in the end - it's down a little street that appears to be accommodation but leads to the entrance.
The clan house has an interesting little museum downstairs and personally I found it fascinating to look at the plaques on the upper floor that showed where the clan have sponsored individuals to go to University.
Written 23 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
macedonboy
Glasgow, UK151,202 contributions
Beautiful clan house
Jan 2020
The Khoo Kongsi is a Chinese HQ like building for the clan association of the Leong San Tong clan, whose forebears were wealthy traders from China. The elaborate sculptures and ornamental architecture give an idea of just how wealthy this clan was. The decorative roof of the main hall is adorned with grandiose sculptures which are simply dazzling, especially the dragon sculptures are the corners of the roof that seem above to take off. There’s also a small museum inside the clan house giving a history of the family.

One of the best things to do in George Town.
Written 18 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Linconshire couple
Boston, UK291 contributions
Great place, escape the heat!
Feb 2020 • Couples
Well worth the 10 ringgits entry fee. Amazing place and escape from the heat for an hour or so as you wander around the Temple and read about the history.
Written 16 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Khoo Kongsi
Khoo Kongsi is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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