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Khoo Kongsi
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Khoo Kongsi

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See all things to do
Khoo Kongsi
4
1,783 reviews
#6 of 137 things to do in George Town
Speciality Museums
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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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1,468 within 5 kms
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
1,783 reviews
Excellent
759
Very good
739
Average
232
Poor
31
Terrible
22
Harry Li
Guilin, China15 contributions
Delicate doorways, well preserved.
Feb 2023 • Friends
There are countless temples in my hometown China, but this temple is different from ALL of them in China. A fusion of Chinese, pernakan and Malay culture, very colorful doorways and decorations (that’s the biggest difference between Chinese temples in China and Penang). A little secret: If your family name is Khoo’邱’, just show your ID card and you can get in for free! And there are 3.9 million Chinese people who named Khoo all over the world.
Written 16 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TravelDooey
Melbourne, Australia288 contributions
Just Wow!
Dec 2022
Went early & we were literally the only ones there. The ornate detail on this temple was astonishing. I think better than any I have seen in any Asian country - including in China
Written 1 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
pilou12017
Basel, Switzerland15 contributions
Gorgeous place
Aug 2022
The part you can see is the actual temple, but it's only a small part of what was a huge complex housing hundreds of people at some point, all part of the Khoo Kongsi clan. There is a lot of information about the place, and it's very nicely done for you to understand the local culture, the role of the clans, and of course the role of the houses and temples. Loved visiting this!
Written 25 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Cliff D.
Singapore, Singapore7 contributions
A nice culture place to visit
Aug 2022
We visited the place in a hot afternoon. Good thing is that it's not crowded at all. There quite a lot to see. We took our time to absorb many aspects of Penang's history. Highly recommended.
Written 9 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
BABA JERRY KONG
Penang, Malaysia40 contributions
Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi
Nov 2021
The Khoo Kongsi is a large Chinese clan house with elaborate and highly ornamented architecture, a mark of the dominant presence of the Chinese in Penang.
Written 9 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
ellycmc7
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia270 contributions
Good place for a short lesson in history
Jan 2022
We went during non peak hours and had the entire place to ourselves. We were able to take our time to marvel at the carvings and paintings. Downstairs was a mini museum about the history of the building and the Khoo clan.
Written 25 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
saronic
Zurich, Switzerland25,859 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. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
VerityE
49 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. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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KHOO KONGSI (George Town) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Khoo Kongsi
Khoo Kongsi is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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We recommend booking Khoo Kongsi tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 33 Khoo Kongsi tours on Tripadvisor
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