English | Bahasa Malaysia

Visiting Snake Temple, Penang – Review & Guide

Located in Bayan Lepas, not far from Penang International Airport, the Penang Snake Temple is one of the more unusual temples you can visit in Malaysia.

Its official name is the Temple of the Azure Cloud and it was built to honor Chor Soo Kong, a Buddhist monk and healer from Fujian, China, who was later deified for his good deeds and healing powers.

According to legend, Chor Soo Kong used to give shelter to snakes during his lifetime. After the temple was built in his honor, snakes allegedly began appearing on their own and made the temple their home.

And yes, they are there still.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more details, please read my Privacy Policy.

Where is Penang Snake Temple?

Penang Snake Temple is located in Bayan Lepas, about 3 km from Penang International Airport and around 10 km from George Town, depending on where in the city you are starting from.

It’s not in the main tourist area of Penang. The temple is surrounded mostly by factories, roads, and industrial buildings, so don’t expect a charming little heritage street full of cafes and murals. This is not that kind of Penang outing.

Because of its location, it makes the most sense to visit the Snake Temple on your way to or from the airport. If you have a few hours to spare before your flight, this could be a convenient little detour.

How to get to Penang Snake Temple

You can get there by public bus, but unless you are already nearby or travelling on a very tight budget (and a lot of patience), Grab, taxi, or rental car is the more convenient option.

If you are driving from George Town, follow the signs toward Bayan Lepas and Penang International Airport. Once you get closer, you should see brown tourist signboards pointing toward the temple.

There is parking near the temple, although availability may depend on how busy it is when you visit.

Penang Snake Temple opening hours

Penang Snake Temple is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm.

Penang Snake Temple entrance fee

Entrance to the temple itself is free, although donations are welcome.

There is a separate fee for the snake farm. When I visited, it was RM5 for adults and RM3 for children.

And if you want a photo with a snake, that is charged separately.

What to expect at Penang Snake Temple

For a place with such a sinister-sounding name, Penang Snake Temple is actually quite calm.

There are no serpents slithering across the floor waiting to ambush the first gullible tourist who dares set foot inside the temple.

Instead, most of the snakes are coiled around wooden stands, looking less like terrifying predators and more like decorative scarves on coat racks.

The snakes here are mostly pit vipers. Apparently, they wander around the temple at night eating offerings left by visitors, and by daytime they’re too knackered to do anything but sleep.

They’re also said to be made sleepy by the incense smoke inside the temple. There are warning signs telling visitors not to touch them, which is a very reasonable instruction.

Some sources say the snakes have been de-venomed. Either way, I personally wouldn’t recommend testing this theory (please refer to the disclaimer at the bottom of this page if you have any doubt).

Inside the temple, you will also see incense burners, Chinese temple architecture, altars dedicated to different deities, old wells, and a 600lb bell brought from China during the Manchurian Dynasty, which add a bit more to the visit beyond just snakes.

The snake farm

Beside the main temple area, there is a small snake farm where you can see more snakes in enclosures. It’s said to have more than 50 species of snakes.

This part may appeal more to people who are genuinely interested in reptiles, although some visitors might find it underwhelming compared to larger zoos or wildlife parks.

If you are uncomfortable with animal attractions, you may prefer to skip this section and just visit the temple itself.

I went in because curiosity is one of my more inconvenient character traits.

Taking photos with snakes

When I visited, there was a small photo area where visitors could take pictures with snakes, including pythons. Even children were doing it, which made me feel slightly judged by toddlers with better reptile confidence than me.

The highlight of my visit was putting a python around my neck.

Earlier that day, I had completed the world’s highest rope-course challenge at Komtar. Since I had already challenged my fear of heights, I figured I might as well continue the fear buffet and move on to snakes.

I could have taken a photo with a viper too, but it looked a little too awake and too active, I simply admired it from a respectful distance.

The python, on the other hand, was surprisingly manageable. At least its skin was dry, not slimy, and it was not too heavy either, maybe 2 – 3 kg tops.

I could feel something pulsing where I was holding it. Its heartbeat, maybe? I’m not entirely sure where a snake keeps its heart, emotionally or anatomically.

Other than that, it barely moved.

The cost for one photo at the time was RM30 (two for RM40). I haggled and managed to get one printed photo for RM20. Although they had their own photographer with a professional camera, they also helped take photos on visitors’ phones, so you could get digital copies too.

Is Penang Snake Temple worth visiting?

Penang Snake Temple is worth visiting if you are already near Bayan Lepas, have extra time before or after a flight, or enjoy quirky attractions with a bit of local legend attached.

However, I wouldn’t necessarily plan my entire day around it. The temple is interesting, but it’s not huge, and you probably will not need more than 30 minutes to an hour here unless you visit the snake farm, take photos, or spend time praying.

It’s also not close to most of Penang’s main attractions, such as George Town, Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang Hill, or the street art area. So, if you only have one or two days in Penang, I would prioritize those first.

But if you enjoy unusual temples and strange little stops, then yes, it’s worth a quick visit.

Tips for visiting Penang Snake Temple

• Dress modestly, as this is still an active place of worship.
• Do not touch the snakes, even if they look sleepy.
• Bring small cash for donations, the snake farm, or optional photos.
• Visit on your way to or from the airport if you want to save time.
• Do not expect a full-day attraction. This is more of a short stop than a major itinerary anchor.

Final thoughts

I do not like reptiles, but surprisingly, Penang Snake Temple did not gross me out as much as I expected.

Maybe because the snakes were mostly still. Or maybe because I had already used up most of my fear quota earlier that day dangling around Komtar.

I think I would have had a much bigger issue if it had been a lizard temple instead.

Would I call Penang Snake Temple a must-visit in Penang? Not really.

But it’s definitely one of the strangest little stops you can add to your Penang itinerary if you are nearby.

---

Penang Snake Temple

Address: Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Bayan Lepas Industrial Park, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang

Phone: 04-643 7273

---