Festive Moods on Penang Island

There are a few celebrated landmarks on the Island i.e. the Penang Bridge, the majestic Komtar Tower and the 100 year old Kek Loke Si temple.

This time we focused on the temple. The temple complex was built at the turn of the century, led by a local philanthropist.

Over the last few years, the complex had been upgraded, still retaining its old traditional design on the outside and the mythical figures inside the building.

Other features have been added such as the new air-conditioned prayer hall, marble flooring and significance given to the Buddhist faith in the new wings.

Here, this is how the complex appears among the rolling hills by day. On every lunar New Year’s period, the temple will capitalize on the festive seasons by decorating the complex with myriad lanterns.

We were fascinated by this display of lights; it highlighted the profile of each building and its location within the compound.

This fabulous spectacle will stay on for 2 weeks.

Another development that is quietly progressing - the completion of new water storage dam at Teluk Bahang.

Penang formerly boasted of its self-sufficiency in fresh water supply is now not spared from the current water shortage dilemmas. Now, on the western shores of the island the government is determined to salvage whatever water that fall on this tiny island.

The capacity of this storage area is rumored to be 7 times the size of the existing dam in Ayer Itam.