Perched on the top of a hill in Air Itam is Kek Lok Si, a stunning must see while visiting Penang. With its golden pagodas glinting in the sun and rows upon rows of Buddha statues, the Chinese temple is bound to wow fans of religious architecture and design.
It's quite a ways from the bottom of the hill to the temple, but there's plenty to gape at along the way. Hungry-eyed vendors sweetly purr or loudly bark at tourists to acquire cheap trinkets, made-in-China apparel and pocket-sized models of the temple itself. Once you catch sight of the ironically named "Liberation Pond," a moss-green body of water housing hundreds of turtles, you'll know you're close.
The lush, landscaped gardens surrounding the temple provide some respite after a sweaty trek. From there on, weave your way through other temple-goers to explore Kek Lok Si's maze of prayer halls and bell towers. Sammi Lim