Snake Temple

The temple was built in 1850 in honour of Chor Soo Kong, a Buddhist monk of the Song period, and the story attached to it is that after it opened the local pit vipers came in of their own accord and were allowed to stay. Wagler's pit vipers have been present ever since, coiled on branches and altar furniture in the main hall, sluggish in the incense smoke - which is the traditional explanation for their docility, though the more likely factors are cool shade and full stomachs. They are venomous, and although their fangs are often said to be removed, the temple itself does not encourage handling. The honest picture is that snake numbers have fallen sharply as the area around, near the airport and the industrial zone, has been developed, and a visit may find very few.

History

The temple honours Chor Soo Kong, a Buddhist monk of the Song dynasty remembered for healing the sick and sheltering snakes, and devotees come from as far as Singapore, Taiwan and China on his birthday, the sixth day of the first lunar month (Wikipedia, Snake Temple).

The main sights

• Pit vipers on the altars - Wagler's vipers resting among the incense and offerings.
• An 1850 Chinese temple - dedicated to the monk Chor Soo Kong.
• A snake farm alongside - a separate paid enclosure with more animals.
• Far fewer snakes than before - numbers down as the area was built over.

When to go

All year; the sixth day of the first lunar month is the temple's main festival. An hour.

Things to know

You may see only a handful of snakes, or almost none. The animals are venomous - do not touch or provoke them. The photo-with-a-snake offer is a paid extra and raises welfare questions.

Nearby

Penang International Airport is a few minutes away; George Town is north.

Key facts