According to legend, the cave was discovered in 1890 by a monk from China who was passing through Ipoh; he decided to make it his home and a place for meditation. He remained there for 20 years until his death. Till today, nuns and monks who dedicate their lives to Buddha still occupy the Sam Poh Tong.

The present temple facade dates back to the 1950s and a stiff climb of 246 steps will lead you to an open cave with an excellent view of Ipoh and its surroundings. Other attractions at the temple include a beautiful Japanese pond full of Japanese carps and tortoises, which are a symbols of longevity.

Within the temple, visitors can discover the artistic works of man and nature – beautifully carved statues of buddha in various forms sit amidst amazing stalacties and stalagmites.

How to get there

By Road

It is located in Gunung Rapat, just 5km south of Ipoh.

This market has something for everyone, from fresh produce to traditional crafts and cakes. It is also a slice of life in Kelantan, abuzz with colour, scents and sounds of the local community.

Getting There

By Foot or Taxi
The Siti Khadijah Market (Central Market) is on Jalan Hulu.

Its main hall (prayer hall), measuring 3,844 sq ft, is surrounded by wide verandahs with four mezzanine areas, each topped by a dome. The main dome is situated in the north-east of the building. The five large domes symbolise the five Islamic principles.

Getting There

By road
From Kuala Lumpur, take the North South Expressway (PLUS), heading north towards Kedah and take the Alor Setar Selatan exit (Interchange 177) into Alor Setar which is about 4km from this exit

By train
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) provides regular trips from Kuala Lumpur to Alor Setar town in Kedah. For further details please visit www.ktmb.com.my

Apart from those seeking relaxation, people with ailments and skin problems go there to seek therapeutic treatment by immersing themselves in the five hot spring pools which has high sulphur content with water temperature at between 30C and 60C.

Getting There

By Road
Via the North-South Highway (PLUS), taking the exit at Sungai Petani Selatan then follow the signboard heading to Baling town. It’s located about 10km from Baling town.

The unique architecture of the Paddy Museum represents bushels of harvested rice stalks. Rice motifs are repeated throughout the building, on staircase banisters, the museum gates and the fence surrounding it.

The museum showcases the paddy cultivation process in Malaysia and displays all kinds of tools and equipment which have been used in the trade over the years. Through beautiful murals, the art work of 60 artists from North Korea, the history of paddy cultivation in Malaysia is revealed.

It honours the history, culture and significance of paddy farming in Kedah and is dedicated to the hardworking and simple paddy farmers, whose blood, sweat and toil have contributed to the objective of achieving self sufficiency in the rice industry.

Getting There

Car
From the North South Expressway, take the Alor Star Utara Interchange and follow the signboard heading to Paddy Museum

Legend of Tasik Dayang Bunting – The favorite bathing pool of a celestial princess named Mambang Sari was said to be Tasik Dayang Bunting (lake of the pregnant maiden). A prince, Mat Teja, fell madly in love with her and tricked her into marrying him.

Sadly, their child died from a mysterious illness at the age of seven days. Distraught, the grieving Mambang Sari left the child’s body in the lake and returned to her heavenly abode. Today, some believe barren women who bathe in this lake will be endowed with a child. Many have claimed to be successful.

Getting There

By Road
From Kuah Jetty or at Pantai Cenang, you can hire a boat from the many boat operators there that go to the Pulau Dayang Bunting. The journey takes about 15 minutes.

There are several jungle trails that take you down to the peaceful Datai Bay beach. There is also a crocodile farm on the way to Datai Bay where you can watch the crocodiles as part of entertaining shows in the mornings and afternoons.

Getting There

By Road
Teluk Datai is about 30km or 30 minutes’ drive north of the Langkawi International Airport.

Bujang Valley was the oldest centre of international and entrepot trade for Malaysia. The numerous artefacts uncovered in the Bujang Valley -celedon, porcelain, stoneware, clay, pottery, fragments of glass, beads and Persian ceramics – are some proofs that support the observation.

Getting There

By Road
Use the PLUS – North South Highway. If you’re driving from Kuala Lumpur, head north for Kedah, and if you are driving from Perlis or Alor Star, head south. Take the Sungai Petani exit. From the exit, follow directions towards Merbok. When you get to Merbok, look out for signs to the Lembah Bujang Archeology Museum.

By train
Trains stop at Sungai Petani and Alor Star. For rates and time, please click to www.ktmb.com.my

Apart from serving the role of a telecommunication tower, it also caters as a tourist destination for the town. The tower also houses a restaurants and a souvenir shop. The tower is an observatory tower to look for the crescent moon to mark the beginning of Muslim months. The observation deck is at a height of 88 meters from the base of the structure.

Getting There

By road
From Kuala Lumpur, take the North South Expressway (PLUS), heading north towards Kedah and take the Alor Star Selatan exit into Alor Setar which is about 4km from this PLUS exit. The Alor Star Tower is located in the middle of downtown Alor Star, at the main junction of Lebuhraya Darul Aman and the Historical Palace.
By train
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) provides regular trips from Kuala Lumpur to Alor Star town in Kedah. For further details please visit www.ktmb.com.my or contact KTMB at 603-22747435.

My thoughts through the lens

“Rain rain go away, come again another day.” This ditty seemed to echo in my mind as I stepped out from the house and into the car. Although cloudy skies bring dramatic effects to an image, many photographers would agree that the rain could also be one of the photographers’ biggest adversaries. Nevertheless, I had packed my backpack and was ready to take my chances, hoping that the sun would make its presence later.

Miraculously, when I arrived at the gate of the Kek Lok Si temple, the rain had turned to a drizzle and the skies were beginning to clear. The moody-looking clouds seemed to make way for the white clouds and even the skies gradually turned blue. I thought that I would be confined to taking indoor shots of the temples but I think Lord Buddha had other plans for me…*wink wink*..

I was excited, to say the least.

I am sure the Kek Lok Si temple is synonymous to most Buddhist devotees around this region; in fact, the Temple is also featured in Shenzhen’s Window of the World Theme Park in China, making it an iconic symbol that has received acknowledgment around the globe. I was in Shenzhen in December last year and this had me pleasantly surprised.

In this assignment, my intention is to showcase this magnificent landmark in a two-part (possibly three) series. I am pleased to take this photographic journey and will walk with you through the stairways and slopes, and hopefully, be enlightened along the way.

To all devotees and readers, Happy Wesak Day!

All photos and texts by Calvin Kwok
p/s: The series will take a break next week and will most probably be back the following week.

The Pagoda of A Thousand Buddhas looking majestic and seem to dwarf the hundreds of visitors on that particular morning. Being a long weekend, the temple was one of the ‘must visit’ sites in Penang which saw local and foreign visitors making up the large crowd.

To reach the pagoda, you would need to make a slightly steep ascend starting from the covered walkway seen on the right side of this image.

One of the first of many places to visit in Kek Lok Si is the prayer hall. This shot was taken hand-held with no flash as I intended to capture the statue of Lord Buddha being illuminated by the flames of the pineapple-shaped candles on the altar.

The Sanskrit name “Avalokitesvara” is interpreted in many ways: “The One Who Hears the Cries of the World”; “The Lord Who Looks Down”; “The Lord Who Looks in Every Direction.”

On your way up to the mid level of Kek Lok Si, be prepared to catch your breath and the surrounding sights as well. Even a humble-looking stone staircase and wall could present a beautiful photographic moment, as this couple would attest.

A row of Buddha’s statues greeting visitors as soon as they complete their ascend to the mid level of Kek Lok Si temple. On the background is the ever-present Pagoda.

A set of Buddha’s statues lining up one of the corners of a smaller temple within Kek Lok Si. I was drawn to the carvings of the dragon (foreground) and thought it would make the image interesting by framing it between the red pillar and Buddha’s saffron robe.

A large statue of Lord Buddha being surrounded by lotus candles placed by devotees and visitors. This smaller temple, located at the mid level of Kek Lok Si temple, is a popular pit-stop for visitors wanting to get some fresh air and purchase memorabilia to bring home apart from the memories.

An aerial view taken from one of the corners of the temple. After making the ascend to the mid level, visitors will get a chance to take a breather and admire the scenery of the nearby Air Itam town.

A young boy praying in front of an altar at the prayer hall. Notice the lighted candles in the form of pineapple (‘ong lye’ in local Hokkien dialect) vases. With messages tied around the neck of the vases, devotees often pray for the blessings for the entire family to have a bountiful and prosperous year.

Bathing of the Buddha: The Kek Lok Si temple is a hive of activity, especially in the run-up to Wesak Day on 9th May this year. There was an air of serenity as devotees took turns to bathe the statue with some taking home the fragrant holy water for consumption.

This shot was captured using a very low shutter speed (1/6 seconds, hand held) which resulted in some intentional blur or softness. The little girl in blue suddenly pirouetted in front of my camera, resulting in a welcomed streaks of blue which rendered some elements of Impressionistic art to the overall image, in my opinion, and making it appear dream-like and mysterious.

Born, bred and schooled within the vicinity of George Town; Penang has been my home for over twenty years. As a way of saying ‘Welcome to Penang’, I would like to share scenes of Penang with you from my perspective as a keen amateur photographer. More [+]