Wat Koh Wanararm – Thai Buddhist Temple in Langkawi
Dear friends around the world,
I stumbled upon this website that features a Wat (Buddhist temple) called Wat Koh Wanararm located in Langkawi, Malaysia. It’s very beautiful and traditional. I have visited quite a lot of Wats in the past, and it was nice to be able to visit temples of different Buddhist traditions and learn about each and every single one, especially their rich history and culture.
I hope you enjoy reading through this, do share with your family and friends about this beautiful temple in Langkawi.
Tsem Rinpoche
Wat Koh Wanararm – Thai Buddhist Temple in Langkawi
There are a couple of Thai Buddhist temples in Langkawi which are worth visiting: Wat Koh Wanararm and Wat Tham Kisap.
They are located a short distance outside Kuah town.
Wat Wanararm is sometimes spelt (on Google Maps and elsewhere) as Wat Koh Wanaram, and it is also known as Wat L P Koon, Luang Por Khun, or Luang Phor Khoon temple, named after its founder, a Thai monk.
This temple complex is still undergoing expansion and construction. So far the compound comprises the following:
- A main hall with a large Buddha statue and wall paintings depicting events in Buddha’s life.
- Eight stupas with names such as Stupa of Enlightenment, Stupa of Many Doors, Stupa of Reconciliation and so on.
- A landscaped garden with outdoor pagodas, statues, prayer wheels, fish pond and more.
- Overlooking the whole temple area is a large white marble Kuan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) statue which appears as if it has been carved out of the hill side.
Behind the Kuan Yin is a path leading up the hill where there are caves which were once used by monks to meditate in. One of these caves is rumoured to have been the home to a giant snake. I did not go up there myself to verify.
How to Get to Wat Koh Wanararm
GPS co-ordinates: 6° 20′ 15.63″ N 99° 52′ 26.90″ E
Telephone: 07-9671917
The area is called Bukit Putih. If you are driving from Kuah, take Jalan Air Hangat (route 112). Just outside Kuah you will see the turn off to the temple on the right immediately opposite the MARA college building (Maktab Rendah Sains Mara). The turn off is signposted.
There is plenty of free parking and entrance to the temple is free. Donations are always welcome.
Wat Tham Kisap
Another Thai Buddhist temple located just a short distance away is Wat Tham Kisap. You could describe it as a cave temple since it is located at the foot of a limestone hill where there is a small recessed cave under the overhanging cliff.
There are a number of temple structures here, some still under construction, and plenty of statues and figures, including some life sized elephant statues.
Unfortunately we were unable to view inside this temple because a couple of hostile dogs belonging to the builders did not want us around.
Next door to this temple is a modest Indian temple making use of the hill’s overhanging cave feature.
I noticed that there is a quarry close by called Kedah Marble which is slowly eating away the limestone hill. Better visit these temples soon before the whole mountain disappears!
Source: https://www.malaysia-traveller.com/wat-koh-wanararm.html
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This is really interesting to know that there is a very beautiful Buddhist temple in Langkawi we have never heard of. Would be nice if are able to visit this temple for pilgrimage trip. Thank you Rinpoche and blog team for sharing this beautiful pictures of Wat Koh Wanararm.???
Malaysia is a multi-racial and multi-religion country. It is a Muslim country but for non-Malay, we are given the freedom to choose what we want to practice. The government allows different religions to have their own worshipping places as long as they abide by the laws. The most important thing is the religion practiced by the people must not create disharmony in the society.
Therefore, Malaysians are extremely lucky to be given the freedom to practice the religion we choose. Unlike the Tibetan leadership, even though most Tibetans are Buddhists, but the Tibetan leadership does not give its people the freedom to practice what they want. Dorje Shugden practice is banned by the Tibetan leadership even though it is not a practice that creates disharmony in society. But it is the ban itself that creates disharmony in the Tibetan and Buddhist community.
If Dorje Shugden practice causes disharmony in the society, the Malaysian government would not have allowed the practice. Look at how much good work Tsem Rinpoche and his students have done, especially Kechara Soup Kitchen. Kechara Soup Kitchen currently distributes about 2500 packets of food weekly to the underprivileged. They have programmes to provide job training to single mothers to help them earn a living, they have the food bank project to distribute surplus food from donors and supermarkets to different people and organisation. If Dorje Shugden is an evil practice, why are the works Tsem Rinpoche and his students do only bring benefits to people?
Wow…….there is a Thai Buddhist Temple- Wat Koh Wanararm in Langkawi, I did know that. Visited Langkawi many years back , it would nice to go again and for most visit this Thai Buddhist Temple . This temple is an alternative attraction in Langkawi. The surrounding construction and decoration of this Thai temple combines many elements of Buddhism, such as the stone statue of the Cobra, the Guanyin statue, the Guanyin Pavilion, the prayer wheel of Tibetan Buddhism, and the colorful prayer flags. It makes people feel the inclusiveness of Buddhism. I would like to see the whole piece of mountain wall just carved a white Guanyin. Wow …it took 2 years of carving to complete the craftsmanship Guanyin .
Thank you Rinpoche for this wonderful discovery of a Thai Temple .