I have always loved visiting religious sites such as temples. So, when my friend from Kuala Lumpur suggested visiting Thean Hou Temple, I was very happy. This is definitely one of the Things To Do In Kuala Lumpur.
My friend picked me up from the hotel where I stayed at – Ramada Suites Kuala Lumpur City Centre. And it was a short drive, about 20 to 30 minutes to the temple.
Tip: Don’t miss Watching the Video! (shown further down)
About Thean Hou Temple
Thean Hou Temple is one of the oldest and biggest temples in Kuala Lumpur, maybe even in Southeast Asia. The temple has six tiers. The architecture has influences from Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. And it was built in honour of the Goddess Queen of Heaven – also known as Thean Hou or Tian Hou.
Thean Hou is a Goddess to protect fishermen. Of course, the Goddess helps anyone, too. Which is why many come to worship Thean Hou and Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy here.
The temple was built by Kuala Lumpur’s Hainanese community. It was officially opened on 3 September 1989. It is located on top of Robson Hill, and from certain locations of the temple, you can see wonderful views of the capital of Malaysia.
Thean Hou Temple – The Video
Thean Hou temple is so very beautiful and magnificent. The bright and colorful lanterns at the courtyard. The garden at the temple grounds. The impressive Main Prayer Hall and all the grand furnishings as well as the golden statues. All of it was quite a sight to behold.
Don’t miss watching this video!
More About Thean Hou Temple
At the entrance of the temple grounds, there is a garden where you can find the fountain of Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. Here, you can stand at a fake rock in front of the statue of Goddess of Mercy, and water will spout further towards you. The idea is to cup your hands and be able to catch some of the water. Splash the water on your face to receive blessings from Kwan Yin.
As you walk closer to the temple, you can spot another garden just next to the temple. This garden features the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac signs.
At front entrance of the temple, you can begin to notice the multi-arched gateways with red pillars. These symbolize prosperity and good fortune. The columns are dragon-inspired, and there are pagoda rooftops.
The rows of pretty lanterns was breathtaking. You must be there to experience this! Oh wait, watch the video I made for you (above), and it is the next best thing. It is really quite a sight!
The Main Prayer Hall is on the fourth level. It is filled with bright golden statues, which the main one is that of Thean Hou Goddess. I must say, when I was there, I was very impressed with the grandeur and beauty of this hall.
On the first level, there are souvenir stalls, a canteen as well as a marriage registration office. Thean Hou temple is also a popular venue for weddings. The second level is the multi-purpose hall, and the third level is where the offices are.
On special occasions such Chinese New Year Wesak Day, Mooncake Festivals, or the birthdays of Buddha or Bodhisatvas, you will see thousands of devotees and visitors fill this temple. They come to burn joss sticks, kneel in prayer and give offerings to the Thean Hou and all the other Divine Beings.
On weekends, you can see people exercising and practising martial arts such as Qigong, Taichi, Wushu.
Where is Thean Hou Temple?
How To Get There?
There are no buses or trains direct to the temple. One of the options is to go to the Klang bus terminal, and take the minibus number 27 to Jalan Syed Putra. Alight and take a short walk to the temple.
The best mode of travel, that I highly recommend, is to go by taxi or Grab. To save costs, first travel by KTM to the Mid Valley station. Or you can take the LRT to Bangsar station. From these places, you can get a cab or Grab.
The distance to the temple is only 2 to 3 kilometres. Also, there is less chances of you getting lost. Going out of the place and back to the city, again you can call a cab or Grab.
Address of Thean Hou Temple:
65 Persiaran Endah, Off Jalan Syed Putra, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan 50460
Opening Hours: Daily: 09:00 – 18:00
Contact Thean Hou Temple:
Phone Number: +603 227 4 7088
We have come to the end of this article. I hope you enjoyed reading this.
If you have ANY questions about this article, about Things To Do In Kuala Lumpur – Thean Hou Temple, ANY at all, please submit your questions as comments below. I will be happy to help you out.
Wishing you and your loved ones safe and happy travels.
Timotheus
Hey everyone, I am Timotheus. When I am not giving lectures, I love traveling and visiting cities and towns all over Asia. It is a thrill for me to find and share awesome places to see, great tasting food to eat, and restful rooms to get a good night’s sleep.
Thank you for sharing I love the images and can’t wait to visit Thean Hou temple my next vacation, thank you again
You’re most welcome, Mercy. Glad you love the images. Look forward to your visit to Thean Hou Temple.
I have just returned from a vacation in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh & Penang in Malaysia. I have shared my first post from that trip at this link – https://asiatravelgems.siterubix.com/malaysia/kuala-lumpur/best-places-to-eat-in-kuala-lumpur/kinjuku-setiawalk-mall-review/. And will be adding more in the coming days. Please subscribe to the Best Places to Visit in Asia newsletter for updates.
This place looks spectacular. I went to Malaysia for the first time a year ago and am jonesing to return for so many reasons..the food, the eclectic culture mashup, the beautiful religious sites, the food…did I mention the food? I’m so glad i found this site to help me plan my next trip to Kuala Lumpur.
I’ve got good news for you, Penelope. I just had a week long vacation in Malaysia, and visited Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang. And I stayed at some nice hotels, explored some really interesting sights, and enjoyed super fantastic delicious food! This blog post is only the 2nd of the series that I will share for the entire trip. The first post was – https://asiatravelgems.siterubix.com/malaysia/kuala-lumpur/best-places-to-eat-in-kuala-lumpur/kinjuku-setiawalk-mall-review/. Did you mention food? haha
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One of my biggest dreams is to travel. I already have a bucket list of where to go. Malaysia is actually one of them, but never really get to scrutinize which area to go. I’m sure there are lots of other temples worth visiting but this one is a must based on your experience. I’m happy and excited that people get to really do this, thanks for sharing! Something to look forward to!
You’re welcome! 🙂
Very happy to hear that you will visit Malaysia.
I have just returned from a vacation in Malaysia, and visited Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh & Penang. I have shared my first post from that trip at this link – https://asiatravelgems.siterubix.com/malaysia/kuala-lumpur/best-places-to-eat-in-kuala-lumpur/kinjuku-setiawalk-mall-review/. And will be adding more in the coming days. Yes, there are lots of beautiful temples. Wait till you see the one in Penang. Please subscribe to the Best Places to Visit in Asia newsletter for updates.
Great informative post!
I love to travel, if I had my way it’s what I would do for the rest of my days. Malaysia is one place I am yet to go.
I’m hoping to do a year long trip to Asia towards the end of this year and as of now, the Thean Hou Temple is certainly on the list. Keep these recommendations coming, i’ll be back closer to the time, figure out where else to go see.
Thanks Anthony! I love to travel too. Hence, this website – Asia Travel Gems. 😀
And I totally understand what you feel and mean. I too would love to just travel and see the world every day, for the rest of my life, too.
So happy to hear that you will be traveling to Asia. And glad to know you will visit Thean Hou Temple. If you need hotels to stay at, do check out the recommended hotels I have reviewed.
Also, I have just returned from a vacation in Malaysia, and visited Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh & Penang. I have shared my first post from that trip at this link – https://asiatravelgems.siterubix.com/malaysia/kuala-lumpur/best-places-to-eat-in-kuala-lumpur/kinjuku-setiawalk-mall-review/. And will be adding more in the coming days. Yes, there are lots of beautiful temples. Wait till you see the one in Penang. Please subscribe to the Best Places to Visit in Asia newsletter for updates.