Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, Penang: visitor guide 2025

Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi (or Khoo Kongsi for short) is the largest Hokkien clanhouse in Malaysia and one of the recommended stops on our George Town walking tour.

A visit here takes in the ornate prayer pavilion, an administrative building, performance stage and a collection of small shophouses, all arranged around a central courtyard. It’s the ideal place to step away from the main streets of George Town and to understand a little more of the history and influence of Chinese societies in Penang.

Where to find Khoo Kongsi and how to get there

Khoo Kongsi is a key part of the George Town World Heritage Site on Cannon Street. Incidentally, the street reputedly gets its name from British attempts to quell tensions with cannon fire during the Penang Riots in 1867.

Cannon Street and the surrounding streets are some of the most popular with tourists in George Town, so you should expect the area to be quite busy. This makes a visit to Khoo Kongsi even more appealing with it being tucked away down a small passageway, away from the crowds.

Entry fee and how much time should you allow

Entry to Khoo Kongsi is RM15 for adults (Malaysians only pay RM10). Children are RM1.

You should allow approximately one hour for your visit, perhaps slightly longer if you expect to linger in the prayer pavilion and museum.

You will be provided with a sticker to show you have paid. Make sure you wear this, otherwise you won’t be permitted entry.

Arriving to Khoo Kongsi

Keep an eye out for the entrance on Cannon Street, there’s usually a security guard posted outside. The approach is down a narrow road called Cannon Square where some of the terrace houses and shophouses are situated. In years gone by, this discreet entrance was an important component of the defensive design of the clanhouse, which helped protect and conceal the community living inside.

In modern times, it still serves a similar function and no-one enters without permission; at the end of the passageway is a T-junction where another security guard will direct you to pay the entrance fee.

Leong San Tong, the clan temple building

The spectacular clanhouse building of Leong San Tong is the centrepiece and highlight of your visit to Khoo Kongsi. Rebuilt in the early twentieth century after a fire, the complex consists of a prayer pavilion and two separate buildings to the rear and side, one of which housed a kitchen. Several renovation projects have been undertaken over the years with skilled craftspeople brought in from across the world to ensure the style and beauty of the building is maintained for future generations.

The prayer pavilion is where you’ll spend most of your time, gazing up at the intricate ceiling, columns and supporting beams, each decorated in the ornate Chinese style. It’s a calm and peaceful space to wander around and soak up the history. After your eyes have adjusted, you’ll start to appreciate detail on the stone carvings, timberwork and inscriptions.

Museum and grounds

There’s a small museum to the right of Leong San Tong with some interesting background on the Khoo family, their history in China, emigration to Penang, the clan structures and how they helped shape the Penang we know today. Moving closer to today, you can read about Hollywood movies filmed here including Anna and the King starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat.

Directly opposite Leong San Tong is the Opera Stage, once used for traditional shows and now available for hire by local institutions. The administrative building on the right was used for clan meetings and other important business.

The terrace houses and shophouses that line Cannon Square were originally home to members of the clan and extended outwards from the square in all four directions. Currently undergoing renovation, it’s not possible to visit them or go inside, but that doesn’t stop you getting a sense of what life must have been like living here as part of such a strong community.

Eating and drinking options at Khoo Kongsi

Once you’re inside the complex, there’s only a small shop selling snacks, crisps and drinks. As you have the culinary wonders of George Town a few steps away, we’d suggest saving any refuelling until after your visit.

Surrounding area and next steps

You’re right in the middle of the action as soon as you exit back onto Cannon Street. Check out our list of things to do in Penang or continue on the George Town walking tour to see what else Penang has to offer.

Final thoughts on Khoo Kongsi

The story of Penang is entwined with the history of the Chinese clan societies and you can’t fully understand one without the other. Other places in George Town (such as the Blue Mansion and Pinang Peranakan Mansion) paint some of the picture but to get a fuller sense of how significant the Chinese influence was (and is), Khoo Kongsi is an essential place to visit.

Even if you’re not too interested in that particular aspect of Penang’s history, the beauty and intricacy of Leong San Tong is more than enough to warrant a visit and an hour of your time.