The Snake Temple (officially known as Hock Hin Keong or Cheng Hoon Giam) was built in the mid-19th century to honor Chor Soo Kong, also known as Qingshui, a Buddhist monk and healer born in China during the Song Dynasty (960–1279). The legend holds that during his lifetime, Chor Soo Kong sometimes offered shelter to local jungle snakes. After the temple was erected in his honor, it’s said snakes began showing up there of their own accord. 

The temple may once have been surrounded by jungle but today it sits alongside a busy highway in an industrial estate a couple of kilometres from Penang’s Bayan Lepas airport.

The snakes here are mostly the Viper family, which is said to be harmless thanks to the sacred smoke but as a safety precaution, the snakes have been de-venomed but still have their fangs intact. The snakes often lie coiled around round bamboo supports on the altar and in adjacent rooms. Visitors are warned against picking up the reptiles and placing them on their bodies to take pictures. Instead, if you want a commemorative photo, you can take a photo with a few large pythons with trainers there.

Especially on the 6th days of the first, sixth and eleventh months of the Chinese lunar calendar, a birthday celebration of Chor Soo Kong will be held, so if you are lucky, you can attend this festival.

Besides the main snake temple, there is an additional hall at the rear devoted to Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. Other attractions include a giant bell, a couple of wells, and a small snake farm said to contain 50 species of snakes.

According to Wikipedia, malaysia-traveller.com