Travel Guide Île Kusu

Beautiful legends incite discovery... The island of Kuzu has made them its wealth and its particularity. The best-known legend is that a giant sea turtle transformed itself into an island to save the lives of two shipwrecked sailors, a Malay and a Chinese. As a sign of gratitude, the sailors built a Chinese Taoist temple, a Malay shrine and an imposing turtle statue on the island. The tradition lives on: every year, during the 9th lunar month (October and November), thousands of Taoist pilgrims flock to the Tua Peh Kong temple on Kusu Island. This temple, built in 1923 by a wealthy businessman, is home to two deities, Da Ba Gong and GuanYin. The former, like the god of prosperity, is capable of preventing disease and danger and calming rough seas. GuanYin is the goddess of mercy, also known as the giver of sons (see Hock Siew Tong temple in Little India). Cultural visits don't stop there: on a small hill stand three Muslim shrines, Kramats, built in memory of the pious Syed Abdul Rahman, his mother Nenek Ghalib and his sister Puteri Fatimah. Pilgrims climb the 152 steps and pray for wealth, a good marriage, good health and, above all, harmony. This small island has a lot to offer, but it's not possible to sleep here. There are plenty of places to barbecue and enjoy the surrounding nature.