San Ching Tian Temple, completed in 2003 at a cost of RM10 million, is the largest Taoist temple in Southeast Asia. It stands on a 1.5-acre site in Krokop, about 4 km north of central Miri, and is dedicated to the Three Pure Ones — the highest deities in Taoist cosmology. Every decorative element was produced in China: the dragon-encrusted columns, the elaborate roof ridges, and the large deity statues inside the main hall.
The scale of the place is genuinely impressive. The main prayer hall is spacious and relatively quiet on weekdays, when you can walk freely through the complex and examine the detailed stonework and painted carvings. On religious festivals — particularly during the Hungry Ghost Festival and during Chinese New Year — the temple draws large crowds from across the Miri region. It is a working place of worship, so dress modestly and move quietly through the interior halls.