You cannot visit Kuala Lumpur without visiting KLCC, Chinatown or indeed the Batu Caves. The Batu Caves are an iconic tourist attraction in Selangor, about 13km from Kuala Lumpur's city center. The Batu Caves are spectacular caves that feature temples and Hindu Shrines in caves that are over 400 million years old. As you approach the site you are greeted by Lord Murugan Statue, the tallest statue of a Hindu deity in Malaysia. It's also the second tallest statue of a Hindu deity in the world. This thing is huge, so I would love to see just how big the biggest one is. The tallest of the Hindu deities is the Kailashnath Mahadev Statue in Nepal.
To the left of Lord Murugan Statue are the steep steps to the caves. All 272 steps of them to get you up to the limestone outcrop that harbours the 400 million old caves. On the way up you will pass crazy monkeys that will snatch your fruit,sweets, water, ice-cream or anything attractive that you lightly hold without too much care. Look away and it's gone! Especially look out for your phones.
Once inside the caves, you will be greeted with paintings, scenes of Hindu Gods and at the very top in the last of the caves, it is actually open at the top, which brings in floods of light and at certain times the ray of light into the cave is just beautiful. It's a great place to visit. If you are visiting the site, you won't need too much time here as there isn't much more to see than the caves and shrines inside. It can also get hot and humid so make sure you bring plenty of water because if the heat doesn't make you thirsty, the steep stairs will have you huffing and puffing for a bit of Evian so bring a bottle of water. There are a few shops just outside the site.
Where
Batu Caves, Sri Subranmanian Temple, KL, Malaysia. They are 13km north of Kuala Lumpur.
How To Get There
The Batu Caves are accessible by and Taxi. We took a taxi from Mandarin Oriental Hotel where we were staying. It's right next to the malls and the twin towers. I reviewed our stay at Mandarin Oriental here. and that took about 30 minutes. You can also take the KTM Komuter train from KL Sentral to Batu Caves as well as the option of taking the monorail from KL Sentral to Titiwangsa station and from there take a bus to Batu Caves.
Opening Times
6am to 9pm
What To Wear
This is a religious site and one that you are expected to wear suitable clothing. Turning up in barely there shorts will mean that you will be called out to either rent a sarong type of material to cover up. So you avoid embarrassment wear a something that at least comes to the knees or pack a spare maxi skirt. Malaysia can be hot but also note that it is somewhat religious so respect the cultural when visiting places such as religious sites. I was actually surprised at the number of tourist in shorts that had their butt cheeks out as if they were at the beach when they are actually visiting a temple. I wouldn't dare go into a church like that in London much less turn up like that in another religious site when travelling. Bear in mind that this is not just a tourist site, it still very much a place of worship and attracts thousands of worshipers to the cave temples, even more so during annual Hindu festivals such as Thaipusam.
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