Batu Caves

If you’re in KL and you remotely like anything to do with the outdoors, then this is a place you should visit! The humongous statue outside is an impressive work of engineering… the steps to the caves are daunting but doable, the playful monkeys all around are cute… the real marvel is the cave itself. It’s a true testament that nature is also artistic! Would love to explore the caves more!
FYI, the heat out there is brutal!!!

One of my favorite sites of Kuala Lumpur! It is an easy and cheap train ride to come here so everyone needs to give it a visit. It is free to enter and is a beautiful temple if you are lucky with the weather. The monkeys were adorable and the cave was outstanding!

Batu Caves is a cool tourist spot and hindu tempe built in and around part of a cave network.
We hiked up the long steps, avoided the crazy monkeys, made it to the top, then came down and toured the tempe and receiving a hindu blessing and I even got the red dot on my forehead to prove it.
On the other side of the mountain is a really cool rock climbing park that we spent a couple of days climbing too!

Close your eyes and imagine this: your in Kuala Lumpur by yourself.,. No one to go with and no one to talk to. Those American tourist you met at the train station somehow found an excuse not to go with you but don’t let it stop you. One train from KL central. You go north. You notice scenery changing as the city gives way to the jungle. As you come closer you see flatness. A pond with some trees and from the distance are limestone cliffs. You come closer and come closer and then the train stops. You step out of the train into overwhelming oppressive tropical heat. You go into the entrance and the first thing you notice is a giant golden statue. As you come closer you forget how hot it is because you are just in awe. You feel like you’re in an Indiana jones movie… Monkeys playing around and you climb up the stares. At the top you are drenched with sweat but you don’t care. YOu hear the Indian music playing. And you just sit there. Saying nothing… Doing nothing. Just enjoying your existence.
Now open your eyes… Ask yourself why haven’t you come for a visit. 5 stars for sure.

I loved these caves! A must see if you are in KL, Malaysia.
Here are some of my tips after visiting:
–If you are a girl, wear leggings or pants. This is still a religious area and they require girls that are wearing shorts to be covered up. They make you «rent» a cover up for $ 5 MYR, and when you return it they give you back $ 2 MYR. So basically, it costs $ 3 MYR for a cover up.
–There are MONKEYS everywhere!!! Be cautious with your belongings because these monkeys are SMART. If they see you opening your bag they will chase after you (they assume you have food or water in your bag). Don’t make the mistake of drinking water or eating snacks while walking up the caves because there WILL be 10 monkeys chasing after you and are not afraid to jump on you until you give them your food or water.
–The stairs are not too bad, maybe about a 10 – 15 minute walk up, but probably quicker because lets be honest… you will be running away from the monkeys (haha)! There were also roosters at the top of the caves and lots of pigeons everywhere.
–I do not recommend the dark cave tour. It’s 35 MYR where a tour guide takes you deeper into the caves. They claim you can possibly see bats and all these various spiders, snakes and insects. However, it is too dark to see the bats because they don’t want you to disturb them in their natural habitat. You can hear the bats though, but if you don’t go into the caves you can hear them outside as well. They provide a helmet and a flash light and a tour guide with a group of others, goes with you. They claim the tour is 45 minutes, but it actually took an hour.

This is definitely a must do on the Kuala Lumpur circuit. Don’t bother with a guided tour, as it’s very easy to do on your own. From the city, take the Batu Caves line of the KTM Komuter from KL Sentral or Kuala Lumpur Station. The cost is RM2,60, and it takes about 30 minutes. The Batu Caves are the last stop on the line, it’s as easy as that!
When you get off the train and out of the train station, keep walking straight until you see the huge golden statue of Murugan, the tallest such statue in the world. Right behind Murugan is the staircase. It’s very steep and quite tall, so be prepared for some work.
It is important to note at this point that you should come to this site wearing long pants or a long skirt, and with a shirt that covers your shoulders and your belly. This is a holy site, and they will not let you enter if you have exposed knees or shoulders. For practical reasons, I would recommend close-​toed shoes. Be aware, however, that many of the spaces here are highly religious and as such they require that you remove your shoes completely before entering.
The absolute hands-​down best part of this site is the Dark Cave. It is a 2+km cave which used to be open to the general unsupervised public in the 1970s but was closed and restored to a mostly natural condition in the early 2000s. As a home to over 200,000 bats which are essential to the ecosystem here, this cave is now much more regulated as a conservation site. You can enter only via a guided tour which takes 45 minutes and costs RM35. As part of the tour you are given a flashlight and have to wear a hard hat, as the caves are unlit inside. The tour guides are phenomenal, and we were able to see many crazy wildlife (including an incredibly huge centipede!) along the way.
Water is available to purchase all over the place for 1RM. Be very cautious of the monkeys because they will steal anything and everything that is not secured!

So stunning.
In my opinion… The number #1 most important sight to see in the area.
Although the caves are a natural wonder just unto themselves. Please remember that this is a sacred/​religious spot to many people so cover up .Or they will help you cover up before you are allowed to enter. Try to remember AGAIN that this is not only a historic site but this is a religious site. So quiet down.
*its free to go to the main caves
*Lots of steps up to the caves
*Lots of monkeys on the steps and walks leading up to the caves. lots.
*cold drinks and souvenirs for sale at the top.
*bathrooms down, way, way down, the steps
*its hot.
*additional guided group tours are available for a fee. I am so glad that I went on a guided tour. So well done. Very informative. Your money goes to a good cause.
*restaurants, bathrooms, and different travel options available at the entrance/​exit
*arranged with our hotel for a safe taxi to bring us to caves.
*returned to KL on an air conditioned, very clean train. So nice.

Les grottes de Batu, séries de caves, de Malaisie sont absolument magnifiques.
Consacrées à Murugan (Kârttikeya), ces sanctuaires comptent parmi les plus populaires qui soient en dehors de l’Inde. C’est le point de rassemblement lors de la grande fête hindoue de Thaipusam en Malaisie, en janvier ou février selon le calendrier.
Situé à environ une dizaine de km au nord de kuala lumpur, il est facilement accessible avec les trains du KTM Komuter depuis KL Sentral, environ 40 min de trajet, et ce tous les 30 min environ.
Le terminal de la ligne s’arrête à une centaine de mètre de l’entrée du site. Donc on peut y aller a pied sans probleme.
L’entrée par ce cote passé par l’immense statue du Dieu singe Hanuman qui annonce la multitude de singes qui se promènent sur le site.
Ensuite on longe de nombreuses boutiques et petits restaurants et un petit lac rempli de carpes koï avant de découvrir l’impressionnante statue dorée représentant le Dieu de la Guerre, Murugan. Haute de 42 M c’est le gardien de la grotte principale, hérigé par les temples hindous. Pour y accéder il faut monter 272 marches selon les guides.
Pour moi ce qui est le plus impressionnant c est cette statue et les décorations alentours ainsi que les temples. Mais perso la grotte en elle même j ai été un peu déçu car je pensais y trouver une grande statue en or aussi.
La visite de la grotte en elle même se fait rapidement mais né pas hésiter à s attarder autour.
Le site est gratuit mais certains lieux comme le petit parc avec la petite rivière a côté, super sont payant.

One of the reasons why I decided to visit KL can be attributed to the Batu Caves. A Facebook friend years ago posted about this site, which made me consider visiting it someday in the future. I think many other international tourists also have the same reason of seeing the Batu Caves and Petronas Towers for visiting KL.
While there are private tours available to visit Batu Caves, it is just as easy to reach this site via public transportation. KTM Komuter has a station in short walking distance away from the entrance of the Batu Caves. You can take KTM from KL Sentral to Batu Caves which is the northern terminus station of the Port Klang Line for only RM2. Trains run every half hour.
Upon entering the complex, I saw numerous statues and temple structures along the way. There were also a number of macaques (monkeys) roaming about as you will see them everywhere here. They look innocent, but be cautious around them. They are particularly known to get rambunctious around tourists who are carrying food around.
After walking a bit further in, you will encounter a huge staircase to head inside the Batu Caves. At the bottom of the staircase is the famous statue of Murugan. Upon walking up the steps, expect the trek upward to be a bit arduous. You might get winded and need a moment to catch your breath. Be careful when walking up as I thought these steps were a bit short in length. Also watch for the macaques as you will see them mulling about the staircase.
After reaching the top and entering the caves, you walk downward into the cave and walk up another staircase to reach the last part of the cave. There you will find a few temple structures along with a few smaller size statues inside the cave walls that look they were almost carved from the rock. The inside of the cave has a dinky feel to it with water falling down from the top of the caves and the humid Malaysian air around.
As this is a religious site, be mindful of the rules. The main one being to wear appropriate clothing which means covering up. Shorts are frowned upon here. There are other obvious rules here like no chewing tobacco and smoking. If you are entering any of the temple structures, make sure to remove shoes. Speaking of shoes, wear some sensible ones if you are heading up the staircase.
If you are looking for a meal at the complex, there are a few convenience stores and eateries near the bottom of the caves staircase. But it probably would be better to go back to KL to eat if you are looking for more options.
My thoughts overall on Batu Caves is that my visit here was just okay. I like the temple statues and appreciate the natural beauty of the caves, but it is not the cleanest place to visit and there isn’t a whole lot to see here. It is also quite humid walking about here and you will sweat profusely. That said, I still think it is worth a visit if you have never been here. Though I wouldn’t visit on a return trip to KL since it is so far out from the city to get to.

Batu Caves is just a short taxi ride from the capital of Malaysia! Since I was exhausted from traveling from Bangkok I got a taxi ride to this attraction. Most taxis will also offer round trip service so they’ll wait for you at the parking lot! But if you wanna save more ringgit take the train and Batu Caves is the last stop!
Anyway, once here the big golden statue was incredible! This is a reigious site so make sure you follow appropriate clothing and rules! There are 272 steps that leads you to the cave! Easy peazy, but requires some rest stops specially when it’s super hot!
Along the way, there are plenty of monkeys! They’re used to humans, but be careful with your belongings like cameras, phones, hats, and etc! There’s no entrance fee to get up, but there is one part of the cave where you have to pay an entrance fee! From the top you can also see a nice view of the city on the walk back down! This is a must do when coming to Kuala Lumpur.
There are also restaurants and eateries at the bottom of the attraction near the parking lot! Don’t forget to grab some souvenirs as well!

I recommend the caves as a nice alternative to all the shopping that seems to be everywhere u go. I half expected this to be an mall inside this cave. Although there is a couple of souvenir shops there.
The monkeys will be aggressive but thanks to my Caesar Milan dog whiperer skills of calm and assertive energy they did not attack me.
The steps can be slippery so be careful.

It is annoying to get here. You can take a cab over here, but taking a cab out to leave is a sh*tshow.
That said, the stairs themselves are not that bad and you can definitely walk up the whole thing in less than 15 minutes, with plenty of rest breaks.
There are some additional caves off to the side, but those require an entry fee. The main cave at the top is really cool and free. There are lots of monkeys and NO, you do not want to touch them or even let them approach you. They are very used to humans and know what to steal from you, so don’t get close to them. Don’t get a tour guide unless you have cash to burn — there are many websites online that you can get plenty of background on these caves.

Batu cave est un phénomèné archéologique unique dans son genre. Montre la force de dame nature et les rituels uniques et le grand statut jaune qui lui donne une impressionnante allure. Une merveille!!!

So this was one of my favorite things to do in KL, but before you embark on this epic cave quest, some things should be noted:
1) hire a private car. You really don’t want to be tied to a tour group for this one.
2) use the internet beforehand and you’ll know all you need to know about caves.
3) It is hot and humid!!! It is muggy in parts of the caves.
4) the climb is going to take between 10 – 15 min, and it will be crowded.
5) the caverns are like a small city with food and drink stands and toilets so no need to worry.
6) Halfway up you will encounter monkeys! Be warned, they are not cute, but rather they are thieves capable of stealing your stuff or maybe giving you vicious bite. And of course there is always the potential for some good old poo slinging.
Again, this place is by far one of the best sights in Malaysia, and it is certainly worth the visit.

A must-​visit when in KL, whether you’re a tourist or a local! Early mornings scaling the 200+ steps up to the cave opening can be a mix of majestic and (lightly) gruelling. It’s a cultural event any time of the year, no need for Thaipusam, but it would be so much better if the temple management made a bigger effort to combat how much trash there is there. Sucks when the dirtiness takes the Holy away from this holy place.

Went to see Batu caves first thing in the morning as its out of the way from KL… It was a fun trip even walking up many stairs in the heat. The Monkeys also make it fun… But be careful not to take any food as they will take it from you… Saw a little girl with a banana in her hand and she was screaming her head off when the monkey came and I thought she was going to tumble down all the stairs. Need to be careful as the steps are steep and small… Quite a few ppl trip… The inside of the cave is a nice place to take in the atmosphere. There is also a dark cave tour and snake park, which costs money for entry.

Batu Caves was on my list to go when I visited Kuala Lumpur last fall. It’s listed on many ‘What to do in KL’ lists so we decided to check it out.
My husband’s cousins drove us to this Hindu/​religious site so I can’t say much about public transportation or what this site is near. I can say that there is a good sized parking for the cost of RM10 and there is no entrance fee for entering the temple, but donations are welcome.
Positives:
We came at a good time when it wasn’t too busy — during the weekday around 10:30 am. The parking lot was fairly empty at this time and the stairway up area wasn’t too busy either. Low level difficulty getting up the 250+ stairs and you’re in no way rushed as there’s lots of space. Lots of photo opportunities all around the site including the super large golden statue at the base of the stairs, on the stairs, and in the caves at all angles. Beautiful natural formations when you’re in the cave.
Negatives:
One word — MONKEYS! They were pretty aggressive to a small group of people who were carrying buckets of food up the stairs. They are cute… but definitely from afar! We saw a whole bunch of them running up the ledge of the stairway. Atop the stairs and on your way to the natural formation needs some work. It’s kind of dirty with uneven pavement and stair heights and lengths. You really have to watch your step especially when coming down. Major and minor puddles all around.
Overall, glad I was able to experience this. Don’t set yourself a high expectation for a tourist spot, because that’s not its sole purpose. Wear appropriate clothing and cover your knees and shoulders!

Malaysia Review #2
Being another one of those «spots to visit while in Kuala Lumpur», we get a taxi and head off to Batu Caves, or the «bat caves». Unfortunately I didn’t see Batman, Robin, the Bat-​Mobile or any of their «Bat-​Gear». LOL
But seriously… We arrive and see this sign, we made it!
This is a Hindu Temple and people do pray here, so appropriate respect and quiet are in order.
We walk around to the entry area and pass a few shops selling a variety of gifts and trinkets. As we walk, we see this teeny tiny little gold statue standing guard at the base of the stairs.
Entry is free so we continue toward the stairs and start the climb to the top. Be ready for a work out, because there are two hundred and seventy two steps to the top! As you climb step by step, you’ll see wild monkeys on the steps, hand rail or nearby and no doubt they are looking for something to eat. It’s probably best not to feed them or encourage them.
Once you’re at the top and out of breath, you can walk around in the very large cave and check everything out (another temple, a gift cart, etc). Then, keep walking through the cave and you’ll find another 50 steps up to the «natural courtyard» that is open to the heavens above.
As it’s called «Bat Caves», we got the impression there was a good chance we would see bats. However, no such luck. We were a bit disappointed by this. None flying, hanging, sleeping or whatever else bats do. But HEY, it is free and they do have a money back guarantee! *wink*
OVERALL: Batu Caves is still a very unique place and well worth a visit when you’re in Kuala Lumpur. You’ll be rewarded with a great city view, unique sculptures, nice people, a little exercise (320+ steps, remember?) and if you’re lucky, you might see a few bats too.

When I heard Unilocal was FINALLY in Malaysia this was the first place I wanted to Unilocal about!
Malaysia is one of those places you HAVE TOO see and of course when your there you HAVE TOO come here! This place is located a bit outside of KL. Its a Hindu Temple and people STILL come here to pray. Low on funds then this is a MUST on the itinerary because its FREE! You just need to get here.
The ONLY thing I knew about this place was they had wild monkey’s running around so I was IN! The GI-​NORMOUS golden statue sealed the deal for me. A few days before I had met this AHHH-​MAZE BALLS taxi driver and got his card. I called an arranged a half day hire. So that would be my first suggestion. Don’t come here right away. While your in KL taking taxis find one you like and then they will give you a GOOD price for a car hire. All you need is a half day unless your planning to go somewhere else before or after.
Once there be sure to have a meeting place of where you place to meet your taxi driver then hop out and begin. Be sure to BRING WATER and STAMINA because there are 272 STEPS! The only way up and in is to WALK UP! No elevators or lifts, trolley, etc. ONLY your feet!
No sooner then you get to the steps you will start to see MONKEYS! They are very bold but at the same time they don’t want you to come near them. Also DO NOT bring any food or snacks with you. They know that plastic bags have FOOD in them. They have NO PROBLEM come up and snatching that baggie out your hands. IT’S GREAT! They are cute, devious, funny, probably filled with all sorts rabies, flees and TOTALLY COOL!
The steps really are NOT that bad so once up its SUPER COOL (temp wise) which is NICE since KL can be a bit of a sweat box with the high humidity. This was a welcomed feeling after my hike up the 272 stairs. There are not as many monkey’s inside but you do see some.
Be respectful and NOT LOUD! Dress appropriately! There are not dress code restrictions but its a TEMPLE NOT a CLUB! At least bring a sarong (ladies) if your wearing short-​shorts or your an adult that enjoys wearing kinder clothes you might want to cover up a bit just to NOT be offensive! There is NOTHING worse than visitors dressing inappropriately at a church, temple, synagogue, masque, etc. Have some respect PEOPLE!
Bring a camera to capture all the statures and because it is STILL a working Hindu Temple and most likely if your lucky you’ll see some peeps praying, or having some sort of a ceremony. It is REALLY VERY COOL!
I got to meet a couple VERY FRIENDLY families that were dedicating there twin daughters. They had shaved there heads and had them painted gold. I forget what it was for but they had NO PROBLEM sharing with me and allowing me to take pictures and watch the ceremony. VERY AWESOME and COLORFUL!
Once your at the bottom you can go into the little shops or kiosks. There was also this man that had lost his legs who made bikes and instruments out of wire. So I bought a few saxophone key chains and a bike. It was SUPER cheap! You can also buy some flower lei’s to put at the alters inside the temple from the vendors as well.
Again a must see place! Here monkey-​monkey

Who needs a spin class when you can just come to Batu Caves and go up and down those killer steps a few times? Not that you should come here just for a leg and bum work-​out, but it’s a nice bonus!
People think that KL is just a massive metropolis filled with shopping and food and that there’s little to see and do. Not so! A short taxi tide out of the city will take you to this beautiful temple where you will be greeted by a massive gold hindu statue. It’s really impressive and you’ll be able to view it from different angles as you climb those steps.
At the top of the steps the cool caves welcome you and leads you through different sections depicting the Ramayana. Hold on to your hats — there’s macaque monkeys here! It’s beautiful here and a nice reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city.

It so great to be in a country where you can see a huge cultural mix.
45 min away from the centre of KL, with the train, you can visit some amazing caves and discover a little the culture of india. You will find here 2 major caves with statues, symbols and temples from the Indian culture. There is also the «Dark Cave» which is the home for hundreds of animals and insects which lives in a dark and humid environment. The entrance in the Dark Cave is around 50 RM but the experience is amazing.
In order to see the other caves you need to pay around RM5. Here you will also find some shops from where you can buy indian souvenirs.
I highly recommend everyone to visit this place if you are in KL.

Batu Caves is one of the travel spots in Selangor. Batu Caves isn’t only attract worshippers but also tourists. Thus, it is always crowded in weekend and public holiday; especially Thaipusam, which has just passed two days ago.
Me and my dearest went for the festival and it was my first time watching Kavadi. It was a remarkable performance/​festival I have ever attended. According to Wikipedia, the devotees started the journey from Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur, which is 15 km to Batu Caves. However, the journey doesn’t complete until the devotees walk up the 272-​step Temple Caves. Their spirit is truly admirable!
Apart from that, a huge statue of Lord Murugan was placed besides the staircase of Temple Caves. Murugan is the Hindus god of war. Climbing up the Temple Caves, to be honest, it is tiring; however, it worth thousand tons of tears and sweats. Paintings and cravings are all over the walls of Temple Caves. Further, you are able to view the skyline of the city center from there.
At a glance, Batu Caves is an attraction you should not be missed if you travel in Malaysia. And if you are interested to join the Thaipusam festival, you should keep an eye on the calendar, Batu Caves will never ever miss out it. You will never regret to watch this grand festival with your own eyes.