A Guide to Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur

About Batu Caves

If you are planning to visit Kuala Lumpur, then your trip won’t be complete without visiting Batu Caves. Situated on the outskirts of Selangor and about 15 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur, Batu Caves is one of the major and most visited tourist attractions. It is a massive 330 meters high and 2 kilometres wide limestone hill with religious sculptures of Hindu religion believed to be 400 million years old with its caverns and crevices formed in the prehistoric era.

Batu Caves first came to the attention of immigrant Chinese people who started extracting the bat excreta as fertilizer for their farms. By 1870, the caves came into the knowledge of British authorities and the existence of Batu Caves was recorded in worldwide archives. Within 2 decades of its discovery, the site became a popular tourist attraction, and an Indian merchant K. Thamboosamy Pillai visited this place. He was so fascinated by the spear-like shape and grandeur of the monolith of the cave that he initiated the move to make it a place of worship for the Hindu god Lord Murugan, who is the Hindu God of War. By the year 1920, the 400 feet-high Temple Cave was connected to the ground with wooden steps to help the devotees with easy access. With the passage of time, the wooden steps were replaced with concrete steps.

Batu has five caves, the most famous being the Temple Cave and the Dark Cave.

  

Ramayan Cave

On the left of Temple Cave stands a huge green statue of Lord Hanuman. The first cave is dedicated to Lord Hanuman. The story of Lord Rama and Hanuman is explicated with sculptures and detailed in the Sanskrit language. 

Two Natural Lingas are also there in a chamber of cave and you have to climb steep steps to reach the mouth of the massive chamber and have ‘darshan’ (an opportunity to meet a holy person or see the image of a deity.

Cave Villa

Cave Villa is formed by two caves lying on the right side of the main cave. The first cave is painted all along the walls depicting extensive information about Hinduism. You can learn about the Hindu festivals, Hindu dances, Hindu traditions, epic stories and Hindu Gods here. The information is available in English to make one understand every painting and sculpture.

The second cave of Cave Villa exhibits a variety of reptiles and birds. You can take your photo with these inmates of caves.  

Batu Cave (Temple Cave)  

After ascending a steep staircase of 272 stairs, you will reach in front of the Temple Cave. Going up the stairs is a bit strenuous activity but you can very well stop a couple of times on your way up for a breather and also for some nice photos. A mammoth golden statue of Lord Murugan stands tall in front of the cave. This was erected in 2006 at 140 feet tall and the largest statue of Lord Murugan in the world. Today, Batu Caves are the largest centre of Hindu pilgrimage and rituals outside India. 

Additional information:

• To enter the cave, one has to adhere to a dress code, i.e., one has to cover his/her shoulders and the lower must not be shorter than knee length. It is not a big issue as you can easily get proper covers there on a nominal rent.
• The first thing to catch your eye at Batu Caves is hundreds of monkeys scattered everywhere. As per the official advice, you should not carry any food or drinks along as they will snatch it as with continuous interaction with human beings, they have become quite brazen and do not hesitate in snatching things from them. The best solution is not to carry anything, and whatsoever you carry along, keep a strict vigil.
• The annual Thaipusam Festival is held in Batu Caves at the end of January or early February since 1892, and about a million devotees attend the rituals to show their devotion towards Lord Murugan. This is a very festive, colourful season and a sight to remember for long.

Dark Cave

Bark cave is not affiliated with the temple but it is separately managed. As is evident from its name, the naturality has been preserved in this cave and utter darkness welcomes you inside. You need to book a guided tour (RM 35 per adult) to visit the cave. The tour takes people to cave in groups of 15. You may have to wait for your turn in the waiting area, which gives you a beautiful panoramic view of Kuala Lumpur. You have to be careful of monkeys while waiting for your turn.

One of the rarest spiders in the world – the trapdoor spider, bats, snakes and many species of insects are endemic to Dark Cave. The tour takes you to 850 meters of the thrilling and absolutely dark trek. The guide will explain the history of the cave and you will see various animals on the way. 

How to get to Batu Caves?

By train

Batu Caves is situated at a distance of around 15 km from Kuala Lumpur. You can reach this astonishing monument very easily by catching a train from KL Sentral Railway Station to Batu Caves Railway Station. One-way ticket costs RM 2 and the return ticket is RM 4.
The earliest train is available from KL Sentral (the main railway station in Kuala Lumpur) to Batu Caves at 6:56 AM. This train journey generally takes around 40 minutes. The trains are available every 25 minutes during the peak time and the frequency lessens to around one train in around 35 minutes during the off-peak time. The trains are available throughout the day. The last train departs from the KL Sentral station just before midnight. 
The platforms have displays where you can check the directions for the correct platform and time due for the next train to your destination. The KTM Komuter trains also have ladies only carriages that can be easily spotted by the pink stickers on them.
After getting off the train at the Batu Caves Railway Station, head towards the exit. Once you’re out of the station, behemoth statue of Lord Murugan is hard to miss. 

By bus

Buses are available twice a day from the Bukit Bintang Kiosk in Kuala Lumpur heading towards the Batu Caves. The first bus starts at 10 AM and the second one leaves from the origin at 2 PM in the afternoon. You can catch the bus back to the city from Batu Caves at 12 and 4 PM, respectively.

By taxi

You can book a taxi ride to reach the Batu Caves from the city by hiring a taxi. The ride usually takes around 15-30 minutes, depending on traffic. The taxi pricing may vary depending upon the time of the day and traffic.

  

What will you see at Batu Caves?

Batu Caves is a popular tourist as well as religious destination. There is no entry fee for Batu Caves, although a few smaller caves nearby have an entry fee varying between RM 5 and RM 10. Once you reach the entrance of these mighty caves, a mammoth statue of Lord Murugun welcomes you. Right next to this impressive statue is a set of stairs that seems unending. At the end of 272 steps, you reach the Temple Cave, where you can see the ornate shrines of the Hindu deities.

At the base of the hill, the Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave are situated where you can feast your eyes with the beautiful paintings and statues. An audio tour is also available that explains about the caves and the mythological tales related to them.

At the left end of the hill, you can spot the Ramayana Cave, where the elaborate depiction of Ramayana seems as if the story has come alive on the walls. This cave is also home to a 50-foot tall statue of Hanuman – the monkey god, who was Lord Ram’s aide through his journey to Lanka. 

After a climb up the steep stairs, the fascinating space inside the limestone caves makes one forget the tiresome climb. The caves have a concrete floor, which makes the walk comfortable. However, while going down the stairs, one has to be careful, especially during the rainy season as the steps tend to be slippery. During the downpour, the cave entrance is sometimes closed by the authorities to avoid any accidents.

How much time is required for this tour?

The Batu Caves are open all weekdays from 7.00 AM to 9.00 PM. But the dark cave remains open between 10.00 AM and 5.00 PM on weekdays and 10.30 AM to 5.30 PM on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. If you wish to experience the calm and quiet of Batu Caves, it is best to reach there a little before 7.00 AM or late in the afternoon.
The time needed to visit Batu caves differs due to many factors, including your interests, company, and age. For youngsters, it can be quite easy and fast, whereas for aged people, it will be a bit strenuous and time-consuming. For people with no interest in Hinduism, it simply is a show of sculptures and for followers of Hinduism, it is a religious tour meant to offer prayers and improve knowledge about this place.

The Ramayana Cave will consume 30 minutes and Cave Villa will need a minimum of 1 hour. For the main Temple Cave, one can easily spend 1 to 1.30 hours, and the Dark Cave needs another one hour for a complete tour. If you have not booked your tickets in advance, you may have to wait up to one hour for your turn to Dark Caves. Another hour is needed for taking pictures to keep nostalgic memories of this wonderful place. If you have an interest in Hinduism and wish to extensively explore the caves, then you need to have 5-6 hours at hand.

Climbing the Steps

After reaching Batu Caves, the first task is to ascend the 272 stairs. This is a quite broad staircase and you can take a couple of short breaks while ascending. These breaks can be very well utilized, capturing a panoramic view of downtown Kuala Lumpur. You start from the bottom line and reach near the foot of a mammoth statue of Lord Murugan. This way, at least 20 to 30 minutes are required to reach the temple. It is advised to visit Batu Caves in early morning as with the rise of the sun, scorching heat will further slow down your ascend.
Do not forget to carry some water and snacks for the climb. But keep these hidden in your bag as exposure to monkeys will prompt them to snatch the same from you. The shops at the cave also sell water and snacks but you will have to cough up exorbitantly high prices for them.

Best Time to Visit the Batu Caves

As Kuala Lumpur is situated near the equator, it has a tropical and humid climate for most of the year. The temperature generally stays around 23 to 33° Celsius with high humidity level. The weather in Kuala Lumpur is cool and pleasant between December and February, which is the recommended time to visit the majestic Batu Caves.  

It is best to avoid visiting this monument in the rainy season when the steps become slippery and may lead to an accident. 

Another suggestion while paying a visit to Batu Caves is to schedule your visit at a time when the sun is not too bright in the sky, so as to make your climb up the stairs comfortable. Hence, early morning or later in the afternoon is a good time to avoid the sun and enjoy the scenery around the hill.