He stood barefoot, one hand holding a divine spear, the other resting gently at his waist. Dressed in ceremonial Hindu clothing with ornamental jewellery and a crown upon his head, his far reaching gaze swept beyond the crowds to the huge cosmopolitan city in the distance. The colossal golden statue of Lord Murugan towered forty three metres above us and even from the roadside, was clearly magnificent.

To his right, bands of blue, red, yellow, green and pink steps led the way steeply up the limestone bluff to the cave entrance which appeared level with his shoulders. Dozens of people were making their way up and down, stopping in both directions. The ones headed up, to catch their breath, and those returning to take in the views and keep their balance on the steep decline.

In the foreground brightly coloured temple buildings featured ornate carvings of multiple Hindu Gods together with carvings of people and peacocks. Brazenly striding along rooftops, on the forecourt and amongst pilgrims and pigeons, opportunistic monkeys sought out food wherever they could.

Walking past Lord Murugan’s statue and through the ornate portico we commenced the two hundred and seventy two steps up to the cave. Like everyone, we stopped to take photos. I was fascinated by the monkeys who at times sat idly gazing at us tourists on the off chance we had food, at other times, chasing each other and even diving into a small pool to swim and cool down. I could see the appeal, it was around twenty seven degrees celsius and the steps took some effort. 

Batu Caves

Batu Caves are a series of limestone caves located around thirteen kilometres north of Kuala Lumpur. The complex contains many Hindu temples, the most popular being a shrine dedicated to the Hindu God, Murugan. This is one of the most popular attractions in Malaysia and while tourists are welcome to visit, it is a religious site and one to be respected. 

Lord Murugan

The colossal, golden statue of Lord Murugan at the entrance is one of the largest Murugan statues in the world. He is the Hindu God of War and generally described as the son of the deities, Shiva and Parvati and the brother of Ganesha. Murugan’s mount is a peacock which explains the number of beautiful peacock carvings and symbols throughout the complex.

Sri Velayuthar Temple

At the top of the rainbow coloured steps is the entrance to the largest cave, known as Cathedral or Temple Cave. Within this enormous cave is the biggest of several temples on the site. 

Standing at the entrance and looking into the cave, the scale is breathtaking. The cave top is over one hundred metres above and below us is the stunning Sri Velayuthar Temple where High Priests perform pujas for devotees.

The floor surface has been concreted and aside from the steps, it’s easy to wander around. Discreet ambient lighting makes it safe to navigate the caves and spot lights drew our attention to statues tucked into shrines in the limestone walls. Stalactites jutting from the ceiling and stalagmites rising from the floor form intricate formations.

Lord Murugan Temple 

Beyond the first temple is a relatively short flight of stairs to another cavern, there’s a hole at the apex and natural light filters past the plants around its perimeter, highlighting the ever dripping water. The colourful Lord Murugan temple is naturally lit from above, softly illuminating the peacocks and other statuary. There are several other shrines tucked around the walls.

Batu Caves History

The Batu Caves complex were named after the Batu Panay River which flows nearby and the caves were used as shelters by the Indigenous Temuan people. In the 1860’s, Chinese settlers began excavating guano from the caves to be used as fertilisers. Lord Murugan’s temple was completed in 1891 with the annual Thaipusam celebrations commencing in 1892. 

Batu Caves Thaispusam Festival

The Batu Caves are the focal point of the yearly Thaipusam festival which is celebrated by Tamil Hindus. At this time, thousands of people visit to worship and experience the elaborate three day long festivities. Thaipusam is celebrated every year during the full moon of the Tamil month in the Hindu lunar calendar. This usually falls at the end of January or beginning of February.

Other Temples to Visit while at Batu Caves

Aside from the temples within the Batu Caves, there are also the following temples to visit:

• Temple of Nine Planets (Navagraha Sannathi)

• Vishnu Temple (Sri Venkatachalapathy Swamy Sannadhi)

• Gajah Lakshmi (Sri Alarmelmanga Thayer Sannathi)

• Ganesh/Ganapathi Temple 

• Sivan Temple

• Shakti Temples

• Hanuman Statue

Batu Caves Religious Site

As with all religious sites you will need to dress appropriately so as not to cause offence. Dress modestly in clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, that is, no shorts or sleeveless tops. If you forget, there’s people checking your clothing at the entrance and it is possible to rent cover-ups for your visit, returning them as you leave. Remove your shoes prior to entering the actual temples.

Best Time to Visit Batu Caves

Kuala Lumpur is hot and humid year round, when we visited in March and April, the day temperatures were typically around twenty five degrees to twenty eight degrees celsius. Every afternoon at around four, the monsoon rains came down for an hour, drenching everything in sight and settling the dust. 

Kuala Lumpur is in a hilly equatorial area so the distinctions between the wet and dry seasons can be blurred with showers expected almost daily. July to August are typically the driest months. November and December see the heaviest rains. Smoke from neighbouring Sumatra’s agricultural fires make Kuala Lumpur’s skies hazy in August and September.

Visit the caves early in the morning to avoid some of the crowds, heat and possible rain which may make the steps treacherous. 

Batu Caves Facilities

There are many restaurants at Batu Caves and we enjoyed a vegetarian lunch and a browse through the souvenir shops before returning to Kuala Lumpur. 

Where are Batu Caves?

Batu Caves are located on the northern outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. It’s about thirteen kilometres from central Kuala Lumpur, a thirty minute taxi ride or a thirty five minute train ride. 

By taxi, Batu Caves are about an hour and twenty minutes from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport which is located south of the city.

Tips for Visiting Batu Caves

Batu Caves General Admission Cost 

Entry to Batu Caves (Main Cave) is free

Admission to Other Caves 

Cave Villa RM 15, Ramayana Cave RM 5

Batu Caves Opening Hours 

Batu Caves are open daily, 7am to 7pm

Best Time to Visit Batu Caves 

Early morning to avoid the crowds and heat

Time Needed at Batu Caves 

Allow two hours to explore Batu Caves, more if you want to visit all the caves and temples within the complex

Dress Code and Respect

Batu Caves is a Hindu place of worship therefore respect Hindu customs. Wear modest clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, wear comfortable shoes and remove them before entering a temple. 

Photographs 

Yes, you can take photographs inside the main cave and smaller caves however be respectful of worshippers and avoid using flash photography.

Macaque / Monkeys

Don’t bring food, not even in a bag as it will attract unnecessary attention from the monkeys who will try to steal it.

Facilities at Batu Caves 

There are two shops inside the main cave selling snack food, drinks and souvenirs. Toilets are outside. 

Outside the caves, at the entrance to the whole complex there are many restaurants and souvenir shops.

Getting to Batu Caves from Kuala Lumpur 

Taxi: The Batu Caves are thirteen kilometres from the centre of Kuala Lumpur. We used a Grab (Southeast Asias popular version of Uber) from our hotel in the city. It took about thirty minutes to get there.

Public transport: Catch the KTM Komuter Train from Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station or other Kuala Lumpur stations all the way to Batu Caves Komuter Station. Trains leave every half hour and take about thirty five minutes. The Batu Caves Station is right at the Caves.

Batu Caves Location Batu Caves, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia 

Where we stayed when visiting Batu Caves

Hotel Avenue J - fabulous central location on the riverside. Tea/coffee/filtered water. 24/7 checkin. Helpful and friendly staff.

Have you visited Batu Caves at Kuala Lumpur and were you approached by the macaque / monkeys? Share in the comments below your Batu Caves experience.

Planning a trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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