Batu Caves: your guide to all the caves

Of all the things I did while visiting Kuala Lumpur, taking a trip to the Batu Caves was my favourite. Located a short drive to the north of the city centre to Selangor, these caves provide a combination of natural beauty and sacred Hindu shrines. Drawing pilgrims from all over the world for over 120 years, the Batu Caves have become one of the most iconic sights of Malaysia. While they are best known for the main Temple Cave, perched high above a massive staircase in the shadow of the world’s largest statue of Lord Murugan, there’s a lot more to see when visiting the Batu Caves. Allocate around 4 hours to make a trip out to get the most out of a trip to the caves.

The Basics

• Where? Gombak, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia
• When? Open daily, 6AM – 9PM.
• How much? Admission to the main Temple Cave is free. There is a small fee for admission to other caves at the site which I’ll note below.
• How to get there? I got to the Batu Caves from the Kuala Lumpur City Centre by using the GRAB rideshare app. Its around a 25 minute ride (subject to traffic). Alternatively, the KTM Komuter train terminates at the Batu Caves station.

About the Batu Caves

The limestone caverns that have developed into the Batu Caves date back to prehistoric times over 400 million years ago. Originally inhabited by native peoples of the Bersisi and Temuan tribes, they were eventually discovered by Chinese settlers in 1860. It wasn’t until 1890 however that the caves became a place of Hindu worship, when an Indian trader named K Thamboosamy Pillai created a shrine to Lord Murugan after noticing the shape of the cave’s entrance.

Today, the Batu Caves are administered by Kuala Lumpur’s Sri Mahamariamman Temple and each year see thousands of Hindu worshippers flock to the shrines within during the Thaipusam religious festival in late January/early February. Dark Cave is an exception, serving as a natural reserve that until recently was administered by the Cave Management Group.

What to see at Batu Caves

Batu Caves consists of the following sites, all of which I will cover in more detail below:

• Temple Cave
• Dark Cave (no longer accessible to visitors)
• Cave Villa
• Ramayana Cave

Temple Cave

The Temple Cave is the main reason people come to the Batu Caves, and is often the only place at the caves that visitors have heard about before visiting. It is situated at the very top of a colourful 272 step staircase next to the gigantic Lord Murugan statue. Take a moment to appreciate the massive statue before ascending the stairs. The sheer size of this tribute to the Hindu God of War is mind blowing.

On your way up the staircase, you’ll encounter numerous (and I mean NUMEROUS) macaque monkeys. Make sure you keep an eye on your belongings as these critters are relentlessly persistent when it comes to grabbing your stuff in their quest for food. I swear I saw one actually unwrap a souvenir keychain from its packaging after taking it out of someone’s backpack! Obviously these are wild animals and shouldn’t be disrupted (you’ll see numerous signs telling you not to touch them), but be mindful of them as you’re heading up the stairs.

The Temple Cave is actually comprised of two interconnected caverns, both of which contain significant shrines. The second atrium up a (much) smaller staircase actually has no roof, so you can look out to the sky above. You can also look out at the Kuala Lumpur skyline from afar at the main Temple Cave entrance. Take a bit of time at Temple Cave to rest from the ascent and look on as worshippers pay their respects at the various shrines, including the temple of Valli Devanai (Lord Murugan’s wife).

One last note about the Temple Cave – being a place of worship, you’ll need to dress modestly. In particular, female travellers should make sure that shoulders and knees are covered. Sarongs are available for renting at the cave entrance if necessary.

Dark Cave

I really enjoyed the Dark Cave, however its sadly no longer open to the public as of February 2019. The Dark Cave was located off a path near the top of the main Temple staircase could only be visited through guided tours of approximately 45-60 minutes. Unlike the rest of the caves, Dark Cave is not affiliated with the temples and instead showcases the natural side of the limestone caves in which the shrines have been constructed elsewhere.

I’m not sure what resulted in Dark Cave’s closure. It looks as though the company that conducted research and preservation of the ecosystem no longer running the cave as its website has now vanished. In any event, I’m glad I was able to visit Dark Cave when I did. Entering the cave with flashlights and hardhats, we were guided along a concrete path to see bats, spiders and other native species before reaching a chamber where the light crept in through a hole in the roof. All the while, our guide told us about the cave environment and pointed out numerous rock structures as we passed them. It was a very enjoyable experience that offered something different at Batu Caves.

Cave Villa

The Cave Villa is a cultural centre of sorts that contains a two separate caves that you can explore. The Villa is located to the left of the giant staircase when facing the Temple Cave and costs RM15 to enter. As you make your way into the area, you’ll first come to the Sri Venkatchalapathi & Alamelu Temple and also a stage area where you can watch cultural dance performances on the hour.

Entering the first cave to the left of the complex, you’ll enter a beautifully painted cavern with plaques and displays providing information about Hinduism. There’s a lot to take in and you’ll want to spend a bit of time here to learn about all the different deities and the roles they play in the Hindu faith. I actually visited the Cave Villa after the Ramayana Cave, and it kind of makes me wish I did them in reverse with the benefit of the information provided here.

As for the second cave, its time for the bad news and why I wasn’t entirely comfortable with visiting the Cave Villa. It starts out similar to the first cavern with bright pastel coloured limestone walls, however you’ll eventually make your way into a reptile exhibit. Here you’ll find animals such as snakes and iguanas caged up in tiny cases. They did not look cared for at all. I thought the “no photos” signs throughout the area kind of gave greater credence to my concerns of animal cruelty taking place. I’d strongly discourage paying for photos with the reptiles here because of that and I wish the other part of the Cave Villa was ticketed separately to this section in general, because you know part of your admission is funding this practice.

Ramayana Cave

The last of the Batu Caves is located closest to the train station, by the turquoise statue of the Hindu God Hanuman. The Ramayana Cave costs RM5 to enter, and its well worth doing so. After passing the golden horse and carriage sculpture on display outside the cavern, you’ll enter a large (and considerably less crowded) limestone cavern dedicated to the story of Lord Rama.

Throughout the Ramayana Cave, you’ll find countless sculptures telling the story of Lord Rama, a significant story of the Hindu faith. While there’s not a huge amount of signage, which makes things a little difficult to follow, there’s no denying just how impressive the sculpted brightly coloured dioramas are among the cavern walls. The huge sleeping sculpture of Kumbhakarna is especially beautifully crafted and worth spending time admiring.

When visiting the Ramayana Cave, you can also ascend a very steep staircase at the rear of the cavern. Up here, you’ll not only see two phallus shaped linga, but you’ll also being able to take in views of the cave from high above. I’d say its worth the steep ascent if you’re able. Overall, the Ramayana Cave is well worth taking the time to see, especially considering most guests don’t seem to visit.

So that’s the Batu Caves

Even with the closure of Dark Cave, there’s still a lot to do at the Batu Caves, so make sure you dedicate a few hours to exploring all that the caves have to offer. When you’re finished taking in the above destinations, spend a bit of time shopping for local souvenirs or eating authentic Indian cuisine at the nearby stalls (Restoran Rani is a good choice by the way). There’s also some restrooms nearby but bear in mind you’ll have to pay a small fee to use them.

I definitely think a visit to the Batu Caves should be part of any trip to Kuala Lumpur, even if you have a relatively limited amount of time in the city. I hope this guide has inspired you to check them out.

So what do you think of the Batu Caves? Did you make it to Dark Cave before it closed like I did? What was your favourite of the caves? Let me know below.