Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur

You definately have to do the Batu Caves. Be warned though ... it is hard work climbing all those stairs, especially with KL's weather! It is awesome though because there are monkey's running around everywhere and they are so cute ... unless they steal your hand bag of course, which did happen to one lady I saw. She certainly won't be getting those bananas back ...

The caves are amazing though, and there is also a wildlife bit aswell where they have giant gold fish, monkeys, super old turtles, and other reptiles. The wildlife bit cost about AU$5 each I think, but it's worth it, especially if you have kids.

I skip the historical information, because all the other users have written about it, just some tips:
1- be aware about the monkeys on the steps
2- don't hurry up when climbing the steps if you don't want your legs paralized
3- visit the little indian museum next to the statue and also the traditional indian dance

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Batu Caves were discovered in 1892 and are located approx 13 kms north of Kuala Lumpur. The Caves are made of Limestone, 400 metres long, and 100metres high, huge! These caves are thought to be 400 million years old.

There are three of them altogether. The biggest cave is called Cathedral cave, and its here where you find a Hindu Temple.
This is a very sacred place for the Malay Hindus and is their focal point for the Thaipusam Festival, which attracts 1.5million people.

Be fit for the climb, 272 steps, and quite a few more inside. As you stop and have a rest on your climb up, have a look at the views, you can see for miles and miles.

The caves are easily reached by Bus or Taxi.

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The Batu Caves is a limestone hill, which has a series of caves and cave temples, located in Gombak district1 mi) north of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It takes its name from the Sungai Batu or Batu River, which flows past the hill. Batu Caves is also the name of the nearby village.

The cave is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, dedicated to Lord Murugan. It is the focal point of Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Malaysia

Rising almost 100 m above the ground, Batu Caves temple complex consists of three main caves and a few smaller ones. The biggest, referred to as Cathedral Cave or Temple Cave, has a 100 m-high ceiling, and features ornate Hindu shrines. To reach it, visitors have to climb a steep flight of 472 steps.

At the base of the hill are two more cave temples, Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave, both of which are full of Hindu statues and paintings. This complex was renovated and opened as the Cave Villa in 2008. Many of the shrines relate the story of Lord Murugan's victory over the demon Soorapadam. An audio tour is available to visitors.

The Ramayana Cave is situated to the extreme left as one faces the sheer wall of the hill. On the way to the Ramayana Cave, there is a 50-foot (15 m) tall murti of Hanuman and a temple dedicated to Hanuman, the noble monkey devotee and aide of Lord Rama. The consecration ceremony of the temple was held in November 2001.

The Ramayana Cave depicts the story of Rama in a chronicle manner quite effectively. The cave is well lit and allows the visitor to stroll leisurely viewing the depictions along the irregular walls of the cave. One might experience the feeling that one is strolling through the giant intestines of the mighty demon, Kumbhakarann, brother of King Ravana of Lanka.

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Batu caves is a cave intercepting a mountain in north Kuala lumpur, there is a gigantic golden statue of Lord Murugan standing at the foot of the cave. It has exactly 272 steps leading to Batu Cave. Thaipusam is a good time to visit as there is a chance to see 'kavadi' where devotees perform skin-piercing and walk-on-fire antics. On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common. Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb). In 2007, the festival attracted more than 1.5 million pilgrims, making it one of the largest gatherings in history.

There is also a large chameleon in the cave you can take a photo with if you pay the owner a token amount. The site is also well known for its numerous macaque monkeys, which visitors feed — sometimes involuntarily. These monkeys may also pose a biting hazard to tourists (especially small children) as they can be quite territorial.

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Batu Caves is located to the North of Kuala Lumpur.
It's a limestone hill which is dated around 400 millions years.
Nowadays it's place of sacrifice of Hindu people and some Hindu festivals take place in here.
Everyday buses no.11 go from bus stop at Masjid Jamek direct to Batu caves taking your 40 minutes and bus fare is about 2.50 MYR p/p.
Caves entrance is free of charge.

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Be prepared to climb 272 steps in order to enter the cave/shrine. At street level(to the left as you approach the site) there is a walkway through lower caves with displays of different Hindu gods. The monkeys that inhabit the area are not at all shy, so just be careful!

Yers, when in KL you must vist the Batu Cave. Well having done it I can say that 'I have visited Batu Caves' but all I saw was some dirty caves with religious paintings and statues places randomly around the place with a foul smell and dirty monkeys. As you may have guest my visit to the caves didn't impress me but then again I am not Hindu. The highlight was the realisation that my wife and I could actually reached the top of the 272 steps and take photo's of it. Worth a visit to say you have been there but unless you are VERY religious don't expect too much