Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur

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Batu Caves Hindu Temple is famous for its annual crowd of 1 million devotees ( so they claim ) converging for a 2-day celebration.

If you are not afraid of being caught in a stampede you can try and catch them every year, usually in January.

I wasn't impressed with the Batu Caves. After a half-hour taxi from KL, we had to climb 272 steps to the main cave. There are a few colourful temples, but frankly nothing worth the effort and expense getting there and back. The smaller caves are a bit better, but my advice would be not to go unless it is a stopover on a day trip when you take in a number of sights

Visitors to the Batu Caves will first have to climb up 272 steps to reach the caves. After all that hard work, they may be disappointed to find ... just a large cave.

The caves are actually a religious site for Hindu worshippers, and visitors will find prayer altars and statues or images of Hindu gods around the cave. There is also a temple at the foot of the cave.

The caves become the site of a colourful religious procession during the annual Thaipusam, which is "a day for penance and atonement". As part of the procession, Hindu devotees will carry kavadis (wooden steel yokes with longspikes and metal hooks) pierced into their bodies, as well as perform fire walking, where they walk across hot coals barefooted.

My cabbie took me here as a part of a pretty cool half-day tour. Of course, he didn't walk up the 260+ steps with me, or warn me about them before I got there (bring a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses). On the way up the stairs to the caves are all these monkeys with attitudes, eating out of leftover coconuts and discarded potato chip bags.

Sooo, I'm all sweaty after my stairclimbing in the midday sun, and in my delirium am convinced that taking a picture with an anaconda is a good idea. So as I have this 10 pound snake wrapped around my head, the tamer casually mentions the 20 ringitt fee for taking the picture WITH MY OWN CAMERA! What am I supposed to do with this snake now?? So I talk him down to 10 after hearing this story about how the snake starves because he needs to feed it chickens...hence the sweat and fear on my face in the photo.

Of course, Cabbie and Ticketguy also convinced the gullible American to pay 15 ringitt more for a recorded voice tour with headphones, but you don't need them. There are some interesting Hindu statues and shrines, but the cave itself is the show stopper.

Batu Caves was defintely worth the money and the trip, even with the anaconda. It's not everyday you can have a photo shoot with one in a cool cave in the middle of Malaysia, right?

Some people would say it's not worth it to climb up. But I say it's still an experience. Batu Caves from afar is impressive already. When you get there, you'll see a big sign saying "Beware of Monkeys". Fine, there are a lot of monkeys around. But they don't really do much but mind their own business if you don't provoke them (and please don't carry around food that's visible to them- they do get hungry and they probably like human food).

What's up there? Ok, so maybe the place needs some improvement. There is vandalism (but not many). Presently, they're constructing a big monument in front of the stairs and some other construction by the caves, so these may be an eyesore. Still, it's worth a visit. Find the old woman in robe with very very long hair sitting by the caves and meditating (or I dunno what she's doing). Take in the view of the altars. Be captivated by the cave walls and stalagmites. It's still an experience. Plus, it's free.

A man offers pictures for RM5-10 with his pet Iguana; a photo with the animal and the caves as background isn't bad at all.

How I got there:
We took a cab from our hotel (MiCasa at Jalan Tun Razak) and the fare's about RM15++. Going back to KL is no problem. Right outside the Batu Cave entrance is a Bus Station. Take Bus No. 69 for RM2.00 per person. The last stop of the bus is at Central Market in KL.

The Batu caves may look deceiving however there are 270 steps and that is a big work out.

Located in the cave is a religious temple which is used even today.

Beware of the naughty monkey's as they will grab things from you! Below this monkey stole a little boys coke bottle.

It's a Hindu temple located in a huge cave and we have to climb the 272 stairs first to get in it.
As we climb up the stairs there are monkeys around us so it's better if you don't bring food with you because it will attract them to get it from you.
It's a unique temple, later there will be a giant statue of a Hindu God (forget the name) in front of the stairs, now it's still under construction.
At the end of the cave we will find a big chamber with holes above us, where we can see blue sky and feel the fresh air.
But too bad in the beautiful cave I saw some graffity and there are also plastics from food pack.
There are also bats live in the caves, so it's a litle bit smelly.

Good Sight. Yet surprisingly, not very well taken care of for a Temple, but it is a must see. I was very surprised that the temple is not pristeen (unlike the grand palace in Thailand or other religous sights thru out the world) There is a lot of graffiti and just plain old dirt. I understand the bird droppings, it is a cave afterall.

Any Taxi driver would "love" to take you there -
& the drive from downtown KL is not bad. Once there you get an exceptionally good view of the city. Rent a headset that you pick up at the top for about 13 RGT & It will guide you thru the caves/temple.

Walking up the stairs there are a ton of monkey's waiting for treats. It is quite a walk up the stairs and it is a humid climate - caution for asthma suffers and infrequent exercisers - take your time.