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Batu Caves is a 400-million-year-old limestone hill just outside Kuala Lumpur. Rainwater slowly carved huge chambers into it, and in 1890 a temple to Lord Murugan was built inside. We went as a family, with the grandparents and a very energetic young footballer.
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Getting there
Three ways: train (KTM has a Batu Caves station right behind the temple), bus or taxi. We came by taxi (about 50 RM for the group) and went back by train for just 2.6 RM per person to KL Sentral.
The climb: 272 steps
The giant golden Lord Murugan statue (about 42.7 m, one of the tallest in the world) stands at the bottom. Take the centre staircase: 272 steps, steep and straight.
- Take a short break every few flights. That's our footballer's advice, and it works.
- The view of the KL skyline from the top is worth it.
- Seniors or anyone with back pain should skip the climb. Our nani waited below.
Monkeys: don't carry food!
The monkeys are big and bold. One snatched a packet of peanuts from us. Don't eat on the stairs or inside the cave, and keep bags zipped.
Temple Cave
A huge cave with an opening at the top that lets in a shaft of light. There's the main Murugan temple and more shrines further up. Water drips from the rock. Shops at the top are pricier (postcards were 1.5 RM each), so buy souvenirs below.
Lunch: South Indian thali
The café at the base serves a proper South Indian thali (three vegetables, rice and papad) for about 7 RM. It was delicious.
Ramayana Cave
Don't skip this one. It has colourful Ramayana sculptures and paintings (Kumbhakarna is huge!), a fresh mountain waterfall inside, a natural Shivling with water dripping onto it, and coins left by devotees. Some sections are steep and slippery, so kids shouldn't go alone, and it's not ideal for seniors.
Kailash Cave
A large Shiva statue and a Ganesha said to have formed naturally, all beautifully lit and maintained.
The dark cave
There's a "Dark Cave" adventure section, but it was closed when we visited.
More KL: 3 days in Kuala Lumpur.
FAQs
How many steps are there at Batu Caves?
272 steps up to the Temple Cave. Take short breaks and it's manageable.
How do I get to Batu Caves cheaply?
By KTM train. Our return to KL Sentral cost 2.6 RM per person. A taxi there cost us about 50 RM for the group.
Is Batu Caves suitable for seniors?
The climb is hard on anyone with back or knee pain. Seniors can wait at the base, which has cafés and shrines.
TAGS: BATU CAVES · KUALA LUMPUR · MALAYSIA · TEMPLE · RAMAYANA CAVE · FAMILY
💬 Questions & answers
NO QUESTIONS YET. ASK US ANYTHING ABOUT THIS TRIP.
Prashant & Sunaina
A travel couple from Pune with Kashmiri Pandit × Maharashtrian roots, 8+ countries and counting. Every rupee shared.
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