Batu Caves

This article has been translated from Russian language using an artificial intelligence-based translation algorithm. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the quality of the translation. You can read the original of this article in Russian here, and ask questions on the topic of our travel forum in English here.

Batu cave temple is one of the most famous cave temples in Malaysia, and definitely one of the main attractions in Kuala Lumpur. This is a Hindu temple, and according to some versions it is the largest of all Hindu temples located outside of India, but in fact this is not the case at all. But it is among the most popular: there are always a lot of pilgrims from all over the world, and tourists. Almost every tourist visiting the capital seeks to see it.

Batu Caves

The temple is located in the largest of the many limestone caves of Batu, called "Light". According to various estimates, there are about 30 caves, but most of them are inaccessible to tourists, and in general there is nothing to do. The most interesting is the caves with temples. Temple paraphernalia begins at the foot of the mountain, on the platform in front of the main staircase. Here you can see a few simple temple structures and statues. The most important statue is a huge 43-meter statue of the god Murugan, recognizable by the images on many tourist products of Malaysia. Murugan is the God of war in Hinduism, and the leader of the army of the gods.

The most visited and interesting cave is the main temple cave. It all began with her in the 19th century, when the temple was equipped inside. Over time, there was a convenient ladder for climbing and a huge statue, the cave became more accessible. But only in recent decades, other places have been equipped and opened for tourists. Therefore, when visiting, remember the main thing – first of all visit the main temple cave, and only because already, you can see others, if you do not spare money and time. And one more warning: there are a lot of monkeys around, they behave very brazenly, they feel like Masters here. Therefore, when visiting here, hide all valuables, put chains, glasses and phones in your backpack and lock them (See also how to behave with monkeys, precautions).

And here is a brief description of the caves, if you decide to visit not only the main one:

Main cave (light or Temple)

Most tourists are limited only to this cave, and if you have limited time, you can really visit only it. This is the most "popular" cave, it is here that pilgrims and believers seek, and all other caves are rather tourist. Here you can participate in the ceremony for a nominal fee in the form of a donation, or you can just watch the action from the outside, because something is always happening inside, the flow of believers does not dry up.

This cave is the most spacious, the entrance is located at a height reached by a staircase of 272 steps. There is nothing difficult in the ascent, even elderly people calmly overcome it. Inside there are several stalactites, many small temples and Hindu shrines. Admission is free.
Dark cave

This is the longest cave, its length is more than 2 kilometers, and it is being explored and gradually increased. It has nothing to do with religion, and inside you can only admire the stalactites and stalagmites, and listen to the guide's story (in English). You can visit it only accompanied by a tour guide and as part of a group that is formed at the entrance. Inside it is forbidden to take pictures with a flash. The cost of the tour is 35 ringgit adults; 25 ringgit-children. The entrance to it is on the stairs leading to the main cave.
Ramayana (Ramayana Cave)

This is the newest cave open to tourists. It can be called the most tourist and fascinating, but it is for tourists. From a religious point of view, it is not very interesting, it is still more entertainment. Inside there are compositions of statues telling about individual stories from the Great Indian epic Ramayana, there are beautiful colored lighting, stalactites and stalagmites, and even a couple of waterfalls. In general, it is not mandatory to visit, but if you have time, you can visit. Admission is symbolic of 2 ringgit or more for donations. The entrance is behind a green Statue of the god Hanuman.
Gallery (Villa Cave)

This is another tourist cave, locals rarely go here. Inside are several relief frescoes about the life of god Murugan, statues and bas-reliefs. Before entering the cave, there is a fish pond and a stage where traditional performances are shown several times a day. The cave itself is small, and it is more of an entertainment and resting place than a religious object. Admission costs 35 ringgit for adults; 25 ringgit for children. The entrance is on a landing at the foot of the mountain to the left of the main staircase.

🕐 Working hours: from 06:00 to 21:00 daily.

💵 Entrance fee / tickets price: the main cave is free, the other caves are 35 ringgit.

🚶 How to get there: the caves are located outside the city in Gombak District, 13 kilometers from the center (Batu Caves on the map). The most convenient way to get here is by taxi. A round trip with a wait will cost from 140 ringgit (32.55 USD, see Malaysian currency and exchange rate). But there are ways to get here and much cheaper.

The most convenient, non-confusing and quick way to get to the caves by public transport is to take the suburban trains KTM Komuter Batu Caves-Port Kelang line to the terminus Batu Caves KTM Komuter station. The station is located right next to the caves, you will have to walk just a couple of minutes. Even if there is no Batu Caves-Port Kelang station near your hotel, you can always get to KL Sentral from the nearest station monorail or SkyTrain. The fare from KL Sentral to Batu Caves In One Direction will be 2.6 ringgit (0.6 trains run according to the schedule from 5: 15 to 22:35 every 30-60 minutes. You can check the schedule here - http://www.ktmb.com.my.

Another way - from the area Chinatown from Pentaling Street to the caves and back goes bus number 11, number 11D and number 13. Cost 2.5 ringgit. From Jalan Pudu street, you can take Cityliner bus # 69 to the caves.