The Magnificent Batu Caves, Malaysia ♥

FOOD MORNING, BACOLOD! :-) Wednesday, February 01, 2012


Believe it or not, some of Malaysia's most iconic attractions lie in the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.
The city may have its wealth of mega-structures, sprawling shopping malls and nocturnal hotspots, but travelling a few miles away from the capital will make one find some pretty fascinating attractions that are as inspiring as they are unique.



Batu Caves  is one such attraction.
Simply put, there is nothing quite like it.
Located approximately half an hour's drive away from KL, this world-renowned point of interest is said to be never short of visitors, no matter what the season.

The legendary  Batu Caves  is a popular place of worship for Hindu devotees in Malaysia.
It's made up of a series of limestone caves said to be over 400 million years old.



It was drizzling when we went there.
The massive golden statue of Lord Muruga ~ the tallest in the world ~ guarding the entrance of the main cave glinted ethereally against the cloudy sky.
The temple grounds were filled with fat pigeons, and there were monkeys everywhere, as the caves were well-known for these long-tailed inhabitants.


Two cave temples, Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave, are also located in the main complex, as well as a Tamil school, a few souvenir shops and several vegetarian restaurants serving South Indian cuisine.



The temple grounds were filled with fat pigeons and we had a fun time trying to chase them!


That's my friend Dra.Tess (younger sis of my BestFriend Dra.Fedelaine), also enjoying playing with the pigeons! ☺


On the left side of the main complex was a 50-foot Hanuman statue marking the entrance of Ramayana Cave.
The well-lit cave featured depictions of the chronicles of Lord Rama and his loyal monkey aide, Hanuman, along the intestine of a giant demon.
As one walks deeper into the cave, it can be quite alarming, as one feels as if one was moving along the intestine of a giant demon! (Yikes! heheh)

The Temple Cave can be seen high up in the distance from the ground.
To reach the main cave, one has to climb up the 272 steps up the steep slopes!
I had to stop a few times along the way, to catch my breathe. (heheh)
On the way up was the entrance to the dark cave, which was well-known for its amazing rock formations formed over thousands of years.

When we finally reached the top, the sight that greeted us made the arduous climb well worth the effort (and tiredness).
The biggest of all the caves, the Temple Cave is characterized by a cathedral-like cavity with a vaulted roof that reached 100m high from the cave's floor.
There were several temples and shrines within the cave, making Temple Cave the focal point for the Thaipusam celebrations they have in Malaysia, with thousands of devotees climbing up the steps every year carrying kavadi and all sorts of offerings.
As we went higher and higher inside the cave,
the air was significantly cooler,
one would mistake it for aircon! ☺

Afterwards, when we made our way down from the mouth of the cave ~ obviously easier than the way up ~ we marvelled at the breathtaking vista spread out before us.

Even though our legs felt wobbly like jelly because of tiredness from all the walking/climbing,
it had been an exciting experience for us all. ☺


the top of the cave 
(We took this picture using 'BFF' Fedelaine's ifone.) ☺

FOOD MORNING, BACOLOD! :-)

Posted by FOOD MORNING, BACOLOD! :-)

Hmm, friends and loved ones say I AM... Good-humored, Optimistic, Independent, A hopeless romantic ♥, Generous (sometimes to a fault?), Helpful, An Extrovert, Loving, Dynamic, Straight-forward, SENTImental, Sweet, Enthusiastic, Charismatic, A Philanthropist, Nature-loving, Spoiled~and~Deserving! ♥ (wink,wink) :-)

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16 Comments

Barb, Selangor said…
Batu Caves, a well known Hindu temple discovered way back in 1892, close to Kuala Lumpur with its 272 steps. It is interesting for those who love cultures and traditions or just eager to make it up these steep steps. The monkesy and bats making their treats are fascinating.
8:20 AM
Harocnab, Sultanante of Oman said…
Batu Caves are one of the most magnificent sites I saw during my trip in Malaysia. The statue is about 40 meters tall and is covered with pure gold. Maybe the only sad thing was that I had to climb the 272 stairs to the top and then a monkey stole my banana given to me by an Indian priest at a ceremony.
8:25 AM
mallesh said…
Very nice and intersting place must visit. The atmosphere is so serene and climbing the steps to see the diety is a even more wonderful experience. However, I think the management should think of making some alternative arrangements for senior citizens who are unable to climb the 272 steps so that they can also visit the temple.
8:30 AM
sean, USA said…
I head up to the caves everytime I go to KL. it's not as granduer as one would expect, but it certainly is a treat.Once you scale the monolith of stairs and catch your breath, take a break. Once you enter the cave itself tie any loose article or camera/bags to your body.Why? Cause those little monkeys that live in the caves are fast and cheeky. If they get the chance a snatch and grab is all in a days work for these little felows. If you fall victim to a monkey mugging, say good bye to what ever they have nabbed from you.Those little suckers can scale the inside wall with their (your) goodies and be gone. If your lucky enough they might very well get sick of whatevr they have and throw it dowm to the ground. By which time your valuable camera may be salvaged for parts on E-bay. In saying the above. If you are new to seeing monkeys and temples.Go to the caves...It's free to get in and is a very short trip by cab from the city central.
8:35 AM
NOD said…
Really cheap to get there, only 1 rm from KL Sentral LRT. But along the steps to the caves are wild monkeys and trashes. Not very clean for a temple. A few shops in front of the cave but nothing worth stopping by.
8:40 AM
anshum said…
visit the batu caves for the wonderful veg south indian thali served on a banana leaf and it's not expensive either. we were lucky to be seated next to a wedding party and were able to view the traditional wedding attire of the groom and bride.
8:50 AM
Ahalya, India said…
A must see when you are in Malaysia. I am planning a trip back to visit Malaysia during the Month of February to witness the largest hindu celebration of "Thaipusam".
9:00 AM
HR said…
We can really feel the Spiritual power while seeing the caves. But too stinging because of bats and monkeys. I wondered how they build such a huge temple in that height. We can experience the spiritual vibrations and the energy over a the caves.
9:07 AM
Abdul-Azeez said…
I like mysterious lights and sounds of silence behind the crowd of men and apes, and 272 steps climbing to get a PERFECT MOMENT .
9:14 AM
Bharani, India said…
well the climb up the stairs in the heat was average as you need to stop every few steps to catch your breathe,but the dark cave that they ask you to pay 35 rm is not worth it as you cant go by yourself you have to pay for a guided tour which last about 20 minutes,but the other parts of the cave are free and they are worth it ..
9:20 AM
Elise, Australia said…
“Don't miss this!”
10:02 AM
Greg, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia said…
If you can make it up the 272 steps, the caves are beautiful. Monkeys, worshippers, tourists, shrines - it's all very interesting and calming in a way. Served directly by mass transit, it is definitely worth the visit. And the gift shop on the way out is quite nice.
10:11 AM
Juan said…
“Magical”
10:16 AM
Ivan said…
incredible place, and the highlight of our three week visit to Malaysia and Singapore. If you're in KL, go there.
10:21 AM
Ed said…
“wow”
10:26 AM
Nikko, Korea said…
“Big caves, big statues - everything big!”
10:32 AM
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