Travel Guide to Visiting Batu Caves

Caroline Cunningham
Feb 8, 2020
7 min read

Out of all the must see places in the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, I think Batu Caves is the most impressive! I mean it's literally a giant, golden statue at the forefront of a rainbow staircase leading to Hindu temples inside limestone caves. How bizarre, artistic, and amazing is that?! And it's not only beautiful, but it's extremely accessible and an easy day trip in Kuala Lumpur.

About Batu Caves:

So let me get all historical on you from what I've found on the internet and from overhearing tour groups while there...

Batu Caves, meaning the caves itself, have been around for a long time - like 400 million years long. In the 1800s settlers from China started using the caves and its resources for their farming. Then an American in 1878 came along and announced the existence of the caves to the world. In 1890, K. Thamboosamy Pillay, the leader of the Tamil community, was inspired to use the caves as a Hindu temple, specifically dedicated to Lord Murugan - the god of war and victory. From then on developments over the years were made such as the statues inside the cave, the 272 stairs, and eventually the massive golden statue of Lord Murugan.

Surprising to many (many meaning myself), the famous statue is actually really new. Made of steel, concrete, and painted gold, the statue of Lord Murugan took 3 years to construct and was only just finished in 2006. It is the tallest statue in Malaysia - 42.7 meters (140 ft) in height - and the 3rd tallest Hindu statue in the world. In February, Batu Caves is the site of the colorful Thaipusam festival, where over a million Tamil people come to worship and celebrate. Throughout the year, Batu Caves has thousands of visitors per day. Many to worship, and many for the sake of tourism - this number has obviously gone up since the giant statue was built.

Visiting Batu Caves is not only interesting and a learning experience if you don't know much about the Hindu religion, but it's also a beautiful sight to see and experience for yourself. The limestone looks as though it's dripping off the cliff wall, the statue of Lord Murugan looks even more massive in person, and the steps and temples as colorful as the rainbow.

Where is Batu Caves?

Batu Caves is about 13km/8 miles north from the center of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Although it looks like it would be in the middle of a jungle or wilderness, it's really not. It's right on the outskirts of the city.

How to Visit Batu Caves

Batu Caves can be visited either in a tour group or on your own. Personally, I think Batu Caves is much more enjoyable to do on your own, it's very accessible, and is cheaper.

But if you would like to join a tour group, perhaps to learn more history or to meet others, tours are available online at Klook.

Getting There

To get to Batu Caves, you can take the train, a GRAB (Asia's version of Uber), a taxi, or a tour bus. You could also take a city bus, but usually traffic is bad enough that if you're going to use public transportation, the MRT is a better option.

To find out how to get from wherever you're staying, you can use Google Maps or Rome2Rio.

KTM train

Cost | RM 1 - 6 ($0.25 - $1.50 USD) - pay in cash

The KTM train is easy to ride and is very cheap. And if you're staying at a location close to the purple/blue line, then it's incredibly easy to use as Batu Caves is simply the last stop, so you just get on and off, no switching lines. If you're near a different colored line, then you will have to switch at some point, but with Google Maps and the train option, it's easy to follow directions, and you can always ask someone at the station - most people in Kuala Lumpur speak English, and otherwise you can always have a picture of Batu Caves, everyone knows what it is.

Once you get to the end of the blue line/the Batu Caves stop, simply get off the train and upon exiting the station you'll see signs pointing to Batu Caves. It's literally right off the train stop. Because of the limestone and the intensity of the natural scene, most people (again I mean myself) expect Batu Caves to be farther into the wilderness, but it's really right next to the train station.

My train experience:

When I visited Batu Caves I took the train. I was staying right next to the KTM Putra station (not on purpose), that happened to be the blue line. So I went to the station, told the clerk where I was going, paid about RM 6 ($1.50 USD), they gave me a token (rather than a ticket) which you scan at the first stop and deposit at your last, and I sat and waited for the train. I got on a little later and arrived at the end of the line where Batu Caves was in about 20 minutes. So easy. They even have a carriage only for women, although it is not always followed (women are obviously allowed in any carriage though if they wish).

Entrance Fee, Exploring Batu Caves..and Monkeys!

As I mentioned, if you take the train, Batu Caves is right next to the train station. And here's the best part...there is no entrance fee! Batu Caves is FREE. Simply walk right up and admire what's in front of you, snap some pictures, and then take on those 272 stairs. Even though the stairs look daunting, they're actually not that bad, and you get some awesome views along the way.

But whether you just snap pictures from the bottom or are trudging up the stairs , watch out for the macaques! They are small monkeys that will steal your food and sometimes water bottle. They're fun to take photos of, but don't taunt them - sometimes they bite people or take your stuff. I always clutch my camera and phone tight when they're around. 😅

Inside the caves there are statues and temples. You can walk freely throughout the cave, except for the temples, you must provide a donation to enter and take off your shoes.

Dress Code and Respect

Because Batu Caves is a Hindu temple, although tourists are welcome, it is ultimately a place for worship. So the Hindu rules and beliefs must be respected. And there's really only one big thing, which is dress code. To enter a Hindu temple everyone, both men and women, must have their knees covered. If you are wearing attire that does not cover your knees, you can borrow a sarong at the entrance of the steps to tie around your waist. I wore a mid-length dress that just went over my knees and was fine. Shoes can be worn inside the cave but if you enter the place for prayer, then you must remove them.

Once inside the caves, pictures are of course allowed, but I would exercise respectable behavior - not being super loud, be respectful of others etc.

How long does a trip to Batu Caves take?

Honestly not long! Exploring the Caves itself takes about an hour or two. Then plus transportation, it can be done in half a day and still have time to explore other parts of Kuala Lumpur.

Best Time to Visit Batu Caves

Kuala Lumpur basically has 2 seasons: wet and dry. It's almost always humid and hot, so that cannot be avoided, but it's better to not go when it rains. Not just because it might not be as enjoyable, but because the stairs are slippery. The best season to go in is from May - September.

Batu Caves is open from 6am - 9pm. Many travel influencers and photographers try to go as early as possible to skip the crowd and get an iconic photo of just one person on the staircase. If this is your goal, then yes, go at 6am. However, even though most natural places (like beaches, mountains) I enjoy more without a crowd, Batu Caves is not one of them. I don't feel like the crowd hindered me from enjoying it, and if anything it was more interesting. The only reason I would not advise going right in the middle of the day is because it may be much hotter going up those stairs. Best to go before noon.

Tips for Visiting Batu Caves

• Go earlier in the day to avoid hotter weather and more crowds

• Wear comfy shoes for walking up the stairs

• Wear clothes that cover your knees so you can avoid borrowing a maybe-not-washed sarong

• Take the MRT so that your whole trip to Batu Caves is a grand total of $1.50 USD!

• Bring water - with the stairs and the heat, it's easy to become dehydrated. Also a bag so the monkeys won't steal your water

• Do not bring snacks because even in your bag, monkeys can smell them and might be tempted to grab from you

• There are restaurants at the entrance of Batu Caves, but better to eat in Kuala Lumpur for better quality food that is most likely cheaper

• If you want more of a natural cave experience, visit the Dark Cave

Where to Stay in Kuala Lumpur

If you're planning on visiting Batu Caves, staying in the Regalia Suites and Apartments Towers is one of the best options. In fact, for anyone visiting Kuala Lumpur, it's a fantastic option! There are 3 towers and many of the suites are available on Airbnb, and hostels own a portion, which is perfect if you're a solo and/or budget traveler.

By staying in these towers, you have access to a rooftop infinity pool, and are right next to the mall and the train station that takes you straight to Batu Caves! All options below are in the Regalia Towers:

Hostels : Dorms and Private Rooms

Sky Society | Dorm beds available for $12 USD and private rooms available for $26 USD

Penthouse on 34 - The Highest Hostel in Kuala Lumpur | Dorm beds for $13-19 USD and private rooms available for $45 USD

KL Skyline & Rooftop Infinity Sky Pool | Dorm beds for $13 - 16 USD and private rooms for $40 USD

The View 34 and Infinity Pool | Dorm beds for $13

If they all start to look the same, its because they basically are! Often times just on different floors or in a different tower out of the 3. Although some have better facilities than others.

Airbnb: Private Rooms

There are so many airbnbs in the Regalia Towers, if the ones I mention are not available, just search on your own, there's many more - all for really cheap! And if you don't plan on taking the train to Batu Caves, or are fine with navigating there yourself, you can also look at options outside of the Regalia Towers.