Tour of Batu Caves
Tour of Batu Caves
By RIYAS TRAVELER
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About
Batu Caves is an iconic and popular tourist attraction in Malaysia.
A limestone outcrop located just north of Kuala Lumpur, Batu Caves has three main caves featuring temples and Hindu shrines.
Its main attraction is the large statue of the Hindu God at the entrance, besides a steep 272 climb up its steps to finally view the stunning skyline of the city centre.
Monkeys frolic around the caves, and it is a popular spot for rock climbing enthusiasts. Paintings and scenes of Hindu Gods can also be seen in the Ramayana Cave.
Lowest price guarantee
Ages 0-99
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Written guide: English
Print or digital reading material such as a guide, map, brochure, etc.
More
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- English-Speaking Professional Driver
- Hotel Pick-up & Drop-off
What's not included- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Personal Expenses
- Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.Pickup details
- Pick-up & Drop-off at any Hotels / Apartments / Residence in Kuala Lumpur City
Hotel pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Infants must sit on laps
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 165759P33- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 165759P33
From
$20.52
per adult (price varies by group size)
Select date and travelers
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Itinerary
- 1HISTORY: The limestone forming Batu Caves is said to be around 400 million years old. Some of the cave entrances were used as shelters by the indigenous Temuan people (a tribe of Orang Asli). As early as 1860, Chinese settlers began excavating guano for fertilising their vegetable patches. However, they became famous only after the limestone hills were recorded by colonial authorities including Daly and Syers as well as American Naturalist, William Hornaday in 1878. Batu Caves was promoted as a place of worship by K. Thamboosamy Pillai, an Indian trader. He was inspired by the vel-shaped entrance of the main cave and was inspired to dedicate a temple to Lord Murugan within the caves. In 1890, Pillai, who also founded the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur, installed the murti (consecrated statue) of Sri Murugan Swami in what is today known as the Temple Cave. Since 1892, the Thaipusam festival in the Tamil month of Thai has been celebrated there. Wooden steps up to the Temple Cave were built in 1920 and have since been replaced by 272 concrete steps. Of the various cave temples that comprise the site, the largest and best known is the Temple Cave, so named because it houses several Hindu shrines beneath its high vaulted ceiling. In August 2018 the 272 steps were painted in an extraordinary colour scheme, with each set of steps painted in a different range of colours. However, accusations were almost immediately made by the National Heritage Department for a breach of law requiring authorization for renovations within 200 meters of a heritage site. The temple's management disputed their failure to receive authorization. Rising almost 100 m above the ground, the Batu Caves temple complex consists of three main caves and a few smaller ones. The biggest, referred to as Cathedral Cave or Temple Cave, has a very high ceiling and features ornate Hindu shrines. To reach it, visitors must climb a steep flight of 272 steps. At the base of the hill are two more cave temples, Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave, both of which are full of Hindu statues and paintings. This complex was renovated and opened as the Cave Villa in 2008. Many of the shrines relate the story of Lord Murugan's victory over the demon Soorapadman. The Ramayana Cave is situated to the extreme left as one faces the sheer wall of the hill. On the way to the Ramayana Cave, there is a 15 m (50 ft) tall statue of Hanuman and a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman, devotee and aide of Lord Rama. The consecration ceremony of the temple was held in November 2001. The Ramayana Cave depicts the story of Rama in a chronicle manner along the irregular walls of the cave. A 42.7-metre (140 ft) high statue of Lord Murugan was unveiled in January 2006, having taken 3 years to construct. It is the tallest Lord Murugan statue in the world. ROCK CLAIMBING: Batu Caves is also the centre of rock climbing development in Malaysia for the past 10 years. Batu Caves offers more than 160 climbing routes.[3] The routes are scattered all around the side of Batu Caves, which is made up of limestone hills rising to 150 m. These climbing routes are easily accessed, as most crags start from ground level. These climbing routes often start from the North Eastern side of the cave complex whereas the staircase and temple entrance faces south. This Northeastern area is known as the Damai caves. FESTIVALS: The Batu Caves serve as the focus of the Hindu community's yearly Thaipusam festival. They have become a pilgrimage site not only for Malaysian Hindus, but Hindus worldwide, from countries such as India, Australia, and Singapore. A procession begins in the wee hours of the morning on Thaipusam from the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur leading up to Batu Caves as a religious undertaking to Lord Muruga lasting eight hours. Devotees carry containers containing milk as offering to Lord Murugan either by hand or in huge decorated carriers on their shoulders called 'kavadi'. The kavadi may be simple wooden arched semi-circular supports holding a carrier foisted with brass or clay pots of milk or huge, heavy ones which may rise up to two meters, built of bowed metal frames which hold long skewers, the sharpened end of which pierce the skin of the bearers torso. The kavadi is decorated with flowers and peacock feathers imported from India. Some kavadi may weigh as much as a hundred kilograms. After bathing in the nearby Sungai Batu (Rocky River), the devotees make their way to the Temple Cave and climb the flights of stairs to the temple in the cave. Devotees use the wider Centre staircase while worshippers and onlookers throng up and down those balustrades on either side. When the kavadi bearer arrives at the foot of the 272-step stairway leading up to the Temple Cave, the devotee has to make the arduous climb. Priests attend to the kavadi bearers. Consecrated ash is sprinkled over the hooks and skewers piercing the devotees' flesh before they are removed. No blood is shed during the piercing and removal.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- serenecat10 contributionsAbsolutely Not.You do not see the orangutans, just book that tour, as I should have. I booked this tour on a Saturday, for a Monday. I finally contacted the tour operator Sunday late afternoon to ask for confirmation as all I'd had was the tripadvisor automatic confirmation. Never mentioned the orangutan foundation being "closed." Because it wasn't? Telling me the day before left time for me to do something about it right? Like message them? For them to tell me they've BEEN open? And REMAINED OPEN? Yeah...like I did after the operator left the poor driver to he the one to tell me. See, I had a fat tip set aside, but no one seemed interested in getting me what I was promised so... owner got abusive and blackmailing with me over WhatsApp when I asked for a partial refund. I'd like to say: as a solo ride, it was $190. I asked for an $80 refund because I missed The. Biggest. Attraction. Of Ipoh. Everyone asked after, oh did you see the monkeys? No. Owner offered me $60 refund with threats to take the money back if I wrote a negative review. You can't do that sir, and if you play, I'll contact my credit card company and you'll get nothing because they don't accept partial refund requests. You're lucky $60 is all you lost, but I'm leaving a review because I'm not stupid and I know my rights. Use the difference to tip your driver, he at least did his best to recover the disaster you created. My driver was good, dealt with traffic well, polite, made time for stops to Ipoh (the boss pitched a fit on the way back because of our convo and that negated that, as he ordered my driver to drop me off at my hotel as expeditiously as possible). I got the impression the poor driver will get beef from the boss, I hope not. To everyone else: believe the low reviews of the company. I read them and decided to give grace as they seemed to be more complaints about the airport than the company. I gave them a chance and yeah...I'll never use or recommend them. To the operator: just take the orangutans out of the description if you can't be bothered to fulfill the request. I have a screenshot of my conversation with the orangutan sanctuary, your driver insists you spoke with them that morning or some such. Also, don't make threats, you're doing your country a disservice in the travel industry because this is the experience I'm taking home with me. The operator will tell everyone he offered me "alternatives" but more random temples that I'm not told anything about or history is not a substitution for an animal sanctuary. So yeah...I didn't realize that that's what those other temples were, especially as one that WAS listed actually was closed when we got there. I was so confused and frustrated by the end of the day....anyway, yeah don't take this tour....I hope my driver finds better employment, he deserves better than what I witnessed. It was a mess. The biggest highlight was Kellie's Castle, it was cool, got some neat pictures and I liked to hear the story behind it. The cave would've been more awesome if the power hadn't gone out while I was alone between platforms 4 and 5 after I paid to go to 5. I will say this as well: either just go to Ipoh and stay for a few days, or make arrangements to stay longer here, the fun and adventurous tour is 4 hrs and the park has a penchant for opening late. My self tour was supposed to be 1 hr (I was told 45 mins by driver) but I knew I could climb fast because I have a lot of hiking and cave experience, so I chose that one. Very beautiful, worth it to see.Written December 9, 2024
- Nubiliano0 contributionsOne of the worst immigration system in AsiaLong queues on arrival with zero organization it took me 2 hoiurs to clear immigation. Be careful you are supposed to fill in an immigration card in internet .... but Malaysian Airlines did not tell me so I (like many others) had to do it on the spot. Departure isn't any better again long queue worsten by the coninuous maintenance works in the airport that force you to take buses to move inside. Stay away from this airport if you can.Written February 2, 2024
- LMack260 contributionsAvoid on public holidaysWe visited over MotoGP weekend and it was extremely busy. Queues for ticket purchasing were long. The access to the tower itself was a bit unorganised with people pushing to get in the lifts up and back and I’m not sure weight limits or numbers were adhered to by staff. It felt unsafe to me. The outside viewing deck was closed due to light rain so consequently the inside area was packed. Was ok but I wouldn’t recommend.Written November 25, 2023
- Sunshine8264800 contributionsCharging stations are hard to findCharging stations that work are spotty and few and far between. And then they are being used. Sometimes they’re just a socket on the wall by your ankle with no chairs in sight. If they don’t work, then flag down an airport worker, who will take a picture & hopefully tell someone who will hopefully actually try and get it fixed. Otherwise bring a couple of chargers.Written May 16, 2023
- sabella200 contributionsA definite must do whilst in KLAn amazing experience.. fabulous guide .. we absolutely loved the tour .. the guide was very informativeWritten April 21, 2023
- SenMING0 contributionsKLIA desperately need maintenance, upkeep and upgradeKuala Lumpur International Airport KLIA This previously award winning airport desperately needs major refurbishment. I was there for business trip, been to the arrival and departure hall. Overall, the condition has deteriorated a lot compared to few years ago. Most significantly is the light fittings are very dim, making the airport losing its liveliness it had before , check in counter are very disorganised. As a Malaysian, I am always proud with our own international airport but honestly compared to Changi airport, we are very much left behind. I drove there at night, car park at Tower B is not well lit, either the fittings are too old or not working. The light along the road almost half are not working , oh… how do we publicise our country tourism? First impression is such a disappointment. We do not need to demolish the air port, we only need maintenance, upkeep and upgrade certain things, this not going to cost billions, do something please. Genuine feedbacks from Anak MalaysiaWritten February 21, 2023
- timbarrable0 contributionsOK but a bit basicA little disappointing as I went on a Sunday and some attractions on the list were closed and the Palace off limits due to the swearing in of the new PM. Also the description of inclusions is disingenuous. It states a whole bunch of entrance to attractions inclusions but in reality none of those places even has an entrance fee, they are all free. In retrospect it would probably have been cheaper just to get taxis between locations or take public transit.Written March 5, 2020
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