# A Day Trip to Kuala Lumpur

> How to spend a day in Kuala Lumpur: clashing cultures, Hindu shrines tucked inside limestone caves, and rich local color just outside the center.

- URL: https://langandtrip.com.ua/en/article/odnodenna-poyizdka-v-kuala-lumpur/
- Language: en
- Published: 2023-01-26
- Categories: Hiking, Historic Sites, Leisure, Tours, Malaysia, Relaxation, Events

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## Exploring Malaysia's Stunning Batu Caves

At first glance, Kuala Lumpur, a city of 1.8 million people, looks like a modern metropolis packed with shopping malls and skyscrapers.

But beneath all the urban bustle lies a city of cultural diversity, fueled by a blend of Malay, Chinese, and Indian influences.

Just nine miles (14.5 km) north of the city center, for example, sits a string of beautiful Hindu shrines built into striking limestone caves.

## The Caves

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First opened to the public in 1878, the Batu Caves are not only a sacred site for devout Hindus but also a paradise for Instagrammers.

There are four main attractions here. The Villa Cave and the Ramayana Cave charge a nominal entrance fee of 15 Malaysian ringgit (about $3.60).

The Dark Cave, which once ran adventure tours, has been closed since February 2019, with no reopening date set yet.

The main draw is the Temple Cave. Admission here isn't paid in ringgit but in calories, since visitors have to climb 400 feet (123 meters) up into limestone caves that are 400 million years old.

Twenty volunteers spent three days in 2018 painting the cave's 272 steps in a multicolored gradient that leaves visitors in awe. Inside are two Hindu shrines, colorfully decorated and utterly dwarfed by the 300-foot walls that soar around them.

Climb the steep staircase at the back of the cave and the rock walls give way to open sky, revealing otherworldly views.

## Thaipusam and Lord Murugan

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From late January to early February each year, hundreds of thousands of Hindu worshippers flock to the caves to celebrate the Thaipusam festival.

As part of the festival's rituals, many participants perform various acts of devotion and self-control, including piercing their skin, tongue, or cheeks. It's done as an act of penance, a symbol of devotion to Lord Murugan, the Hindu god of war. Fittingly, a 140-foot golden statue of Murugan stands at the base of the caves.

## Know Before You Go

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Whether it's monsoon season or not (typically March through April and September through November), it's usually more humid in the afternoon than in the morning.

On top of that, the city sits at 8 degrees latitude, so it can get muggy. With all those stairs to climb, it's best to arrive when the gates open, around 7:30 a.m.

Getting there is easy: it's just a 20-minute drive from the city center. Grab a taxi or use the Grab app to book a ride that will cost you only 18 ringgit (a little over $4 USD).

If you want to enter any of the shrines, you'll need to take off your shoes.

If you bring any food into the caves or buy it from vendors on site, keep a close eye on it. Troops of monkeys roam the hills and climb the stairs alongside people, often begging and sometimes stealing food.

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