{"id":16295,"date":"2014-07-11T05:29:57","date_gmt":"2014-07-11T05:29:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mapsofworld.com\/travel\/?p=16295"},"modified":"2022-09-19T10:59:56","modified_gmt":"2022-09-19T10:59:56","slug":"batu-caves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mapsofworld.com\/travel\/destinations\/malaysia\/batu-caves\/","title":{"rendered":"Batu Caves in Malaysia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\"Entrance<\/a>

With over 160 routes, Batu Caves is a popular spot for rock climbing in Malaysia.<\/p><\/div>\n

A scenic 30-minute drive from the heart of Kuala Lumpur takes you to a Hindu shrine in an enormous limestone outcrop called Batu Caves. This hill \u2013 riddled with cave patterns and inundated with monkeys \u2013 is a tailor-made place to gain insight into Malaysia’s deep and diverse religious roots. To put cherry on top, the labyrinth of spooky caverns is a haven for natural rock climbing experiences.<\/p>\n

History<\/h2>\n

The caves are about 400 million years old and their entrances were used as shelters by the indigenous Temuan\/Besisi people. An American naturalist, William Hornaday, surveyed the limestone hills in 1878. Later in 1890, an Indian trader, K. Thamboosamy Pillai, placed a statue of Sri Murugan Swami and promoted the caves as a place of worship.<\/p>\n

Things to Do in Batu Caves<\/h2>\n

Caving<\/strong> \u2013 The temple complex consists of three main caves and a few relatively smaller ones. The Temple Cave or Cathedral Cave \u2013 which is the biggest of all \u2013 shelters several ornate Hindu shrines beneath its 100-m-high arched ceiling.
\nAt the base of the hill, two more cave temples \u2013 Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave \u2013 also feature Hindu statues and paintings.<\/p>\n

Another sacred site, the Ramayana Cave, depicts the story of Lord Rama in a chronicled manner along its rugged walls. Just outside, there a temple dedicated to Hindu deity Hanuman greets the worshipers. The Dark Cave, which is a long network of pristine caverns, is a protected area.<\/p>\n

Rock Climbing<\/strong> \u2013 With more than 160 climbing routes \u2013 on the limestone hills rising up to 150 meters \u2013 the region is popular for rock climbing in Malaysia. The routes often start from northeastern side of the Damai caves. While the Nyamuk Wall is renowned as the hardest and longest route in the region, first-timers should go for climbing on Damai Wall, Comic Wall, and Nanyang Wall. Take a three to four-hour- long adventure tour which involves getting wet, scaling rock faces, and squeezing past narrow potholes.<\/p>\n

Festival<\/strong> \u2013 The caves serve as the focal point of the annual Hindu festival of Thaipusam. Celebrated here since 1892 in the Tamil month of Thai \u2013 which falls in late January or early February \u2013 it symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. Thousands of devotees carry their offerings, mostly containers of milk, to the Lord Murugan on meticulously decorated \u2018kavadis\u2019 (offering carried by a devotee).<\/p>\n

Flora and Fauna<\/strong> \u2013 Blanketed with a green canopy, the region is home to troupes of long-tailed macaque monkeys fed by visitors \u2014 at times even involuntarily. Other animal species here are elephants, beetles, birds, spiders, and cave-dwelling bats.<\/p>\n

Nearby Attractions<\/h2>\n

Aquaria KLCC, Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, Merdeka Square, and Suria KLCC.<\/p>\n

Location<\/h2>\n

Batu Caves are situated around eight miles (13 km) north of the capital city Kuala Lumpur in Gombak district in Selangor, Malaysia.<\/p>\n

Map of Batu Caves, Malaysia
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