The Batu Caves was only a short train ride from KL.
Batu Caves
The Batu Caves lies 13km north of KL and is one of the most well-known Hindu temples outside of India. The temple got its name from the nearby Sungai Batu (Batu River) and is dedicated to Lord Murugan.
The Batu Caves is comprised of three main caves and a slew of smaller ones. The biggest cave is called Cathedral Cave. There are more than 200 steps to reach Cathedral Cave, it was a really hot day so my friend and I sweated it out till we made it to the top.
The inside of the cave was quite majestic. There were a variety of statues and shrines inside the cave that depicted Hinduism.
I'm a sucker for rock formations and I liked looking at the formations inside the Batu Caves. I saw quite a few monkeys lingering by the steps to the entrance of Cathedral Cave.
The Batu Caves is also the focal point of the yearly Thaipusam festival of the Hindus not just in Malaysia but in Singapore as well. It's easy to get to the Batu caves since there is a direct train from KL that takes you near the entrance of the caves. The varied places of worship I found all over Malaysia symbolized its multiculturalism and tolerance for all kinds of races. No wonder Malaysia is flocked by droves of tourists year in and year out.
