Visiting Batu Caves - Kuala Lumpur

Batu Caves was well worth the wait! We were originally supposed to visit the Batu Caves during a cruise through Malaysia but the transportation time between the cruise ship port and Batu Caves was simply too far. Luckily, we had a second opportunity to visit while we were on a 24 hour layover in Kuala Lumpur.

Whether you're in Kuala Lumpur for a layover or a visa run, you'll quickly find that “KL” (as the cool kids call it) is a destination in itself.

Visiting Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur

About Batu Caves

The city might be best known for being the location of the  Batu Caves, one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside of India and home to a 140 ft tall golden statue of Murugan.

Fin will specifically remember Batu Caves as the place she lost a foot race up the longest staircase she's ever seen (watch the video for the reference). Specifically, 272 steps up in the hot sun.  Luckily, there are many monkeys willing to offer encouragement to those climbing the staircase.

Dark Cave at Batu Caves, Malaysia

While the Batu Caves are well known because of the shrine and statues, what many people don't realize is that Batu Cave is still, well, a cave at the end of the day. Where there are caves, there are bats-200,000 of them to be specific. Batman would love it. In the Dark Cave Tour, local caveologists (yes I made it up) take tourists for an hour long trek.

Through the duration of the tour visitors learn about the biodiversity within this unique ecosystem. The dark cave is home to more than 18 different species of bat in case sheer numbers of bats alone don't impress you. The cave floors are loaded with guano which local farmers used to use for their crops. I was lucky enough to be shit on by two different bats.