Batu Caves is one of the most visited religious sites in Malaysia, and for good reason! This mountainous temple is home to several different Hindu temples – both at ground level and high up in the caves. Decorated with vibrant colors and enchanting music, a visit to Batu Caves is an absolute must during your time in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Here are some of my top things you should consider when visiting Batu Caves!
Bring Water
The humidity and heat in Malaysia are seriously no joke here in Malaysia! When I first got to this site, I immediately started sweating just walking around the temples at the foot of this site. Once you start walking up the 272 steps, you really start to feel dehydrated. I did not pack enough water and quickly found myself feeling dizzy and lightheaded. Thankfully, there are vendors at the top of Batu Caves (and at the foot as well) where you can buy water when needed, but I would recommend packing quite a bit of water and or electrolytes to combat dehydration to make your visit to this temple more enjoyable.
Visit Early in the Morning
This suggestion goes hand in hand with bringing enough water during your visit, but visiting early in the morning saved me from dying of a heat stroke during my time at Batu Caves. I visited around 8:00am in the morning, and it was still really toasty! I was DRENCHED in sweat due to the humidity probably five minutes after leaving the safety of the air-conditioned car. My guide told me that they offer afternoon tours and that they always get complaints from tourists about the heat and or torrential afternoon storms during the rainy season. Additionally, there were much fewer people at Batu Caves that early, and none of the major tour buses had shown up yet, which was definitely a bonus! With that information in mind, I would highly recommend visiting the caves as early in the morning as you can.
Prepare to Take Your Shoes Off
This may sound a little strange, but at Hindu temples, you are required to take your shoes off before entering the building. At Batu Caves, there are several temples within the caves themselves and at the foot of the mountain, and if you want to enter you MUST remove your shoes. I was ill-prepared for this, and even though I wore sandals, they were very difficult to get on and off. Additionally, if you feel uncomfortable walking around barefoot on concrete and tile, make sure that you either bring sneakers or an extra pair of socks. It is very important that you honor this custom and remember that we are guests in this sacred place. If you cannot bring yourself to part with your footwear, you can still admire the gorgeous architecture from outside the building and hike up to the caves themselves.
Beware of the Monkeys and Bats
Another consideration you should take into account before visiting Batu Caves is that there are monkeys and bats actively present at this site. My guide warned me about leaving ALL food (even if it was wrapped up in plastic) in the car lest the monkeys get a whiff of it and poach my bag! The monkeys will leave you alone otherwise, but there are countless stories of tourists eating food at sites such as this and monkeys coming right up to them and stealing their food or their bags entirely. Be sure to leave all food and drink (aside from water) in the car. Aside from the klepto monkeys, the bats are another thing to take into consideration. There are bats (surprise surprise given the name of the site) at Batu Caves flying around at the top of this site. Be careful not to step in any guano and try your best to steer clear of them so you don't accidentally catch something unpleasant. Otherwise, they stay away from you for the most part!
Batu Caves is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and if you find yourself traveling to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, you must find your way to this breathtaking site! For more suggestions on things to do in Malaysia, check out my post here. Happy travels!
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