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Getting to Batu Caves
Batu Caves is one of the tourist attraction in Malaysia located approximately 13 km from the Kuala Lumpur city centre. Getting to Batu Caves is easy, you find this cave information in every Tourism Malaysia guide book. You just need to drive towards Jalan Ipoh, after Sungai Mas building, turn 3 o’clock at the roundabout. The caves is about 6 km from this roundabout, you will see Tesco Hypermarket on the 3rd km from here. You need to drive toward a big roundabout with the traffic light. Turn to 3 o’clock direction and continue driving toward the caves which is about 1 to 2 km. Please maintain the left lane and turn left before the statue of Lord Muruga. The entrance fee is MYR 2/ entry for vehicle.
Batu Caves …the history of limestone Hindu temple. In the year 1878, the caves was claimed to be “discovered” by American naturalist William Hornaday. Hornaday was awestruck by the size of the cavern and the creatures living within. For the next few days, the group spent much time exploring other caves in the area. Hornaday and his crew returned to town with wonderful stories about the 'find' and soon picnic parties to the caves were the 'rage of the month' for the colonial socialites. Guests were transported to the caves on elephants. While the servants laid out a sumptuous spread of food and drinks, the guests lazed in the shade of the forest canopy and marvelled at the glorious backdrop of the limestone cliffs. Then the Hindu devotees began making pilgrimages to the caves, clambering up the jagged rocks to the Temple Cave in 1890s. They turned the cave into a shrine for Lord Murugan However I believed the credit should be given to local tribe. The Jakun who used the cave as a shelter from wild, marauding elephants and other dangerous creatures and also to trap bats for food.
The Climb …
There are 272 of steep steps to reach the temple cave, the tips to get there is very easy. Do not rush while climbing the step, take it easy and breathe slowly. I would recommend you to look back and enjoy the view of Kuala Lumpur city. The walk up to the main cave is not shaded; it is a good idea to visit in the early morning or in the cool afternoon. Once you reach the Temple Cave, take a deep breath before entering this magnificent chamber.
The caves, the vault and the temple … Stepping into a dark cavern, well it is not very dark anyway. Just a gloomy interior. The short, murky passageway opened into a massive cave with a high vaulted ceiling. There is a small temple in this cavern, and to think how this temple was built had I put enough respect to the dedication of its devotees.
At the far end of the huge cave sits another set of stairs. This wide stairway leads to a higher cave, appearing like a stage at the front of an enormous amphitheater. Above the stairway a large opening in the vaulted ceiling allows shafts of sunlight to cascade onto the dark recesses of the caves below. This vault resembles something found from The Airwolf TV series or Indiana Jones movie. The morning sunlight was so beautiful; you may forget this place is actually 13-15 km from the city! It is like stepping back into the time capsule to discover what it was a few hundred years ago…
The Dark Caves
Dark Cave is the largest cave in the Batu Caves hill, the southernmost significant limestone outcrop on the mainland of Asia. I would not recommend bringing toddler into this cave. Dark Cave is located just below Temple Cave. The entrance is located at step number 204 of the 272 steps leading up to Temple Cave. The cave consists of about 2 km of surveyed passages, making it the largest in the hill and it comprises 7 chambers, each with its own special features - stalagmites, stalactites, flowstone, cave pearls, curtain, column, cave straws and other features This tour is by appointment with Malaysian Nature Society officer only, whose will conducted the exploration with you.
There are “educational “(duration: 30 minutes) and “adventure” trip. You may want to contact MNS for more info on the booking trip to Dark Cave.
Malaysian Nature Society ( MNS) c/o Speleotrend Enterprise (001546779-H) 9M Jalan SBC 2 68100 Taman Sri Batu Caves Selangor Darul Ehsan Malaysia www.mns.org.my Tel / Fax : +6 03 - 6189 6682
How to safely explore cave
~ Never allowed unsupervised children to explore the cave. ~ Find minimum 4 person to go for cave exploration. In the event of emergency 2 will find help. 1 will stay to take care of the injured. ~ Bad weather can be dangerous as cave could be flood very fast leaving no time to escape. It can be your death chamber out there.
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