Stairways to Batu Caves

Batu Caves is a sacred place and a place for religious gathering of mostly Hindus and Indians. It is located approximately 11 kilometers to the north of Kuala Lumpur. Batu Caves is one of those FREE tourist attractions in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia that we luckily visited last March of 2012. Batu Caves is a sacred place of a limestone hill made up by three main caves and several small ones.

Lord Murugan - Batu Caves 

From Kuala Lumpur City proper you can get to Batu Caves in 3 ways:

Via Train:

Take a KTM Commuter train from Sentral Station to Sentul Station. Travel time: 30 minutes. Fare is RM1.00 one way.

Via Bus:

Take bus 11 or 11d. Travel time is approximately 45 minutes depending on the traffic. Fare is RM2.50

Via Taxi:

Take any cab in the Sentral to take you to Batu Caves. Travel time is approximately 20 minutes and fare is usually RM20.00 that goes up to RM100.00 if you want the taxi to wait for you.

Upon arrival in Batu caves, we were welcomed by a huge golden statue named, Lord Murugan, a Hindu deity. It stands 140 ft high and considered as the world’s tallest statue of Murugan. Passing by the golden statue is way up to the cave with 272 steps. Watch out as monkeys come along during climbing moment and they can grab anything from tourists. Climbing 272 steps to the top may look easy, but as you move up and begin to sweat, it was like a never ending walk. Make sure you bring bottled water to refresh from sweat and hot weather. But after that arduous climb uncovers nature's wonderful gift, a natural limestone cave which calls as the Cathedral Cave. The Temple Cave or Cathedral Cave is the best known and biggest of the Batu caves. The cave is said to be 400 million years old with interior limestone ceiling that is more than 100 m above the ground and is illuminated by daylight through holes in the ceiling. Batu Caves was founded to be a site for Hindu worship in 1890 by K. Thamboosamy Pillai. The place is also the main location of Thaipusam festival in the country that occurs every January or February every year. 

Back of golden statue of Lord Murugan - Batu caves

Batu Caves Malaysia

Doves

Lord Murugan Batu caves Malaysia

Batu Caves Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

Batu Caves Malaysia

Batu Caves Malaysia

Batu Caves Malaysia

Steep staircase to Batu Caves

Upon entering the cave you will see some stalls that sell souvenirs, clothes, and other snacks. While inside the cave, you will see Hindu shrine which is dedicated to Lord Murugan. The entire place felt very sacred since there were some Indians worshipping at that time jibed with the light effects of the cave. Walk your way through to the rear cavern and you will be delighted seeing a natural opening that allows light to sneak-in in the rest of the cave area. In this area offers great views of rock formations. The Hindu temples within the caves were pretty interesting that make the Batu Caves very remarkable place to visit when in Kuala Lumpur. 

Inside Batu Caves

Inside Batu Caves

Inside Batu Caves

Batu Caves Malaysia

Batu Caves Malaysia

Limestone formation of Batu Caves

Batu Caves

Batu Caves Malaysia

Open Ceiling Batu Caves Malaysia

 

Batu Caves Malaysia

Batu Caves Malaysia

Discovering Malaysia

2012 was indeed a lucky year for me because of overflowing blessings like having the chance to work abroad and assigned on a Milk Powder Plant in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. I already knew about the overseas project late 2011 since I am also in-charge with the papers of all our personnel who will be assigned in MY and much to my excitement, I immediately search, plan and draft an itinerary of what to visit in Malaysia which I afterwards hashed out with Hon who’s in Malaysia as well.

I flew to Kuala Lumpur via Malaysia Airlines together with my father’s personal assistant and 2 additional employees.  It was my first time to leave home, to leave my beloved Philippines and the feeling was so unusual. I felt a bit of sadness, thoughts keep running through my mind and I suddenly uttered “Ganito pala ang feeling ng mga OFW, ngayon alam ko na.” (Now I know how Overseas Filipino workers feel when they leave their family and their homeland) But after a while my sadness turns into excitement knowing that I’m so blessed having this opportunity to explore other countries in Asia and I’m so grateful to God for everything.

Flight duration from Manila to Malaysia is 3 hours. There are 2 international airports in Malaysia namely: Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and KL Low Cost Carrier terminal (LCCT) where budget airlines like Cebu Pacific flies. We landed at KLIA and amazed by how good and spacious their airport is. After having a quick lunch we move ahead to Station Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) at Bandar Tasik Selatan where buses travel from KL to JB and vice versa. It took us 5 hours to reach Larkin Terminal hub in Johor Bahru and another hour for a taxi ride to our apartment.

For my months of stay in Malaysia, I learned some of their basic words and greetings like,

Selamat Pagi – Good morning

Selamat Datang – Welcome

Terima Kasih – Thank you

Pasukan – Entrance

Bawang Puti h – Garlic

Bawang Merah – Onion

Makan – Eat

Minuman – Drink

Ayam – Chicken

I also learned about their culture and of course their food.  During wee hours, I just stay inside our apartment because of the curry smell circulating from time to time all over the compound, but after several weeks I already got used to it. Most of the time we ate fish, chicken, beef and vegetables because pork isn't available in the market and it is prohibited to Muslim countries. Most Malaysians have strong resemblance to Filipinos and at times you will see women wearing head scarf called “hajib” which symbolizes their religious devotion. One more thing noticeable with people of Malaysia is nobody points with their index finger because it is considered really rude; they are using thumbs and knuckles for pointing instead.

Here are some other discoveries I saw in Malaysia:

  

Malaysian Cuisine

Our project location

Roti - Bread with some filling

PTP Apartment view on the road

KFC Malaysia always serves 2 dipping sauce Catsup and Chili

KFC MAlaysia

Their Cheesy Potato Wedges - Sooo Yummy

Port Tanjung Pelepas

Fruits

Roti Canai - Spreading condensed milk

Roti Canai - Malaysian Breakfast comes with curry or sweet milk

Bittermerlon 

ABC - Air Batu Campur or Ice Kakang (Halo-Halo version)

Fish and Chips - delectable

Mi Goreng my ultimate favorite product from Malaysia

PTP Apartment where we stay for months

Facilities inside the 2 bedroom/2 bathroom/2 shower room apartment

Just like a bliss apartment

Malaysia Tours

My food from Malaysian Airlines - noodles with chicken curry

Malaysian Airline free snack

Double bus Kuala Lumpur

Convenient store inside PTP Apartment

Buffet style food in the streets of Kuala Lumpur

Fish ball soup

Currencies

Business Center in PTP

Chicken Masala Pizza hut Malaysia

Our dried mangoes in a gondola of Malaysian mall

Pig's blood

Kuya Joseph - a Filipino seller we've met in a Filipino owned stall

Buko Pandan Stall - buko juice with taste of Pandan & locals love it. 

Just like Greenbelt of the Philippines (signatured stuffs)

So yummy baby octopus

Bukit Indah - a mall in Johor Bahru

Malaysia is really a beautiful country with fascinating rich culture and I am so grateful I’d be able to visit this renowned country. I am truly hoping that I can visit this country again together with Singapore with my dearest friends because I want them to experience what we have encountered in this beautiful country; Malaysia Truly Asia.