Batu Caves

About

Though the Batu Caves were officially discovered by American naturalist William Hornaday in 1878, they were known to locals and guano-collecting Chinese settlers for centuries. Shortly after, Indian trader K. Thamboosamy Pillai promoted the caves as a place of worship because of their shape, and had a giant statue of Lord Murugan consecrated in 1890. A popular attraction year-round, the caves attract hundreds of thousands of pilgrims during the three-day Thaipusam festival, in which a procession of devotees walk from Kuala Lampur's Chinatown. Along with the giant statue, the cave exterior is home to legions of bold monkeys, while inside the caverns, visitors will find bats, insects, and perhaps one of the world’s rarest spiders. Please note: the caves are accessed by over 200 steps, and entry is subject to availability. For more information, please visit http://www.tourism.gov.my/en/my/places/states-of-malaysia/selangor/batu-caves