When planning our trip to Malaysia, we realized that we want to visit not only the sights of Kuala Lumpur, created by human hands, but also natural attractions. These included, first of all, the Batu caves.
Although they are located 13 km north of Kuala Lumpur, getting there is now much easier than before. The fastest and, as it turned out, the cheapest way is the KTM Komuter train (I already talked about transport Kuala Lumpur). Moreover, if you buy a ticket from the machine, you will have to choose the Sentul station, because to the Batu Caves, the train began to run very recently, and so far such a stop has not been introduced into the system. And at the box office you can buy a ticket directly to Batu Caves, which we did. I was surprised by the price of 1RM one way. By the way, in the opposite direction, each ticket cost 2 RM. Apparently, this is due to misunderstandings with the recently appeared station..
Directional signs at KTM Komuter Station
Train to Batu Caves
Views on the way to Batu Caves
We go out into the street - on the left, although not very high, but striking with their grandeur, mountains rising upward, and in front of some strange blue slightly shabby gates - this is the entrance to the Caves of Batu.
An inconspicuous entrance to the territory of the Batu Caves
You enter - you find yourself in real India! Most of the visitors to the Batu Caves are Hindus (or Indians?) With Indian women in colorful saris. For them, this is probably casual wear, but it looks quite bright and festive, which makes the place seem more colorful..
Colorfully dressed visitors
Big Indian family
Visitors to the Batu Caves
Seeking insight and enlightenment
Someone comes to the Caves of Batu to sleep
Indian music sounds everywhere, there is a large statue of some sacred blue monkey, and in front of the entrance to the Batu Caves themselves there is a huge 43-meter statue of the god Murug (by the way, this is the largest statue of this Hindu deity in the world). This is because this place is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India. Here in January, they say, a general insane asylum is held under the name of the Taipusam festival. Crowds of Indians are walking up a huge staircase of 272 steps, many of whom are clinging to the skin with hooks, to which are attached heavy metal frames - kawadi. Probably, it is very spectacular, although not for everyone, but there are a huge number of people here during this period..
Batu caves, surroundings
Batu caves and the statue of the god Murug
In general, after talking a little with the monkeys at the entrance to the territory of the Batu Caves, we went to the stairs. Everywhere there are tents with real Hindu sweets, at which prices bite a little (for 3 tiny cakes they ask for 4 RM, which is about 40 rubles). And everywhere there are sellers of fresh coconuts, which are chopped up right in front of the buyer, inserted into a tube and served like a glass. And next to the seller there are mountains of already drunk such «cups».
The first, still friendly, because well-fed, locals
Indian goodies
Preparing a coconut cup
On the staircase itself, we unexpectedly met our acquaintances whom we had met the day before, so in conversations the ascent of 272 steps went unnoticed.
The inside of the cave is nothing special. In the corners there are statues of Hindu deities, tents with souvenirs, funny evil monkeys are running everywhere, attacking people, taking away the food they brought with them.
272 steps of stairs to the Caves of Batu
Batu caves inside
Batu caves - what's inside
The man won this fight!
Batu caves - looking up
Batu caves inside
Inside the Batu Caves
Not only tourists come to the Batu Caves
But still there are a lot of tourists
Batu caves inside
View from the main Batu Cave
When descending back, we observed the same picture of a brutal attack by fearless monkeys on people peacefully rising and carrying food in bags with them. And if you do not give them this coveted packet, they hiss, grin, and you understand that jokes with this cute little creature are bad.
A touching picture at the stairs to the Caves of Batu
The pranksters of the Batu Caves
These bananas will clearly not be eaten by the gods.
View while descending from the Batu Caves
It was possible to visit two more caves there, but one of them (Dark Cave) needs a special permit from the Malaysian Society for the Protection of Nature, and we simply did not know about the second one, so we did not get there..
Dark Cave
Before leaving, we ate a delicious vegetarian meal in one of the Hindu cafes. On a large palm leaf (huh?), They serve a handful of lying rice and three or four heaps of different additions, tasty, but spicy. And it is assumed that it is advisable to eat this whole dish with your hands, although the waiter prudently brought us the cutlery, realizing that we are farangi and that we do not understand much about the culture of eating..
Our humble meal
Now, oddly enough, remembering the Batu Caves, I understand that the brave and shameless monkeys left the most vivid impression on me, although, of course, this place is both beautiful and significant.
