Batu Caves

The huge Batu Caves are located 13km out of the city and are among KL's best known tourist attractions. Now used for Hindu festivals and pilgrimages, the caves also form an intense backdrop to the spectacularly masochistic feats performed annually by Thaipusam devotees. The main cave, a vast open space known as the Temple Cave - is reached by a 272-step climb. Beyond the stairs is the main temple. There are several other smaller caves in the same formation, including one with elaborately painted Hindu figures. Inside the caves are monkeys that swing through caverns filled with statues of Hindu gods and goddesses. The Batu Caves also host the interesting (and notorious) Hindu festival Thaipusam. During the festival the faithful pierce their flesh with an array of sharp objects ranging from hooks on the back to spears through the mouth. While it’s not for the faint-of-heart it nonetheless draws more than 100 000 visitors between mid January and mid February (the date depends on the lunar calendar).

You can reach the caves by either the 11D bus (from the Central Market) or bus 69 from Jalan Pudu. The trip takes about half an hour.