Batu Caves

Batu Caves is a limestone hill on the northern edge of Kuala Lumpur whose great caverns have held Hindu shrines since the late nineteenth century. A golden statue of Lord Murugan, among the tallest in the world, stands at the foot of 272 steps, painted in bright rainbow colours, that climb to the main Temple Cave.

Inside, the vast cave opens to the sky in places, with shrines to Murugan and other deities. Every year at Thaipusam, usually in January or February, hundreds of thousands of devotees climb the steps carrying kavadi, in one of the largest celebrations of the festival outside India.

Go early in the morning, before the heat and the tour coaches. Knees should be covered, with wraps available at the entrance, and keep food and bags closed because the resident monkeys are bold. It fits neatly into a half-day Kuala Lumpur city tour.