Last updated on September 14th, 2024

To help you make the most of your time exploring Kuala Lumpur, we’ve packed all of our tips into this Batu Caves travel guide blog so you can plan out your perfect day trip when visiting KL.

Batu Caves is the most popular day trip from Kuala Lumpur. This complex of limestone caves 13 km north of Kuala Lumpur houses Hindu temples that have been pilgrimage sites for more than 120 years. When visiting Batu Caves, you can see the beautiful temple with a huge statue and beautiful rainbow-colored steps. A great place to visit if you’re in Kuala Lumpur.

Would you like to know what awaits you on a trip to Batu Caves? In this Batu Caves travel guide blog, we let you know about our experiences and show you the main attractions and things to do, and reveal our tips for your trip. Here are the best things to do in Batu Caves to help you plan your visit to this beautiful Hindu temple.

Batu Caves Travel Guide: Essential Information

The magnificent Batu Caves is one of the most well-known attractions in Malaysia. Located outside of Kuala Lumpur about 10km away from the city center, Batu Caves is a sacred place and a religious site dedicated to Lord Murugan, a Hindu deity.

Batu Caves is a temple complex consisting of three main caves. The temple cave is enthroned on the limestone hill and it’s about 100 meters with 272 colorful steps will leading to the entrance after the climb. Another two caves on the hill base are the Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave which house numerous Hindu statues and paintings. Lastly, on the base of the steep staircase, there is a giant Statue of Lord Murugan, which is the largest statue of this Hindu deity in the world.

In January, the Hindu Festival of Thaipusam is taken place here. During the three festival days, thousands of people will be climbed into caves to seek blessings, perform their vows, and celebrate this event. An experience that if you can have do it.

Batu Caves is open daily from 5.45 to 21:00. But it is advised to arrive as early as possible as it gets very busy later in the day. Entrance is free but there are several points to leave donations.

How to Get from KL to Batu Caves

Batu Caves can be accessed by the direct KTM Komuter train from KL Sentral. The total journey is about 40 minutes from Sentral Train station and costs about RM6 return. The attraction is straight opposite the train station when you arrive.

Although you can catch a train to Batu Caves, the easiest way to Batu Caves from Kuala Lumpur is getting there by e-hailing, especially for family travelers. The temple is about half an hour’s drive from the chaos of the city and a Grab ride will cost you about RM40. For self-driving, there is spacious parking available, and busy with tourist buses.

Alternatively, take an inexpensive organized Batu Caves tour from Kuala Lumpur. You can book a tour through Klook hassle-free arrangement although no guided tour is needed to get there: Kuala Lumpur Suburbs and Batu Caves.

Things To Do in Batu Caves Itinerary

Make sure that you don’t miss all the best things to do in Batu Caves with this half-day trip itinerary from Kuala Lumpur.

Things To Do in Batu Caves itinerary:

• Lord Murugan Statue
• Climb the colorful cave staircase
• Watch out the mischievous monkey
• Visit Batu Caves, Art Gallery Cave, and Museum Cave

Lastly, a perfect end to your half-day trip to Batu Caves.

A Visit To Batu Caves

A visit to Batu Caves is advised to arrive as early as possible as it gets very busy later in the day. We visited Batu Caves to witness the impressive and distinctive temple complex on a sunny morning. Once arrived at the Batu Caves, it’s impossible to miss the statue of Lord Murugan.

Standing a mighty 42.7 meters (140 feet), this is the world’s tallest statue of the Hindu God Lord Murugan and serves as the main attraction for Batu Caves. The statue is so huge with so much gold paint on it that looking at it in bright sunlight can temporarily blind you.

Don’t forget to spend sometimes at the public square plaza at the foot of the hill. Thousands of pigeons feed on the concrete pathways that lead to the welcome arch. A perfect spot for Instagram-worthy photoshoots.

Next, it’s time to climb up a hundred steps to the temple cave.

Did I mention that you have to walk up the 272 steps to climb up to the main temple? The painted rainbow steps have long been a popular photography spot. Depending on your agility and the obstacles that may slow down your climb, reaching the top may less than 15 minutes.

Mischievous monkeys are part of the tourist attraction in Batu Caves. Watch out for the monkeys and be sure to remove any snacks from your bag. The monkeys along the way cause you to stop and take breaks so the steps didn’t seem so crazy. It was great exercise and we enjoyed it immensely.

We slowly climbed up the 272 colorful steps and it took us about 10 minutes to conquer the 272 bands of rainbows. The cool fresh breeze flowing from the mouth of the cave greeted me.

Inside the Limestone Cave

After a short climb up the steep staircases, there are temples and the natural beauty inside a huge limestone cave. The cave is not very big but it wasn’t overcrowded with visitors. We entered the cave and removed our shoes before walking through the colorful temple.

Batu Caves is worth the visit and you will totally be astonished. It’s cool and peaceful inside the limestone cave and the setting it’s just so beautiful. Plus, the view back from the top of the steps to KL is good too. We spend about 20 minutes inside the Batu Caves before descending.

Final Tips: Batu Caves Travel Guide

To help you get the most out of your experience, here are the final tips for visiting the Batu Caves.

Overall: A Trip To Batu Caves

All in all, Batu Caves is a best place to have a cultural excursion in Kuala Lumpur. It is the best place to learn about the Hindu religion. The only downside unfortunately is the amount of rubbish scattered everywhere. Still, the temples, views, monkeys and statues were super impressive and would highly recommend. 

Lastly, if you’re planning on visiting Kuala Lumpur for the first time, free feel to read through our KL travel stories.

• Kuala Lumpur Itinerary: Ultimate KL Travel Guide Blog
• Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur: Top 5 Areas and Best Hotels

For the best food in Kuala Lumpur:

• Kuala Lumpur Food Guide: Where and What To Eat
• Yut Kee Restaurant: Best Place For Traditional Hainanese Cuisine
• ICC Pudu Food Guide: The Best Food To Eat
• Ho Kow Hainan Kopitiam: A Taste of Local KL Breakfast
• Hai Kah Lang: Fabulous Fresh Seafood Noodle

Last updated on September 14th, 2024

If you are looking for a hearty Hainanese breakfast in Kuala Lumpur (KL), you can’t possibly miss Ho Kow Hainan Kopitiam. This eatery is no doubt an all-time Malaysian favorite, and it has been serving traditional Hainanese food since 1928.

For those who prefer to taste authentic breakfast in Kuala Lumpur, you have a couple of options that locals frequent. One of them is called Ho Kow Hainan Kopitiam and they are known for serving the most traditional Hainan breakfast in town for over 6 decades of history.

Ho Kow Hainan Kopitiam is one of the best Hainanese coffeeshops we visited in Kuala Lumpur. If you are craving local breakfast and coffee, why not made a food trip to Ho Kow Hainan Kopitiam to get a good taste of Hainanese breakfast while you are in Kuala Lumpur? Let’s check out what is the best food to eat in Ho Kow Kopitiam.

Ho Kow Hainan Kopitiam

Ho Kow Hainan Kopitiam is a lovely Hainanese breakfast eatery converted from an old shophouse. It has been around since 1956 and counts itself as one of the old names in the business in KL. It is founded from a humble stall along Lorong Panggung before its move to Jalan Balai Polis.

Ho Kow Kopitiam is now presently located opposite Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown. The shop now offers modern comforts, but retains the same traditional vintage taste at the new location! Sometimes, you may still see the owner walking around, clearing up tables, and chit-chatting with diners. Ho Kow’s smile will make your day!

The shop is always crowded no matter what time you come there. You can easily spot the long queue in front of the restaurant every day.

Ho Kow Hainam Kopitiam (何九海南茶店)
Address: 1, Jalan Balai Polis, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur.
Operating hours: Daily from 7:30 until 15:00

Our Food Visit To Ho Kow Hainan Kopitiam

We visited Ho Kow Hainan Kopitiam to have the best Hainanese breakfast in Kuala Lumpur on a love Sunday. As usual, the place was fully occupied when we arrived in the early 8:00 morning. Following the queue, we took a ticket from the electronic machine and wait for a table.

The waiting time wasn’t too long and it took us about 30 minutes. But beware, it may take you more than an hour for peak time.

The Menu

Ho Kow Kopitiam has an extensive food and drinks menu for breakfast and lunch options. The menu with picture display is on the table with an order chit, no problem for ordering the food here.

Looking at the menu, Ho Kow Hainan Kopitiam serves traditional Nanyang coffee beverages, toast and soft-boiled eggs, and also some local delicacies. It also added a lot of Malaysian-style noodles and rice dishes where you can order nasi lemak with a fried chicken leg, pre-packed Nyonya kuih, and even Hainanese bakery such as croissants. All of the food is an affordable price.

What To Order

With a group of people, we ordered a number of the dishes to try on. The serving time was pretty fast and our food were served without a long wait. Looking at the food, I really don’t know where to start! Everything is so delicious and I want to taste it all!

The coffee is a must for coffee lovers. It is so fragrant, rich, and served either piping hot or chilled on ice. The Hainanese bread is lathered in a deliciously rich, decadent kaya and butter. Not going to die for, but it is the taste of traditinal breakfast.

Nasi Lemak is arguably the most well-known Malaysian dish and the best to have for breakfast. It is a signature dish here and you can’t go home without trying it. In fact, there is many other good nasi lemak in town but the nasi lemak from Ho Kow is tailored for Chinese tastebuds.

The aromatic rice tastes so good and the sambal is mildly sweet and spicy, served with a ridiculously large fried chicken thigh. The chicken thigh is crispy, juicy, and tender. Simply delicious!

We also ordered the fried bee hoon and bee hoon with dry curry chicken. Both are in generous servings and everything just came together beautifully in a bowl. My friend gave her a thumbs up for it as it’s fragrant and not overly spicy. The thick curry sauce is topped with the bee hoon and it absorbs all the tastes which make it taste really great.

We also tried their curry Chee Cheong Fun which was decent. The spices for the curry broth just didn’t pop for me but the Chee Cheong Fun has that distinct rice aroma.

Overview: Best Place for Local Breakfast in KL

All in all, we highly recommended Ho Kow Hainan Kopitiam to those who are looking for the best local authentic food in Kuala Lumpur. The food was good and the prices are reasonable. If you plan to visit, do come earlier as the place is usually packed with people and long queue.

Among all the food, I would recommend their steamed bread with half-boiled eggs, bee hoon with dry curry chicken, and nasi lemak. But still, all the food and drinks were awesome. It is a great dining experience enjoy all the old-school dishes that the cafe had to offer.

Last but not least, if you’re planning on visiting Kuala Lumpur for the first time, free feel to read through our KL travel stories.

• Kuala Lumpur Itinerary: Ultimate KL Travel Guide Blog
• Visiting Batu Caves: A Travel Guide Blog
• Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur: Top 5 Areas and Best Hotels

More Kuala Lumpur Food:

• Kuala Lumpur Food Guide: Where and What To Eat
• Yut Kee Restaurant: Best Place For Traditional Hainanese Cuisine
• ICC Pudu Food Guide: The Best Food To Eat
• Hai Kah Lang: Fabulous Fresh Seafood Noodle