My favorite place in Malaysia is without a doubt the Batu Caves, located in Selangor, just 10km north of the capital city Kuala Lumpur. The site consists of a tall limestone hill with 272 colorful steps leading up to a cave complex, which houses Hindu temples. Outside, there stands a 42m tall gold statue of the Hindu god Murugan. I later learned that the temple hosts the Tamil Thaipusam festival, which commemorates the victory of Murugan over the demon Surapadman.
In-person I was impressed by how massive the statue was. At the grounds I had a first look at the wild monkeys. Our tour guide Felix warned us that there was no telling whether the monkeys would be friendly or mean. I witnessed both behaviors; thankfully the monkeys were friendly toward me. I wasted no time in climbing the steps to get to the cave itself, the Cathedral Cave. When I reached the top, I took in my surroundings: the dripping water from the prior rainfall, colorful Hindu architecture, boutique stands, the sound of worship. The sun was shining perfectly through the overhead opening of the cave. Climbing those 272 steps was well worth it.
