One of the most iconic feature of Batu Caves has to be the The statue, which cost approximately 24 million rupees, is made of cubic metres of concrete, tonnes of steel bars and litres of gold paint brought in from neighbouring Thailand.
This is the majestic gold statue you see in the picture below. To get to the Temple Cave , you will need to climb the steep steps to the top of the Batu Caves open daily from 7am to 7pm.
Entry is free — just make sure you bring along some water and snacks for the climb up to the Temple Cave but keep them hidden inside your bag — we will explain why later.
You can buy water and snacks from shops at the Temple Cave but be prepared to be overcharged so bring your own if you can. The Art Gallery and Museum caves are at the bottom of the staircase and are filled with paintings depicting scenes from Hindu tradition and statues of Hindu deities.
Besides the statues of Hindu deities, you will also be able to see a lake and ponds filled with hundreds of colorful koi fish, river terrapins and tortoises. The steps leading to the Temple Cave is patrolled by an army of macaque monkeys looking out for a quick snack. These monkeys make great subjects for photos, but you can be quite certain that they will end up stealing from and even biting the unsuspecting tourist. If you have food on your hands, it is almost certain that you will be marked as a potential target to attack.
I have noticed that the monkeys always attack people who carry plastic bags — I think they have associated plastic bags with the food inside; although these plastic bags carry only incense offerings or some souvenir. So if you have snacks or plastic bags, keep them hidden in your bag. Monkey bites can be serious; immediately drop anything that they grab onto such as a backpack or water bottle.
The monkeys consider tug-of-war to be a challenge and may bite your hand before they let go! When you see them baring their teeth, that means they are in an aggressive attack mode so stay away! If you start your journey up the steps early around 9 to 10am , you might not see as many monkeys — at around noon, you will see a whole army lining up along the railings — looking for their next target.
Besides monkeys, you will also see groups of exhausted visitors panting along the steps — you might also be one of them — just drink lots of water and breathe…. The renovations have been completed in time for a Hindu ritual held at the temple every 12 years, which will happen today, reports AFP.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of people also travel to the caves for the Thaipusam festival in late January or early February. The steps to this Malaysian temple got a rainbow makeover — and created controversy. Alex Butler. Get inspired to travel everyday by signing up to our daily newsletter.
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The modern version, designed by Giuseppe Momo, inspired by the original, allows two separate streams of people to exit. It is meant to offer the thrill of mountaineering without the danger of a climbing up the rock face itself. Visitors have to sign a consent form before climbing the 91 metres, and must be healthy and under the age of For a much smaller spiral, 19th-century Peles Castle in Romania has an intricately carved wooden staircase inside the elaborately designed royal residence.
Other decorative staircases come in all kinds of colours and styles: from the highly photogenic, minimalist block colours of La Muralla Roja housing project on the cliffs of Calpe near Alicante in Spain, designed by architect Ricardo Bofill in ; to the Santa Maria del Monte staircase in Caltagirone, Sicily — a flight of steps built in with hand-painted ceramic tiles added to the risers in the s.
There are also several painted piano staircases around the world, from Valparaiso in Chile to Beirut in Lebanon. Some even add a musical note to each step you take, such as the permanent interactive musical staircase in San Francisco , installed in Leading up to shopping centre Pier 39, it was created by designer-inventor Remo Saraceni, who was also behind the musical piano floor in the Tom Hanks film Big.
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