Batu Caves, one of the highlights in Kuala Lumpur and also a must-see in Malaysia, is a series of caves on a limestone hill located in the Gombak district in Selangor, 14 kilometres north of the city centre.

Local aboriginal tribe, the Jakun, had been aware for a long time of the caves. However, it was only after the discovery by the intrepid American Naturalist, William Temple Hornaday (1854-1937), in 1878 that the caves started to become famous. He was attracted to the caves by a strong odour, said to be a mixture of guano and durian, while he was out hunting one day.