Malacca, Malaysia
Visit the labyrinthine Batu Caves, winding their way through a massive limestone outcrop. The Caves are named after the Batu River, which flows past the hill, and are one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India.
When the caves were in a pristine state, estimated to be sometime before 1860, several of the 18 cave mouths were used by the indigenous Besisi people (also referred to as Orang Asli) as transit shelters when they went out hunting from their jungle hamlets.
The biggest of the caves, referred to as Cathedral Cave or Temple Cave, has a 100 m-high ceiling, and features ornate Hindu shrines. To reach it, visitors have to climb a steep flight of 272 steps.