landmark
Batu Caves
A limestone hill with massive cave temples and a 42-meter golden statue of Lord Murugan, a major Hindu pilgrimage site near Kuala Lumpur.
26 km · about 30 min drive
AsiaMalaysiaSelangor
Batu Arang
Selangor, Malaysia · Asia
About Batu Arang
Batu Arang is worth a stop: 5 minutes from Bandar Tasik Puteri, 38km from Genting Highlands Road.
Batu Arang is in Selangor, Malaysia, with about 23,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Bandar Tasik Puteri, about 4 km away.
Batu Arang is a town in Gombak District, Selangor, Malaysia, that is located about 50 km (31 miles) from the capital Kuala Lumpur. Coal was first discovered in the region in 1908, when British authorities found large deposits of coal reserves that could be commercially viable and fuel a railway system. The town wasRead more
established when the British started mining operations. In 1915, a railway system linking Batu Arang and Kuang was built to transport coal to the rest of the country. As coal output and demand increased, rail services to and from Kuala Lumpur expanded. The demand for coal from Batu Arang skyrocketed due to the First World War, which led to a reduction of coal imports. The local coal was frequently sold to the railway companies, power stations, tin mines, dredges, and end customers.
During World War II, in 1942, British authorities halted mining operations, and destroyed the power station and main sub-station as Japanese forces approached Batu Arang. When the Japanese occupied the area, they repaired the damaged equipment and hired more people to mine coal. Their mining methods, however, have left a devastating effect on the coal mine because they only focused on surface mining. When Japan surrendered at the end of World War II, Malayan Collieries resumed mining but were faced with problems such as improper mining methods by Japanese, delayed delivery for new equipment, labor strikes, fire, floods, increasing costs, rising coal prices and competition from petroleum, which is a cheaper and more attractive fuel. These problems led to the permanent closure of the coal mine on January 30, 1960.
After the closure of the mine, many miners and workers moved out of town and many buildings became ruins, the coal mine filled with water, land faced soil erosion, and the railway line from Kuang was dismantled, effectively ended railway service in Batu Arang. Despite this, some residents remained in the town and shops, facilities, and amenities continue to operate. On October 16, 2011, the town celebrated 100 years since its establishment and was granted heritage town status to boost economic prospects of its residents and make it one of the most important tourist attractions in Selangor.
Where to Stay in Batu Arang
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Batu Arang.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Batu Arang.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Batu Arang?
Within an hour or so of Batu Arang: Batu Caves (26 km), PETRONAS Skybridge (32 km), Petronas Twin Towers (32 km), KL Tower (32 km).
Are there any good drives near Batu Arang?
The nearest famous roads are Genting Highlands, Genting Highlands Road and Cameron Highlands (Tanah Rata).
Where is Batu Arang?
Batu Arang is in Selangor, Malaysia, about 4 km from Bandar Tasik Puteri.
Road trip
Drive to Batu Arang
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Batu Arang. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 22,579
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Malaysia
- Region
- Selangor
- Timezone
- Asia/Kuala_Lumpur
- Coordinates
- 3.3167, 101.4667
Tags
Worth the detour from Batu Arang
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
PETRONAS Skybridge
Double-deck skybridge connecting the Petronas Twin Towers at the 41st and 42nd floors, 170 metres above the ground.
32 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Petronas Twin Towers
452-metre twin skyscrapers in central Kuala Lumpur with a public skybridge, observation deck and large underground car park.
32 km · about 35 min drive
scenic viewpoint
KL Tower
A 421-meter telecommunications tower on Bukit Nanas in Kuala Lumpur offering panoramic city views and a glass sky box experience.
32 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Sunway Lagoon
Multi-park destination near Kuala Lumpur with a water park, amusement park, wildlife park, and extreme park.
32 km · about 35 min drive
famous road
Genting Highlands Road
Malaysia's favourite hill-climb: a smooth, relentlessly twisty ascent from Genting Sempah to the casino resort at 1,800 m, beloved by local drivers and often wrapped in cool cloud.
38 km · about 45 min drive
mountain pass
Genting Highlands
Hilltop resort town at 1,700 metres above Kuala Lumpur, reached by a steep switchback highway from Genting Sempah.
38 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
Putra Mosque, Putrajaya
Rose-granite mosque beside Putrajaya Lake in Malaysia's administrative capital, surrounded by wide boulevards and signature bridges.
49 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Batu Arang
- 32 kmKL TowerA 421-meter telecommunications tower on Bukit Nanas in Kuala Lumpur offering panoramic city views and a glass sky box experience.
- 38 kmGenting Highlands RoadMalaysia's favourite hill-climb: a smooth, relentlessly twisty ascent from Genting Sempah to the casino resort at 1,800 m, beloved by local drivers and often wrapped in cool cloud.
- 38 kmGenting HighlandsHilltop resort town at 1,700 metres above Kuala Lumpur, reached by a steep switchback highway from Genting Sempah.
When to drive here
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Batu Arang.
Plan a trip around Batu Arang
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Batu Arang.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.