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| Intrepid travelers in front of Clearwater Cave |
Mulu, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo
We had booked an adventure tour which included hiking to and into the longest cave system in Asia and walking the longest rainforest suspension bridge in the world. We spent each day touring the exciting and mysterious Mulu Caves.
The caves we visited were Wind Cave, Clearwater Cave, Deer Cave and Lang Cave -filled with incredible stalagtites and mites and well lit so you could really see the natural wonders. The Deer Cave (so called because deer liked to come and lick the salt from the bat guano in the cave) was very spooky. This was a BAT cave- populated by 2 million bats. The ceiling was BLACK with hanging bats and the floor covered in guano (smelled awful). The main attraction was that each evening the 2 million bats swarm out of the cave in undulating rivers of flying rodents off to eat 15 tons of insects. This was quite a sight. Tourists walked a ways away from the cave to a viewing site to watch the bats emerge at dusk.
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| columns in Deer Cave |
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| Deer Cave has a natural rock formation that looks like a profile of Abe Lincoln! |
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| tourists viewing the evening bat ritual |
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| bats leaving the cave ( taken from inside) |
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| walkway inside Deer Cave Getting to these caves and back took stamina. We walked through very hot and muggy jungle (on very nice boardwalk all the way) for 6 MILES to go to the Lang and Deer caves. Those who know my normal fitness habits will be mightily impressed with this feat. |
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| jungle boardwalk |
Even more impressive is the fact that I actually walked across the LONGEST swaying canopy walkway in the world- at the national park in Mulu. This canopy walk is a series of 9 cable hung bridges stretching from tree to tree 60-80 feet in the air. At the end of some of the swaying walkways there were platforms, others had small connections that went around small trees. The building of this canopy walkway was quite an engineering feat- and the fact that I actually walked it was a feat for me. No one else was nervous about heights.
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| Di & Fin walk across the suspension bridge |
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| Fin in the treetops |
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| our group of intrepid canopy bridge walkers |
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| Fin walking across a suspension bridge |
We really appreciated a shower and a/c when we returned from this walk in the steamy jungle. Next day, we took off early in a longboat to go up river to the Wind and Clearwater caves. On the way we stopped at a Penang Settlement. These are native people who live in longhouses on the river and act as the boatmen and guides for tourists. They also sell handicrafts. I bought a bamboo harp and a jaw harp and a wonderful woven bag to put them in.
Below are photos of our shopping trip up the river and some of the beautiful ethnic items we purchased.
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| our boat captain takes us up river |
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| Di buying musical crafts-holding a bamboo harp, bamboo jawharp in my mouth |
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| Fin with our guide, Ricky |
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| baskets for sale-these have straps & can be worn like a back pack |
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| On display in our living room back home: Sarawak basket, bamboo harp, a sompoton ( bamboo pipes), bamboo rattle |
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Penang woman making baskets
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| crafts for sale |
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| Penang long houses |
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| Penang settlement |
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| loading up our longboats |
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| mens earrings-we purchased and framed some |
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| beautifully beaded baby carrier-photo of Kenyah mother & child |
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| I bought a nose harp from this lady! |
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Sarawak church: Evangelical Church of Borneo
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| Wind Cave |
We finished our trip up river with a tour to the Wind and Clearwater caves which were interesting to walk through. They are linked and together form the longest cave system in Southeast Asia. Water has carved the limestone into fantastic shapes and the stalgtites and mites create fanciful towers. To get to the Clearwater cave we had to hike 200 steps straight up. Please do not mention "stair steppers" to me--I have done it!
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| interesting stalagmite-casts a shadow which looks like Virgin Mary |
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| climbing 200 steps to Clearwater Cave |
When we finished touring these amazing natural wonders, we took a swim in the river. Water clear and refreshing. We took the thirty minute boat ride back through the jungle wearing our swimsuts and appreciated the cool breeze made by the moving boat.
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| Enjoying the swimming hole after the cave hikes |
Our interesting time in Sarawak was at an end. Time to return to Kuala Lumpur and on to Cambodia!
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