We saw her just as we took that step. Our hearts bumped and I asked myself silently, “At this hour?”
Niah caves is one huge cavernous complex. An hour or so drive from Miri, in what the west incorrectly call Sarawak Borneo. Sarawak actually is a state in Malaysia.
To get there you head towards Batu Niah. No road signs, just ask the locals. They will direct you to the beach and soon you will be heading along an endless stretch of road that will take you, if you keep going to Kuching, the state’s capital. But that is about 12 hours away I hear.
They say there is a public bus service but I did not see any both on the way there and on the way back. I figure they must be very irregular. Better to hire a car or like me get a diplomatic friend to drive you there.
Your friend, I stress has to be diplomatic cos no locals ever go there. Once in a life time the locals go but then never again. Maybe only when a persistent friend drops into town. You see, getting to the caves necessitates a 30second boat ride across the river for which you pay 1 ringgit (30us cents). You then hike the “one hour” 4.5 km route. It took us 2 hours. I think my legs and body agreed it lasted longer than that.
Arguably it is worth the hike to see nature’s finery. The caves are natural with no artificial lights. Tthink they could not afford them or eco-tourism is not Malaysia’s strong point but I would say this is all for the better. I have been to the cave in Halong Bay, Vietnam. There they had artificial lights but it gave me no feel of naturalness. I prefer the natural setting of Niah.
You have to get out back to the registration office by 7.30 which means you have to get there early. Early or late the fee is 10 ringgit. The sun sets at about 6.30 and you will not want to be in there after that time. Personally, I would have loved to make camp and stay some time.
Bring a torch preferably a big one with nice D size batteries cos it is really dark in there. Unless you are a bat.
Bring lots of drinking water. With the humidity of the tropical forest, you will sweat to your underwear. A hand towel would help with the sweat you are going to drip.
That “ghost”. She really, really startled us. Sitting there, her ashen face and grey eyes stared piercingly at us as we climbed the steps towards her. She did not speak but later did. She is from Kuala Lumpur and was there waiting for her adventurous friends who were still inside some nook or other of the cave. Goodness, she is a human.
I know google map don’t say much but this may help you.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
hahaha…. I like the way you describe the visit.
Thanks.:) hope more people get to value these caves. Like I said, it would be great to spend more time there. Imagine, it must have been as old as history!