Another Hidden Cave!

Niah Cave (Gua Niah) is one of Sarawak’s smallest national parks but it is certainly one of the most important and unusual attractions to visitors. What is most interesting about Niah is that one of the main claims to fame is the birthplace of civilization in the region. The oldest modern human remains in Southeast Asia along with many other relics of prehistoric man were discovered about 40,000 years ago, making the park one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Interesting right? 🫨 This park has a size of 3,140 hectares of forest and limestone karst areas. It was first gazetted as a National Historic Monument in 1958 and on 23 November 1974 was gazetted as National Park and open to public on 1 January 1975. Apart from the Cave, we can also explore several kilometers of forest trails to feel the richness of tropical rainforests, climbing a 400m tall limestone ridge or visit an Iban longhouse located near the Park boundary. We can also rent a boat or walk along the river from Park headquarters to Batu Niah town. Why would I write a review about this cave? Because it’s really worth taking your time and walking quietly along the way, as you may well see some of the park’s wildlife. If you leave the Great cave and return along the plank walk around clouds intermingling, you can see half a million of swiftlets are returning to their nests, whilst half a million bats fly out to forage in the forest. This is one of Niah’s most spectacular sights which represent only a small niche in the earth complex ecosystem. One of Niah’s other notable sights is the unusual number of luminous fungi that growth at dark night. If you’re a cave person, this one shouldn’t be missed out! 😉