A Little Cave Excursion

View of the entrance to Niah Caves from the inside.

Other than protecting a diverse rainforest habitat, Niah National Park is perhaps better known for its extensive cave systems (other than the famous discovery of a 40,000 years old human skull). After all limestone hills and caves make up about 67% of the area in the Park.

Despite having made several trips to Niah National Park before, I hardly ventured beyond the entrance of Great Cave simply because I don’t like walking the damp and slippery path inside the caves. However, several weekends ago with friends of MNS Miri, I decided to make an exception, we went deep into the depths of Niah Caves to explore and photograph the interior of Niah caverns!

It was raining heavily in Miri everyday last week, but we needn’t have to worry about the weather last Saturday for it was sunny throughout. Upon arrival at the Park and after making sure our tripods are secured in our backpacks, we began the 3km trek to the Niah caves.

As usual, we were constantly on the lookout for signs of wildlife. This time we were rewarded with view of 2 beautiful Prevost’s squirrels scampering above us in the trees, their 2 bands of reddish brown and white furs were very striking and easily recognizable. As for the monkeys once again they eluded us. Oh well, there is always another time … Niah is but 45minutes away from Miri by car.

Upon approaching Subis Limestone, approximately halfway into our walk, we began to see dark grey weathered blocks of ancient coral reef limestone scattered all over over the forest floor.

These limestone boulders were eroded into jagged edges by the action of rain water and the surface looked harsh, however the force of living plants appeared to be even greater for they have unrelentingly wrapped and entwined themselves onto these rocks, their roots creeping through the crevices and eventually cracking up the limestone blocks as they grow bigger and stronger.

We knew Traders Cave was near when the white limestone cliffs peeped through the breaks in the forest trees. Strictly speaking Traders Cave is not really a cave but a huge half-moon limestone overhang carved out by the flow and dissolving action of subterranean river water many many years ago. Anura, a geologist, pointed out the various grooves on the ceiling of the cave where the different layers showed the weathering of limestone at different periods of time. Just before we exited Traders Cave on top of the staircase, I looked back and as always never failed to be impressed by the enormous dimension of Traders Cave.

After Traders Cave, it was only a short walk away to the main entrance of Great Cave. I was lagging behind the others and just as I passed by the archeological site I suddenly saw a bird of prey flying in and landed on a nest in a tree just outside the cave mouth. When I looked closer I saw another bird, it is a nest for two! It is strange to see raptors building their nest so close to the place where the monkeys hang out, but then again perhaps it means that the monkeys have moved away. After waiting for 10 minutes with no more movement from the nest, I gave up, re-grouped with the others and prepared myself to enter Great Cave. Rosie decided to stay behind.

Great Cave is the largest cave in Niah National Park. The mouth of the Cave stretches wide and we could hear the constant buzz of the swiftlets and an occasional bat or two flying in and out of the cave.

We walked towards a set of staircase that climbed up and over a jumble of fallen big rocks into the dark and cavernous cave. The air inside was a few degrees cooler but mixed with slightly pungent smell of guano deposits.

In the distance, we could see the light of the other entrance of Great Cave, Gan Kira that leads to Painted Cave. The raised plankwalk took us through the winding passages of the cave interior, passing by several large chambers.

At the narrower and darker passages, our torchlight picked up roosting bats perched upside down on the wall as well as swiftlet nests. Somehow the cave was not as dark and the path not as slippery as I remembered, perhaps because of the sunnier and drier weather today.

The plankwalk also passed by 2 big sinkholes. Here the mid-day sun beamed down from the roof openings and illuminated the bizarre rock formations, formed and sculpted by the slow action of dripping rainwater.

We stepped off the path onto the cave floor and went underneath one of these sinkholes. Bathed in soft light and surrounded by large rock sculptures of various sizes and shapes decorated with interesting patterns, it definitely felt like standing in the middle of a living art gallery!

What better way to end our little cave exploration than to catch a view of another cave inhabitant, the rare Niah Cave Gecko which obliged us by staying still for a photo shoot.

After a rather long and strenuous climbing of stairs, we emerged from the cave and into the warm sunshine.

I am already looking forward to my next trip to Niah caves!

Article and images by Sara Wong/MNS Miri/Jul 2010

A morning trekking at Niah in June

A couple of months ago, some friends went to Bukit Kasut in Niah National Park. According to them, they caught a glimpse of the Borneon Gibbons on the Bukit Kasut Trail. Since then, a plan was hatched to revisit Bukit Kasut, hoping for a chance to see this hard to see primate whose number is presently threatened by severe habitat loss due to deforestation, mainly to make way for agriculture, mostly for oil palms in these parts.

So on 6th June 2010, several MNS Miri Branch trekkers drove to Niah National Park from Miri to rendezvous with the birders who arrived much earlier. The original intention was to pry away one birder, who is also an avid trekker for a quick hike to Bukit Kasut. Our plan was however foiled by an unexpected early morning downpour. Upon arrival at the Park HQ, we were advised by the Park not to attempt the hike up Bukit Kasut, eventhough the rain had stopped as a safety precaution. We went trekking to the limestone caves instead.

Immediately after crossing the Niah River we were greeted by a pair of butterflies that only displayed the brilliant blue colour on their wings when they fly, and the beautiful black and green Rajah Brooke Birdwing butterfly. The forest was blooming at this time of the year, all along the 3km path to the caves abundant butterflies were seen cluttering and fluttering from flower to flower, fractically feeding themselves on nectar.


Bright colorful butterflies, plentiful in Niah along the pathway to the caves.

The heavy rainfall earlier released a distinctively earthy smell to the surroundings, and the clarity of the air was amazing, it felt like walking through the forests in springtime! Up ahead and above we saw a couple of squirrels running on tree branches, foraging for their breakfast. The jungle was also alive with the melodic sounds of birds, it seemed to be coming from everywhere though spotting them in the dark green foliage is no easy matter.

Obviously the jungle provides a good hiding place if ones don’t want to be seen! However, a couple of times, one of two braver birds did venture down to the mid-canopy level and afforded us with good views of them. Faye took her first bird picture with her new compact camera!

On the ground by the side of the concrete path and plankwalk, lizards were seen scrambling in and out of the forest litter while on the railings of the plankwalk we saw many colourful and cool looking snails and hairy caterpillars, obviously also out for a walk after the rain. Where-ever they were going, they were definitely taking the scenic route!


A little snail making its way along the plankwalk , wonder how long it'll take this little guy to traverse the 3000m path to the caves.

Some parts of the path were covered with fallen blossoms. We stopped at a place where it was raining little yellow flowers, soaking in the sweet scent mixed in with the cool breeze. Amongst the flowers and fallen leaves we found an interesting looking bug which we later identified as an assassin bug. Assassin bug (of Reduvidae family) has a curved mouthpiece with which it uses to stab and suck its victim’s juice. Sometimes the prey is much larger than the predator!


The bright red assassin bug, unlike the stealth of a real life assassin who strives to be inconspicous, this one sports ubber bright colors. Self preservation (from being eaten by bigger predators) rules over stealth.

Further on we found a tubular entrance of a stingless bee’s home at the base of a tree next to the path. We spent an enormous amount of time observing and photographing these busy bees doing their daily chores. Stingless bees build their nest deep inside hallow trees. The entrance is formed by a defensive tube which is coated with sticky resin to trap intruders.

Stingless bees as the name suggested don’t have stings, but they can bite, so it is best not to get them angry.

We finally reached the entrance of Great Cave 3 hours later after spending some time at the Traders Cave. Peter and Faye went inside Great Cave to explore the cavern while I opted to stay behind. While waiting for Peter and Faye to return, I scanned the limestone hills opposite the cave for signs of wildlife but it was a very quiet afternoon.

By now, the hot and humid weather had returned. The brisk walk back to Park HQ had us sweating and breathing hard. We ended the day by making a short detour into Batu Niah which afforded us with great views of the limestone hills that made up Niah National Park. Nestled somewhere in the hills is Bukit Kasut.


The sea of tranquility and seemingly bloundless greenery amongst the big trees at Niah Caves National Park.

Even though we did not achieve what we originally set out to do, we did have a wonderful day walking the forest and exploring the limestone caves. We will definitely come back for a hike up Bukit Kasut when the weather is drier.

Sara Wong/MNS Miri/22nd Jul 2010
All images by Sara Wong