SARAWAK THE LAND OF THE HORNBILL

HORNBILLS
Sarawak "the land of the hornbills"

being on the tropical island of Borneo and drifting quietly down a steam in a dug-out canoe. The giant trees of the rainforest rise on each bank like cathedral spires, and the creepers which festoon them form cloisters that conceal the dark damp interior. Raindrops pattering on the foliage and distant rumble of a retreating thunderstorm form a backdrop of sound, though which penetrates a single mournful hoot. More hoots follow at intervals, accelerating in tempo until they break suddenly into peals of maniacal laughter. Two huge birds then burst across the dome of the sky, their naked red heads extended and metre-long tail feathers trailing behind. You can spot the hornbill everywhere in Malaysia, if you try, good places to spot hornbills elsewhere in Malaysia are Taman Negara, Fraser's Hill, Langkawi, Gunung Mulu National Park, Kinabatangan, Sabah's Danum Valley and Mount Kinabalu National Park. Many species of hornbill (8 - 9) are found in Malaysia. Some  of them endangered or only present in small, isolated populations. The iban hunted hornbills for the tail feathers, which they use to decorate ceremonial headdresses. A single group of dancers may use as many as 400 feathers on their headdresses, for which they would have to kill about 40 birds. But that's over now. The hornbills nestle in a hole high up in an old tree.  It's the largest birds in the forest.

Niah Caves, Miri National Park, Sarawak

Petrocarpus forest dominates in Borneo. The gnarly things are roots of some of the climbers.

Niah Caves is situated near Batu Niah town. less than 5 km We came in from Miri 120km away it's a city with lots of hotels, amenities, airport and petrochemical processing facilities. Visitors can now use this as base for various visits to the national parks in the district and even going into  Brunei.

 

The stones have this strange green hue which kinda glows a bit.

I felt tempted to join them lazing in the shallows too I had limited time so too bad.

The forest scenery is nice and  very little mosquitoes. Main Paths are paved  concreted and easy on the legs. I was  out for the birds chattering and the monkeys. Maybe the occasional shotgun too, the aborigines were hunting that day. No more blowpipes for them, lucky thing I never heard any automatic gunfire or i would have left, national park or otherwise.

Entrance to the Great Cave is via Traders Cave. This is smaller cave where the people erected platforms to trade.  The log poles are still there. You have some idea of the scale from the photos. A human is very very tiny in the cave.

The archeological dig is at the entrance of the Great Cave. Wash your hands & refresh yourself with the water falling from the cave roof if available.

SARAWAK WORLD'S BEST CHAMBER

RAWAK

Malaysians claim that the Sarawak Chamber is Earth's largest underground pocket of air. The chamber is one room, so to speak, of a track of tunnels known as Gua Nasib Bagus,( in malays) or "Good Luck Cave." Think of it as nature's version of the atrium-ceilinged living room in a sprawling modern McMansion.

The cave is located in Gunung Mulu National Park in the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. It remained undiscovered by Westerners at least until 1981. Three Englishmen, while exploring the underground network, found the cave.

SARAWAK FAMOUS PINNACLES(LAND OF THE HORNBILL)

 The Pinnacles

The famous Pinnacles at Mulu consist of a series of 45 metre high, razor-sharp limestone spikes that tower above the surrounding vegetation, mid-way up the slopes of Gunung Api. The trek to view them is one of the most popular in the park. But be warned, the Pinnacle Summit Trek is a tough and challenging one. The trail itself is very steep (near vertical in parts) and requires a certain level of fitness.
The Pinnacles Summit Trek is usually done as 3 day/2 night trek although it is possible to do it as 2 day/1 night trek. The first stage is a 1-2 hour boat trip along the Melinau River to Kuala Berar. If the water level is low, the boat has to be pushed over rocky sections so the trip takes longer. Base Camp 5 is a relatively easy 7.8 km walk from Kuala Berar, following flat jungle terrain and taking 2-3 hours. Camp 5 is situated near the Melinau Gorge which separates Gunung Benarat from Gunung Api. There is hostel-style accommodation at the camp, and cooking facilities. The Melinau river in front of Camp 5 is crystal clear and ideal for a swim after the trek from Long Berar.
The real hiking begins the following morning. The trail is 2.4 km in length but rises some 1,200 metres from Camp 5 to the viewpoint, passing through lowland dipterocarp forest before climbing steeply through moss forest. Here the trees area a lot smaller and everything is covered in slippery green moss. Limestone debris also litters the trail so trekkers must proceed with care. The last section of the trail is near vertical, with rope sections and 15 aluminium ladders strategically positioned to help with the climb. The vegetation is sparse although orchids, rhododendrons and pitcher plants thrive in the area, and can be seen at the side of the trail.
After some tough climbing you finally come out onto a rocky outcrop where the stunning view provides a good reward for all the effort. The viewpoint area is made up of a number of pinnacles, rocks and vegetation and has excellent views of the silver-grey forest of stone that rises up from the surrounding vegetation. After taking some photos and a short rest and a last glimpse of the pinnacles, it is time to begin the descent back to camp 5 and the second overnight stay.It is very difficult to put an exact time on how long it takes to trek to the Pinnacles viewpoint. Fit and experienced trekkers should be able to reach the top in 2-3 hours. The not so fit but determined generally take around 4-5 hours. Most people spend an hour or so at the top before coming down. For many the descent is actually more difficult and therefore takes longer, so the return trip can take anything from 5 to 10 hours depending on fitness level.

GUA NIAH - SARAWAK(THE LAND OF THE HORNBILL)

Sarawak’s smallest national parks, 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.

   

The 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.

In 1958, a discovery was made which confirmed Niah as a site of major archaeological significance.  Led by Tom Harrison, he and his team unearthed a skull at the West Mouth of the Great Cave, which was estimated to be 40,000 years old.  It was the skull of a modern human Homo sapiens.  Apart from that, plenty of human settlements in the area like tools, cooking utensils and ornaments, made of bone, stone or clay were found.  These items found suggested that a long period of settlement reaching back into the palaeolithic era (the earliest part of the Stone Age).

   

Besides that, the Subis river flows along the park's western border. Not forgetting a large, almost vertical limestone massif Mount Subis which rises from the plain little above sea level and covers about 60% of the area?  The limestone was originally formed as a coral reef in the Lower Miocene.  Later it was uplifted and modified by faulting and erosion. 

There are several hundred caves within the park boundaries. The two most interesting and famous ones are Gua Niah (Niah Great Cave) and Kain Hitam (Painted Cave). Both are immense archaeological interest and have been declared as National Historical Monuments.  

The accessible way to the Caves is via a raised plank walk that winds through lowland forest vibrant with birds and butterflies.  Today the Cave is home only to bats, swiftlets and other specially adapted forms of life. However, a few locals still venture into the dark interior to collect guano (bird and bat droppings used as fertilizer) and bird's nest. visitors can explore several kilometers of forest trails to feel the richness of tropical rainforests, climb a 400m tall limestone ridge or visit an Iban longhouse located near the Park boundary. Visitors can also rent a boat or walk along the river from Park headquarters to Batu Niah town.

It is 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.

   

Colourful birds, squirrels, lizards, butterflies and all manner of unusual insects and invertebrates are commonly seen. Cave creature like Cave Spider, Cave Cockroaches, Cave Bats, cave snake and frogs.  If you are lucky, you may see monkeys, flying lizards and the occasionally hornbill.

FLORA AND FAUNA     It is 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. Colourful birds, squirrels, lizards, butterflies and all manner of unusual insects and invertebrates are commonly seen. Cave creature like Cave Spider, Cave Cockroaches, Cave Bats, cave snake and frogs.  If you are lucky, you may see monkeys, flying lizards and the occasionally hornbill. Great Cave The Great Cave as the name suggests, is an enormous cavern.  Situated approximately 3 km from the Park Office and is easily reached via the plank walk, which is enclosed, on both sides by dense primary rainforest. The walk alone is fascinating in its own right, as you pass close to giant Tapang trees Koompassia excelsa with their enormous buttressed roots, pandanus plants twice the size of a person and colourful exquisitely formed orchids and tree fungi. The Great cave is not only important archaeological site, where it was inhabited by man for 40,000 years, but the cave is also full bats and birds, especially the Black-nest Swiftlets.  Locals usually collect the nests of this bird to cook birds’ nest soup.     Like other caves in Sarawak it has extremely big chambers and passages. The cave system has eight entrances. The west entrance, also called West Mouth, is one of the world’s most spectacular cave entrances with over 60m high and 250m wide, leading to an even larger chamber within.  Proceeding into the cave, the sound of disembodied voices mingles with the squeaking of million of bats and swiftlets to create an eerie atmosphere. The voices belong to the guano (bird and bat excrement) covering the cave floor. The guano is then carried in sacks to the Sungai Niah, where it is graded and sold as fertiliser. Moon Cave where you can see beam of sunlight shines through an opening at the limestone roof top. After the dark section with bats you will then reach the eastern entrance. The first significant rock formation you reach is the Trader's Cave, which is really an extended rock overhang rather than a cave proper. This is where the birds nest and guano traders conduct their business, hence name over the trader.    Large chamber The passage at the back of the Great cave leads to the large chamber known as 'Padang' where shafts of sunlight stream down from the large holes in the cave roof to illuminate the bizarre rock formations in the Burnt Cave. This is another excellent spot for taking photos. After the Padang, the cave passage becomes pitch black and it is here that you will need the flashlight, not only to find your way along the plank walk but to view the extraordinary shapes and weathering effects found in the Moon Cave.  Painted Cave Painted cave are very near to Moon Cave, the plank walk pathway through the forest leads you to the Painted Cave. Here, you can see little spread-eagled human-like figures drawn in red hematite watch over a gravesite where the bodies of the dead were each laid in its own boat-shaped coffin.  It probably represents warriors and hunters and some of the animals of the souls of the deceased on the dangerous journey to the land of the dead.  The drawings have been dated as ranging between 1AD and 780 AD. It is worth spending some time at the Painted Cave, even though the burial site at the cave is far more recent than those at the Great Cave.  Nevertheless, it is no less important as it offers a clear insight into the development of the traditional religions of Borneo.  Birds Nest Half million swiftlets that live in the cave and make their nests purely from their own salivary secretions and when the nests are cleaned and cooked, they produce the famous birds nest soup, which is as highly regarded in Chinese cuisine as caviar is in the West. You will notice strategically positioned bamboo poles and ladders in the cave buried vertically.  Birds nest collector will then climb up the bamboo ladders to harvest the birds nest. Local people have practiced this dangerous occupation for generations who earn a living from the cave. Niah National Park is a great place for jungle exploration too. The Park has two clearly marked walking trails to ease your trekking session.  They are Jalan Bukit Kasut and Jalan Madu.  Remember to bring some supply of food before going off on one of these trails. Apart from jungle trekking or forest exploration,go on mountain climbing where you will have the chance to scale a 400 meters of limestone ridge.                           Bukit Kasut This trail green and white markings leads to the summit of Bukit Kasut. The 45 minutes walk passes through beautiful primary rainforest before moving into Kerangas forest at the foot of the hill.some fascinating cliff vegetation clinging tenuously to life in the steep limestone slopes. The trail is a little steep but the view at the top is worth it, offering a sweeping panorama of the rainforest canopy. This trail red and white markings sticks quite close to the banks of the Sungai Subis, a tributary of the Sungai Niah. It takes roughly an hour and passes through both alluvial and peat swamp forest. There are plenty of wild orchids, bizarre mushrooms and giant pandanus plants along the side of the trail.

Mulu National Park -Miri division

 

Gunung Mulu National Park is one of Nature's most spectacular achievements and the 'jewel in the crown' of Sarawak's expanding network of national parks. It is also the largest national park, covering 52,865 hectares of primary rainforest, which is criss-crossed by fast flowing rivers and clear jungle streams. Mulu is dominated by three mountains - Gunung Mulu (2,376 m), Gunung Api (1,750 m) and Gunung Benarat (1,585 m). Yet many of Mulu's greatest attractions lie deep below the surface. Hidden underneath the forested slopes of these mountains is one of the largest limestone cave systems in the world.

This system, a breath-taking natural wonder, contains a number of record breaking caves. With the world's largest cave passage (Deer Cave), the world's largest natural chamber (Sarawak Chamber), and the longest cave in Southeast Asia (Clearwater Cave), it is not surprising that Mulu is now world-famous. Over 200 km of cave passages have been surveyed but this is thought to represent just 30-40% of the actual total.

The oldest of Mulu's caves started to form about 5 million years ago when sideways earth movements resulted in the formation of both limestone and sandstone mountains, lying side by side. Millions of years of heavy rain and the action of rivers and running water carved out the vast subterranean system that exists today. The weathering process still continues; dripping water creates new rock features, limestone is slowly worn away, and underground rivers carve and sculpt the caves, transporting limestone debris to the cave mouth or redistributing it within the system.

Although Mulu is synonymous with caves, the 'Mulu experience' is not limited to underground attractions; above ground there is plenty to see and do. The park is covered in rich primary rainforest and offers a whole range of nature-based activities. There are some excellent jungle treks and mountain hikes, including the challenging trek to view the Pinnacles - 45 metre high, razor sharp limestone spikes that sit majestically on the slopes of Gunung Api.

With it's rich bio-diversity, and world-famous caves, Mulu offers the adventurous traveller an exhilarating cave and rainforest experience, possibly unmatched anywhere else on Earth.

Mulu's four Show Caves were selected for their uniqueness or sheer beauty. They can all be visited as day trips from the park HQ and are accessible by plankwalks and well-lit concrete paths. Strategically positioned spotlights highlight the unique features of the individual caves. A plankwalk leads through the forest to Deer and Lang's Cave whilst Clearwater Cave and Wind Cave are reached by taking a longboat up the Melinau River, or by following a 4 km nature trail. The more adventurous can do Adventure Caving.

Mulu has three adventure treks, all of which require a certain level of physical fitness. Basic camping gear is useful as overnight stays in jungle base camps are required. Trekkers must be accompanied by offical park guides. Most tour operators can assist with travel arrangements for these treks and can also supply any necessary equipment and food

Ever since the 1930's the rich rainforest of the Mulu area has attracted scientists. Every expedition seems to discover something new - a plant or animal species previously unknown to man, animal behaviour patterns, a rainforest remedy, etc. Although these studies and expeditions have unearthed a mountain of scientific facts, they have barely 'scratched the surface' of Mulu's bio-diversity. However, this 'barely scratched surface' includes an impressive array of plants and animals.

The park contains 8 different types of forest - including peat swamp, health and mixed dipterocarp, moss forest and stunted upper monane vegetation - 4,000 species of fungi, 1,500 species of flowering plants. 1,700 species of moses & liverworts and estimated 3,500 species of plants.

Mulu's wildlife is equally impressive and includes 75 species of mammals, 262 species of birds (including the eight species of hornbill found in Sarawak), 74 species of frogs, 47 species of fish, 281 species of butterflies, 52 species of reptiles, 458 species of ants and 20,000 species of invertebrate.

Niah National Park

Niah National Park

  Located on the Sungai (river) Niah, about 3 km from the small town of Batu Niah, a 110 km to the south-west of Miri in northern Sarawak. The park was first gazetted as a National Historic Monument in 1958, gazetted as National Park on 23 November 1974 and was published to the public on 1 January 1975. The Park is one of Sarawak's smaller national parks, but it is certainly one of the most important and has some of the most unusual visitor attractions. The park's main claim to fame is its role as one of the birthplaces of civilisation in the region. The oldest modern human remains discovered in Southeast Asia were found at Niah, making the park one of the most important archaeological sites in the world.
Forty thousand years ago, the Niah Great Cave sheltered human life. Here lies the oldest human remains in Southeast Asia, along with many other relics of prehistoric man. Today the Cave is home only to bats, swiftlets and other specially adapted forms of life. However, a few locals still venture into the dark interior to collect guano (bird and bat droppings used as fertilizer) and bird's nest.
The famous Painted Cave is another highlight of the visit to Niah Cave. Here, little human-like figures drawn in red haematite watch over a gravesite where the bodies of the dead were each laid in its own boat-shaped coffin. The Great Cave and Painted Cave have been declared as National Historical Monuments.
The Caves are accessible via a raised plankwalk that winds through lowland forest vibrant with birds and butterflies. Apart from the Caves, visitors can explore several kilometres of forest trails to feel the richness of tropical rainforests, climb a 400m tall limestone ridge or visit an Iban longhouse located near the Park boundary. Visitors can also rent a boat or walk along the river from Park headquarters to Batu Niah town.
Early Human
Niah's important was first realised in 1957. The curator of the Sarawak Museum, Tom harrison, led an archeological dig at the West Mouth of the Great Cave. The exavations revealed plenty of human settlements in the area; tools, cooking utensils and and ornaments, made of bone, stone or clay. The types of items found suggested a long period of settlement reaching back into the palaeolithic era (the earlist part of the stone age).
In 1958, a discovery was made which confirmed Niah's place as a site of major archaeological significance. Harrisson and his team unearthed a skull which was estimated to be 40,000 years old. The find was at first rediculed by the scientific community, for it was the skull of a modern human (homo sapiens), and it was widely believed that  Borneo was settled much later. However, as dating techniques improved and as more evidence of the settlement of Southeast Asia and Australasia came to light, Harrissson was proved right.
What is most interesting about Niah, however is the continued human presence over tens of thousands of years and sophistication of societies that gradually developed there. A large burial site further into the mouth of the cave had clearly been used from palaeolithic times right up to the modern era, as  late as 1400 Ad. The earlist graves found in the deepest levels, were simple shallow graves without adornment. Yet moving up through the layer, coffins and urns appeared along with grave goods such as pottery, textiles and ornaments and even glass and metal items, which came comparatively late to Borneo.
The Great cave is not only important archaeological site. The painted Cave as its name suggests, houses detailed wall-paintings depicting the boat journey of the dead into the afterlife. The meaning of the paintings was explained by the discovery of a number of "deadth-ships" on the cave floor-boat shaped coffins containing the remains of the deceased and a selection of grave-goods considered useful in the afterlife, such as Chinese ceramics, ornaments and glass beads. The death-ships have been dated as ranging between 1 AD and 780 AD, although local Penan folklore tells of the use of dead-ship burials as late as the 19th century.
 Great Cave
The Great Cave is approximately 3 km from the Park Office and is easily reached via the plakwalk which is enclosed on both sides by dense primary rainforest. The stroll along the planwalk is fascinating in its own right, as you pass close to giant tapang trees (Koompassia excelsa (Becc) Taub.) with their enormous buttressed roots, padanus plants twice the size of a person and colourful exquisitely formed orchids and tree fungi.
It is worth taking your time and walking quietly along the way, as you may well see some of the park's wildlife. Colourful birds, squirrels, lizards, butterflies and all maner of unsual insects and invertebrates are commonly seen. If you are lucky, you may see monkeys, flying lizards and the ocasional hornbill.
The first significant rock formation you reach is the Trader's Cave, which is really an extended rock overhang rather than a cave proper. This is where the birds nest and quano traders conduct their business, hence the name.
A few minutes later, the West Mouth of the Great Cave comes into view and you are left in no doubt that this cave deserves its name. At over 60m high and 250m wide, it is one of the world's most spectacular cave entrance leading to an even larger chamber within. On the left of the cave mouth the archaeological excavation are clearly visible. Photographer should come prepared as the view from the cave mouth out over the surounding jungle is quite unique and the jagged stalacites, overhang and dangling creepers of the cave mouth make a dramatic frame for a very memorable photo.
Proceeding into the cave, the sound of disembodied voices mingles with the squeaking of million of bats and swiftlets to create an eerie atmosphere. The voices belong to the guano (bird and bat excrement) covering the cave floor. The guano is then carried in sacks to the Sungai Niah, where it is graded and sold as fertiliser.
Large Chamber (Padang)
The passage at the back of the Great cave leads to the large chamber known as 'Padang' where shafts of sunlight stream down from the large holes in the cave roof to illuminate the bizzarre rock formations in the Burnt Cave. This ia another excellent spot for taking photos. After the Padang, the cave passage becomes pitch black and it is here that you will need the flashlight, not only to find your way along the plankwalk but to view the extraordinary shapes and weathering effects found in the Moon Cave.
Painted Cave
Shortly after the moon Cave, the plankwalk emerges into daylight and a short pathway through the forest leads to the Painted Cave. This is the site of the famous Niah cave paintings and the place where the 'death-ship' were found. The contents of the death-ships have since been transferred to the Sarawak Museum, but the wall behind the fenced-off burial site.
The paintings can be difficult to see unless you allow your eyes to become accustomed to the light. They are rendered in red hematite and cover a long narrow strip (approximately 30m) at the back of the wall. They potray spread-eagled human figures, probably representing warriors and hunters, some of the animals of the souls of the deceased on the dangerous journey to the land of the dead.
Although the burial site at the painted cave is far more recent than those at the Great Cave, it is no less important as it offers a clear insight into the develoment of the traditional religions of Borneo. It is worth spending some time at the Painted cave, as the atmosphere of the place is very tranquil and relaxing resting place for their ancestors.
 Birds Nest
The guanocollectors are not the only people who earn a living from the cave. Strategically positioned bamboo poles and leaders are evidence of the birds nest collectors, local people who have practised this dangerous occupation for generations. The half million swiftlets that live in the cave make their nests purly from their own salivary secretions and when the nests are cleaned and cooked they produce the famous birds nest soup, which is as highly regarded in Chinese cuisine as caviar is in the West.
Wildlife And The Rainforest
If you leave the Great cave and return along the plankwalk around clouds intermingling. This is the nighty 'changing of the guard' half a million swiftlets are returning to their nests, whilst half a million bats fly out to forage in the forest. although this is one of Niah's most spectalucar sight, it represents only small niches in a complex ecosystem. One of Niah's other notable sights is the unsual number of luminous fungi (which can be clearly seen from the plankwalk at night                    
Bukit Kasut
This trail (green and white markings) leads to the summit of Bukit Kasut. The 45 minutes walk passes through beautiful primary rainforest before moving into Kerangas forest at the foot of the hill. You will also see some fascinating cliff vegetation clinging tenuously to life in the steep lomestone slopes. The trail is a little steep but the view at the top is worth it, offering a sweeping panarama of the rainforest canopy.
Jalan Madu
This trail (red and white markings) sticks quite close to the banks of the Sungai Subis, a tributary of the Sungai Niah. It takes roughly an hour and passes through both alluvial and peat swamp forest. There are plenty of wild orchids, bizarre mushrooms and giant pandanus plants along the side of the trail.