Bintulu to Niah cave was a simple ride and I reach Niah nice and early around 3pm. Pitch a tent for RM5 a night at the national park camping ground and just wait around for nightfall so I can sleep and explore the caves the next day.
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| Niah National Park - Gua Niah Sarawak |
With me camping that night was Michal, a backpacker from Czech Republic and I offered him a ride to the nearby Niah town for dinner. Next morning, I gave him a ride to the Pan Borneo Junction so he could get a bus to Miri. Apparently there is no public transport from the junction to Niah National Park and taxi shuttles cost around RM 25 one way.
I thought I would help a fellow traveler out but at the same time felt a little sorry for the loss in livelihood of my fellow Malaysian unable to earn that RM 25 for the day.
I also arranged with Audrey the day before, since she was at Miri and she agreed to come do the hike to Niah caves together. Perfect timing in a way since I sent Michal out to the junction in the morning, I was able to pick up Audrey from the same spot back to the national park.
OK so the fact is that I deprived the locals that day of a total RM 75 earnings.
Niah caves is one of the most amazing, elaborate and beautiful caves I have ever seen in the whole South East Asia journey. Chiang Dao caves does not even compare, the Budda Caves in Trang was beautifully lighted up with Buddha sculpture placed strategically, but Niah caves outshine it in shear natural beauty.
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| Boardwalk trial to the Niah Caves |
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| Trades Caves - Niah |
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| Traders Caves - Niah |
Traders caves, Great Caves, Dark Caves and the Caves Painting. I would say that Niah National Park was worth every bit of money to explore as it was not something extremely costly and easily done without a guide but not so simple that one might just glimpse by too fast. The whole hike took 4 hours return journey and I was really exhausted by the end of exploring Gua Niah. I send Audrey back to the junction and returned to Niah National Park to camp another night for it was too much to ride to Miri on the same day after the hike.
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| The Great Caves - Niah |
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| View Looking out from the Great Caves - Niah |
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| Pockets of sunlight through the Great Caves - Niah |
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| Pitch Dark Area Through the Great Caves - Niah |
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| The other end of Great Caves Past the Dark Area - Niah |
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| Looking Back to the Great Caves and Dark Area - Niah |
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| Niah Caves Prehistoric Drawings - Niah |
The second night, it rained. First time for me camping that it rained and I was wondering how good was this expensive tent I bought back in Kuching. I was miraculously dry throughout the night even with the heavy thundershowers and the tent was holding up well, clean and looked like it had a nice wash.
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| Camping at Niah National Park |
This tent is definitely a keeper.
Traveled on: Aug 2019
