Gua Niah (Part 2), Miri

- September 09, 2012

Continue from my yesterday's post and after you climbed the staircase, this is the Traders' Cave that you will first see and also the beginning of the Niah Cave. This is the cave where the bird nest collectors trade or sell with the goods from the people in the town who came here for the valuable bird nest in 1950s. That's why the Trader's Cave name comes from.

A picture taken when looking out from the inside of the Traders' Cave. FYI, there will be no more network signal beyond this point. If you really need help, you are unable to make SOS call.

You will find this woods here to avoid landslide in this Traders' Cave. This is the only way in and out. So a prevention is highly required.

Still inside the Traders' Cave as I can't get over with the awesome of this view is. What do you think?

More pictures so please do enjoy the gift from our mother earth.

This staircase to lead you to the cave mouth of the Great Cave.

Making a final shot from the top over the Traders' Cave before moving on.

From this view, you will see the overview archaeology site. The archaeologists are pretty relaxing. I wonder what they still can find from this cave.

This is what the found previously for a very long time. I really wonder is there anything else they can find?

Road signboard to assist you on which way you should go. There are two ways to a deeper cave. One of it is to follow this signboard. The other which is the way I will be using later on. Read on to find out more...

Click on this picture to enlarge and see clearly the map of the cave. So that you know where you are right now.

Is this a sign of the swiftlets to express their unhappiness of the introduction of themselves? Their faeces are all over the signboard.

Swiftlets are staying inside this big gap to have a better hideout and create higher difficulty for the bird nest harvester to reach.

Can you see all the long sticks hanging on the ceiling of the cave? It is not naturally done by our mother earth but they are man made. To be exact, it is done by the bird nest harvester. Can you imagine that they are climbing using those sticks to reach the bird nest? I really cannot imagine how they done it in the first place by installing those long sticks. The stick is averaging length of at least 20 meters tall which is equivalent to 4 storeys high.

This is how the cave ground looks like. It looks like in the moon.

That's the first road path which is guided by the signboard and I am not taking it. This path is the left side of the Great Cave.

I will take this instead which is the right side of the Great Cave. You will smell the wind or the air coming out from this cave is really stinks. The stink is came from the faeces of the bats and the swiftlets. Sometimes the smell is unbearable.

A great scenery for you to awe about.

There is a hill in a cave? It is called the Bukit Terayeng. Not really high so do not panic to see a hill and all you will think about is - there is a climbing job to do.

See...I am already at the top of the hill. Not that high right?

When you are getting inner to the cave, lights will be leaving you as well. However, I am so grateful that I have a great camera which able to capture this picture without any flash. Actually I can't even see how it is look like with my own eyes. Only my camera can see all these. If you are curious, my lens is Sigma 24mm F1.8 Macro. Suitable for night shot, portrait shot and macro shot. One of my favourite prime lens!

White spots are the faeces from the birds. When you see a lot of white spots like this, stay away...because this is their favourite spot! Or else get some on your head. Haha...that's why you are recommended to bring a cap or a hat to avoid such thing accidentally happens.

Another shot by the eye of my camera. Can you see more sticks? I can't even see it with my bare eyes.

This is an extraordinary scenery which you can see like a God light shining on something. Really amazing!

A real pitch dark after this. Torchlight is a MUST! Otherwise, you are not advised to go through beyond this cave. This is the road will lead you to Gan Kira and Painted Cave (under construction).

My camera's eye has failed to see anything in the pitch dark cave so a light from my torchlight will be the assistant. So now you at least can see what is beyond here.

Can you imagine I am walking through these pitch dark cave alone? It is a total zero visibility if without the torchlight. My advice to you if you are alone here is do not look back and keep going. Second, make sure you have a spare new battery or a backup torchlight. Don't cry for help when suddenly your torchlight fails you because I doubt people can hear you beyond this point.

Bat's favourite food. Do not simply hold on something without looking because you can see there are such insects like this just love to sit on it. You just don't wish to get the shocked of your life by it.

Thanks to my super bright torchlight which just cost me RM18.00 inclusive batteries at Sibu Pasar Malam, you able to see a brighter view of inside this cave.

Luckily to have these pavement instead walking on the earth. You might not know what you will be stepping on.

The deeper you are into the cave, the air is getting thinner and the stink makes you even harder to breath. don't panic and just keep on moving. You will see a signboard like this which you will have slight feeling of relief.

A complete relief when you see true light from the sun like this.

This road will lead you to the Painted Cave A and B which are closed for quite sometime. It is a disappointment thou to find it close like this.

This is the Gan Kira which is the end of the Great Cave.

This shot will now let you know where you are right now. Can you roughly imagine it?

A shot from my wide angle lens - Tokina 12-24mm F4. Look at this piece from our mother earth. It is just so amazing and I just do not understand why Malaysian still wish to go other countries like Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines when we have such a place which is ready for you to discover. Love what we have in our own country before start travelling to other countries and start envy with what they have when we have something that they don't.

Sorry if I am over reacted earlier on but I just can't help to criticize our own Malaysian. Even I am a Chinese but I can't help not to admit that the Chinese in Malaysian is the one who is the most not supporting our own country compare to other races. Anyway, let's move on. I have to head back to the pitch dark cave again. Wee~~~

Seriously I do not know how come their shape can become like this. Truly awesome!

Out from Gan Kira and I saw the light that I saw earlier on has grown bigger.

Look at this! How can you not make your point here to see this amazing stuff!

That's where the light is shining on. I wish to stand there and get a picture of myself but I am all alone in this expedition. Too bad...I really cannot forgive the one who makes me ended up alone here.

Feeling reluctant to leave somehow because I was totally awe with what I have seen so far. Maybe my pictures are not so convincing enough. So my advice is you have to make your point here to see it yourself.

Another astonishing view...

Bats which are hanging themselves on the ceiling of the cave.

The black spots you see are the swiftlets.

Out from the Great Cave and back to the Traders' Cave. This whole journey took me approximately 5 hours starting from 8.00am. I think it is a pretty good timing to enter the cave because by the time you come out which is around 1pm, you can start looking for your lunch. The best lunch to have will be at Sing Chiong Restaurant which is another 30 - 40 minutes drive from here.

I was all alone through out this expedition. When I reach Traders' Cave, I saw a large group of foreigners who are just started their expedition. If you were to ask me whether is a tour guide required in this tour, I will say no need as I have proof to you that I have done it alone and why can't you? Last but not least before I round up this post, I would highly recommend everyone to visit this cave. Bring your children as this is a big part of learning for them to start to treasure the mother earth. RM12.00/pax is really dirt cheap. I will definitely be back once the Painted Cave is ready. Maybe a Miri - Mulu trip.

Things to bring:

1) Torchlight

2) Spare torchlight or spare batteries

3) Long pants or short pants which ever you are comfortable in.

4) Shoes please...no sandals or slippers.

5) Cap or hat

6) Bread, chocolate bar or some other energy bar to retain your energy.

7) Drinking water.

8) Hiking stick (optional)

Total Damage: RM12.00

Freakout Level: 4/5

Recommended?: Highly recommended