Gunung Mulu National Park

A World Heritage karst rainforest with the world's largest cave chamber, the Sarawak Chamber, and Deer Cave, where millions of bats stream out at dusk; climbing to the Pinnacles is the classic challenge.

Gunung Mulu National Park lies in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, in Miri Division near the Brunei border. Covering about 529 km², it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 2000. The park contains both the 2,376 m sandstone peak of Gunung Mulu and limestone massifs such as Gunung Api, while underground lies a cave network with hundreds of kilometers mapped, including the Sarawak Chamber, the world's largest cave chamber by area; Deer Cave, one of the world's largest cave passages; and the Clearwater Cave system, the longest in Southeast Asia. Above ground is classic Bornean tropical rainforest. The climate is hot and humid year-round (23–33°C) with high annual rainfall, somewhat less from March to September; the caves can be visited all year, though adventure routes and the Pinnacles may be cancelled in heavy rain. Suggested itinerary: on day one, visit Deer Cave and Lang Cave in the afternoon, watch millions of bats emerge from the observation platform at dusk, and take a night rainforest walk; on day two, take a longboat past Batu Bungan village to Wind Cave and Clearwater Cave in the morning, then do the canopy skywalk or Paku Waterfall in the afternoon. With more time, add adventure caving at Racer Cave or Lagang Cave, a 3-day, 2-night climb to the Pinnacles, a 4-day, 3-night summit trek up Gunung Mulu, or the Sarawak Chamber challenge. Getting there: no roads reach the park; most visitors take a roughly 30-minute MASwings flight from Miri to Mulu Airport, and there are also flights from Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. The airport is about 5 minutes by car from park headquarters. Travelers from China can connect via Kuala Lumpur or Singapore to Miri or Kuching. All caves and activities require a park guide; the canopy skywalk, caving and the Pinnacles have limited spaces and must be booked in advance on the Sarawak Forestry website, which also lists current entry and guide fees. Accommodation includes park headquarters lodging and nearby resorts; book early in peak season. Plan on 3–4 days, and bring a headlamp, rain gear, quick-dry clothing and insect repellent.

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