What makes Mulu a Unesco treasure? Inside Sarawak's caves, culture and biodiversity

Malay Mail

2 days ago

MULU, Aug 5 — Reaching the iconic Mulu Pinnacles, nestled deep within Mulu National Park, Miri, is an adventure in itself.
Accessible only by river, the journey begins at the park headquarters jetty, where visitors board a boat and travel up the Melinau River to Long Titut, the gateway to the jungle trail leading to the craggy limestone karsts.
The boat ride is about 30 minutes if the river flow is good, but can stretch to an hour if the water is shallow, which is the case during the dry season when boats — heavily loaded with passengers and goods — have to be manually pushed if they get stuck on the rocky riverbed.
For the boatmen, wearing rubber shoes and armed with a long pole, it is all part of their job. Each boat has one boatman stationed at the front, carefully pushing the boat forward and navigating it around large rocks and riverbanks. At the rear, another experienced boatman controls the engine to keep the boat from drifting off course.
What may seem like a nerve-racking boat ride for tourists is, in fact, a daily routine for the local communities here.
Located in the remote interior of northern Borneo, the 85,671-hectare Mulu National Park — designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 — is home to one of the world's largest limestone cave systems, extraordinary biodiversity and indigenous communities whose way of life remains deeply rooted in tradition and nature.
The journey along the Melinau River from the Mulu National Park jetty to Long Litut is more than just transportation — it's a cultural experience. — Bernama pic
Boats
Here, water transport is not just an essential part of ecotourism but also connects the local communities, mainly from the Penan and Berawan ethnic groups, to the outside world.
For Donny Andrew, 45, a boatman from the village of Long Iman here, the boat is not just a means of transportation but the lifeline of his community's economy and social life.
Of Kelabit descent, Donny has lived in Long Iman since he was 19, after marrying a Penan woman. A father of three, he works as a boat operator at Mulu National Park but for only six days each month.
'Sometimes, we take up jobs from other agencies too like, for example, transporting schoolchildren (who study at SK Batu Bungan or SMK Long Panai) from their homes to their hostels. Here, they need a boat to go to school,' he said, while adjusting the engine of his small boat.
He said the biggest challenge comes during extended droughts when the river becomes too shallow and boats easily get stuck, making some areas difficult to reach.
Julie Nyeling, 46, is a craftswoman at the Mulu Handicraft Market in Kampung Batu Bungan. — Bernama pic
Penan crafts
Like the other ethnic groups in Sarawak, the Penan community residing in the Mulu National Park area is also well-known for their traditional handicrafts.
At the Mulu Handicraft Market in Kampung Batu Bungan here, Penan women can be seen in their zinc-roofed kiosks, diligently weaving rattan as well as arranging handmade items such as bukui (traditional rattan bags), blowpipes, woven baskets and beaded accessories for sale to tourists from around the world.
According to Julie Nyeling, 46, one of the handicraft entrepreneurs operating there, products made by the villagers are also marketed outside of Sarawak, particularly in Kuala Lumpur, during craft sales or festivals.
'We sell every day and most tourists come during school holidays… sometimes we get orders from Miri. On average, we can earn around RM800 a month,' she said, while also lamenting that interest among the younger generation in traditional handicrafts is declining.
Her sister Jabung Nyeling, 50, who has been making crafts for decades, said it can take nearly a month to complete a rattan woven bag, depending on the design and size.
She said producing quality rattan handicrafts is not easy, especially when trying to preserve traditional dyeing methods without using artificial colouring.
'The rattan has to be buried in the ground for a day or overnight to turn black. That's how we produce natural dye… no chemicals are used.
'If we don't bury it, the colour won't show. If we use ordinary dyes, like red and others, they'll fade quickly when exposed to water. But the black colour will last,' she said, adding that the process requires not only a lot of patience but also adequate space and suitable weather.
The limestone formations in Mulu National Park are home to a variety of endemic species, including Monophyllaea pendula, a unique plant with only a single leaf. — Bernama pic
Caves
No visit to Mulu is complete without visiting the famous caves in the Mulu National Park, which has a vast and awe-inspiring network of limestone caves such as Gua Rusa, Gua Lang and Gua Air Jernih, each offering its own unique appeal and challenges.
For local tour guide Jason Lau Siew Hui, 43, who has been in the field for nearly two decades, Mulu's true charm goes far beyond its caves.
He said while Mulu is best known for its spectacular limestone formations and vast cave systems, it also boasts remarkable biodiversity.
'It is estimated that the park is home to around 2,000 flowering plant species, 123 species of mammals, 305 bird species and over 2,000 species of insects… and ongoing research continues to uncover even more biodiversity here,' said Lau, who hails from Bintangor.
He added that so far, 10 endemic plant species and six endemic animal species have been identified — all of which can only be found in Mulu — making its ecosystem extremely valuable for conservation.
He said Mulu's recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site also brings its own set of challenges, especially during good weather from March to October when tourist numbers rise significantly.
'Sometimes it's a challenge to ensure all visitors follow the park's rules. We have to monitor every group, give safety briefings beforehand, and limit group sizes during tours,' he explained.
Challenges aside, visitors continue to flock to the Mulu National Park, eager to witness, among others, the spectacle of millions of bats emerging from Gua Rusa at dusk or to explore the extraordinary limestone cave system hidden deep within the park. — Bernama