To get to Mulu, first you need to take a flight to Miri or Kota Kinabalu (KK) and then switch flights to a propeller plane (MAS Wings) to Mulu. Takes about 30 min.
Miss C and I opted for a package deal (you can find some good ones on MAS wings website) that costs RM600 per person for the transfer flight from Miri (round trip), hotel for one night and two days at the Royal Mulu Resort (most high end in Mulu, there's 3 resorts all together though there are also Homestays), food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) as well as the tour guide and park fees itself. Quite a good deal I would say.
Mulu is really nice. Deff a good place for eco-tourism if people are interested. Essentially you are immersed in nature. Rainforests surrounding you, the Melinau river by your feet. Not a single skyscraper in sight. Not even a taxi actually. I was informed that a lot of Germans and Dutch like to come here for a vacation, few domestic travellers (though after this article you should deff go)
We visited two caves on our first day, Langs Cave and Deer Cave. Langs Cave is nice to see the formation of different stalagmites and stalagtites. Deer Cave is where ~3 Mn bats live (~12 different species). Its the biggest cave in the world (even after part of it fell in seprataing Deer Cave from Green Cave) and can easily fit in a 747. There is guana (bat poo) everywhere, but the trail is actually very very good and very very easy to do (essentially you can just wear flip flops the whole day). Its planked walkway EVERYWHERE. The dark clumps that you see on the ceiling are the bats! And in the evening, you walk out to the viewing area to watch all the bats fly out to have their dinner. Was pretty fascinating especially seeing that bats seem to fly in single formations and by species groups.
(Inside Langs Cave)
(Bats flying out of Deer Cave)
And at night for dinner, you'll be able to watch a cultural show as well as participate in bamboo pole dancing and blow pipe exhibition.
(Inside Deers Cave, the largest in the world)
The second day you'll visit Wind Cave, Clearwater Cave and Young Lady Cave. Wind caves is great for that little area where it cooly blows over you, Young Lady Cave amazing for the different formations (look out for the Kings face, the young lady herself, the statue of Kuan Yin and his followers as well as the really creepy baby's hand hanging down. Clearwater cave is called so for the fact that clearwater connection (waterway) runs right through it. There's also a legend that claims if you wash your face with water from there you'll be young forever =)
(Abraham Lincoln's profile in Deer Cave)
Outside of Clearwater cave there's actually a real nice pool of water. Pack a pair of swimmers with you for this days hike. After all that walking around, trust me, youre going to enoy dipping yourself into the pool. I sadly didnt bring mine and had to remain sticky and itchy the whole way back.
What was great was actually the trip back to the hotel. You ride a longboat down the Melinau river. Its very peaceful and calming and you will feel that you are the only person in this untouched land.
(Boating down the Melinau River)
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Tour guides are great, price pretty decent, and infrastructure of the Mulu Park amazing. Not a piece of rubbish in sight! Tour guides speak fluent English and are extremely knowledgeable about the flora and fauna in that area.
If the Mulu caves itself is too tame/ much for you, there are ATV's and bikes that you can rent and ride around the area (there's a hot spring nearby)or if youre in shape and want to be challenged, you can try to climb to see the Pinnacles. Word of caution, you need to be in pretty good shape to do this.
Hit me up for more information!
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