Page 101 - Sarawak-Visitors-Guide-2014v1
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by a pleasant 4 hour jungle trek to reach Camp 5 for Sweetwater Restarant, across river from the Park HQ
the overnight stay. The ascent begins the following day. ofers simple rice and noodle dishes and can prepare muli-
Although the trail is only 2.5 km, Gunung Api’s steep course tradiional dinners to order. They also have cheap
slopes make it feel a lot longer. It takes about 4 hours beer and excellent borak (rice wine). 11 am - 11 pm.
to reach the Pinnacles where the fantasic views make
it all worthwhile. Travel Connecions
The Summit Trek to the top of Gunung Mulu (2,370m) Air: MASWings operates ATR72 Turboprops to
is for the it and adventurous. It’s usually done as a four Mulu from Miri and Kota Kinabalu – see Miri Travel
day/3 night out and back trek (from RM 385). However Connecions for full details
the super-it can opt for 3 day, or even 2 day treks. There Boat: It is possible to arrive by boat from Marudi
are a number of wooden huts along the trail (Camps 1, but this may involve waiing around for enough
2, 3 & 4). The choice of overnight locaions depends on passengers and could end up cosing a lot more than
the length of your trek, and the schedule you arrange planned. Boats leave Marudi forLong Terawan (RM 25,
with the park guides. Details can be obtained at the 4 hrs) when there are enough passengers. From Long
Park HQ. Terawan to Mulu you will need to charter a boat (best
arranged in Marudi) – RM 300 or RM 70 per person for
The Headhunters’ Trail follows the route of Kayan larger groups. For charters, Tel: 755025 (Amiho Travel,
headhuning paries who dragged their war boats Marudi).
through the rainforest to raid the inhabitants of the On Foot: It is possible to trek to Mulu by taking the
Limbang river system. A boat journey to Camp 5 is Headhunters Trail (see above) in reverse, staring from
followed by an 11.3 km trek through a very remote Limbang town. See Limbang chapter for details.
rainforest area, with a good possibility of wildlife
encounters. Trekkers then take another boat for an NIAH NATIONAL PARK
overnight stay at an Iban longhouse, followed by a
further 1½ hr boat ride to Medamit to catch the van for Introducion
Limbang. The trek can also be done in reverse, staring
at Limbang. Either way, it ofers a fascinaing route into Niah Naional Park provides some interesing and
or out of Mulu Naional Park. impressive sights. The area was a major centre of
human setlement as early as 40,000 years ago, and
Accommodaion features one of the world’s largest cave entrances,
Palaeolithic and Neolithic burial sites, and iron-age
The Park Headquarters ofers air condiioned Garden cave painings. The surrounding area is covered in
Bungalows and Longhouse Rooms (Band C) and a dense primary rain forest and is home to many species
fan-cooled Dormitory (Band A). For reservaions and of plants and wildlife. Even today, the caves remain
enquiries contact Borsarmulu Park Management, Tel: important for local communiies, with birds nest and
792300, www.mulupark.com. guano collecion providing valuable employment and
Benarat Inn, opposite Royal Mulu Resort, www.mulu- income. Niah Caves is a very pleasant place to spend
hotels.com. Band C! a few days, although most of the major atracions are
D’Cave Homestay, 10 mins from park, Tel: 012- accessible to the day visitor. The park was nominated
8729752, Email: beckhamjunior46@yahoo.com. Band for UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2010 and is
A-B. Run by the park’s very knowledgable security chief currently awaiing approval.
and numerous cats.
Mulu River Lodge, opposite park entrance, Tel: 014- Historical Background
8877665, Email: muluriverlodge@gmail.com. Band A-B.
Royal Mulu Resort, Sungai Melinau, 10 mins from park. In 1958 a team led by Sarawak Museum curator Tom
Tel: 790388, www.royalmuluresort.com. Band C-D. Harrisson unearthed a human skull esimated to be
Internaional class resort on the banks of the Melinau 40,000 years old. The scieniic community remained
River. As the ime of wriing it is undergoing renovaion scepical of Harrisson’s claims, but as daing techniques
before takeover by the Marriot group and ofers parial improved, Harrisson was eventually proved right.
faciliies. Call for status. Further excavaions have shown a coninued human
presence over tens of thousands of years, from
Eaing Out Palaeolithic imes unil as recently as 1400 AD. The
nearby Painted Cave houses wall-painings depicing
Café Mulu, Park HQ. Variety of reasonably priced meals the boat journey of the dead into the aterlife, along
and snacks. 7.30 am to 9.00 pm with remnants of “death-ships” on the cave loor - boat-
D’Cave Homestay ofer home-cooked local dinner to shaped coins containing the remains of the deceased,
non-residents - phone in advance. and grave-goods for use in the aterlife, such as
Wildlower Restaurant, Mulu Rainforest Resort. Asian, ceramics, ornaments and glass beads. The death-ships
Western and local cuisine with live dance performances have been dated from 1 AD to 780 AD, although local
every evening. 6.30 am - 10.30 pm Penan folklore tells of the use of death-ship burials as
late as the 19th century.
92
the overnight stay. The ascent begins the following day. ofers simple rice and noodle dishes and can prepare muli-
Although the trail is only 2.5 km, Gunung Api’s steep course tradiional dinners to order. They also have cheap
slopes make it feel a lot longer. It takes about 4 hours beer and excellent borak (rice wine). 11 am - 11 pm.
to reach the Pinnacles where the fantasic views make
it all worthwhile. Travel Connecions
The Summit Trek to the top of Gunung Mulu (2,370m) Air: MASWings operates ATR72 Turboprops to
is for the it and adventurous. It’s usually done as a four Mulu from Miri and Kota Kinabalu – see Miri Travel
day/3 night out and back trek (from RM 385). However Connecions for full details
the super-it can opt for 3 day, or even 2 day treks. There Boat: It is possible to arrive by boat from Marudi
are a number of wooden huts along the trail (Camps 1, but this may involve waiing around for enough
2, 3 & 4). The choice of overnight locaions depends on passengers and could end up cosing a lot more than
the length of your trek, and the schedule you arrange planned. Boats leave Marudi forLong Terawan (RM 25,
with the park guides. Details can be obtained at the 4 hrs) when there are enough passengers. From Long
Park HQ. Terawan to Mulu you will need to charter a boat (best
arranged in Marudi) – RM 300 or RM 70 per person for
The Headhunters’ Trail follows the route of Kayan larger groups. For charters, Tel: 755025 (Amiho Travel,
headhuning paries who dragged their war boats Marudi).
through the rainforest to raid the inhabitants of the On Foot: It is possible to trek to Mulu by taking the
Limbang river system. A boat journey to Camp 5 is Headhunters Trail (see above) in reverse, staring from
followed by an 11.3 km trek through a very remote Limbang town. See Limbang chapter for details.
rainforest area, with a good possibility of wildlife
encounters. Trekkers then take another boat for an NIAH NATIONAL PARK
overnight stay at an Iban longhouse, followed by a
further 1½ hr boat ride to Medamit to catch the van for Introducion
Limbang. The trek can also be done in reverse, staring
at Limbang. Either way, it ofers a fascinaing route into Niah Naional Park provides some interesing and
or out of Mulu Naional Park. impressive sights. The area was a major centre of
human setlement as early as 40,000 years ago, and
Accommodaion features one of the world’s largest cave entrances,
Palaeolithic and Neolithic burial sites, and iron-age
The Park Headquarters ofers air condiioned Garden cave painings. The surrounding area is covered in
Bungalows and Longhouse Rooms (Band C) and a dense primary rain forest and is home to many species
fan-cooled Dormitory (Band A). For reservaions and of plants and wildlife. Even today, the caves remain
enquiries contact Borsarmulu Park Management, Tel: important for local communiies, with birds nest and
792300, www.mulupark.com. guano collecion providing valuable employment and
Benarat Inn, opposite Royal Mulu Resort, www.mulu- income. Niah Caves is a very pleasant place to spend
hotels.com. Band C! a few days, although most of the major atracions are
D’Cave Homestay, 10 mins from park, Tel: 012- accessible to the day visitor. The park was nominated
8729752, Email: beckhamjunior46@yahoo.com. Band for UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2010 and is
A-B. Run by the park’s very knowledgable security chief currently awaiing approval.
and numerous cats.
Mulu River Lodge, opposite park entrance, Tel: 014- Historical Background
8877665, Email: muluriverlodge@gmail.com. Band A-B.
Royal Mulu Resort, Sungai Melinau, 10 mins from park. In 1958 a team led by Sarawak Museum curator Tom
Tel: 790388, www.royalmuluresort.com. Band C-D. Harrisson unearthed a human skull esimated to be
Internaional class resort on the banks of the Melinau 40,000 years old. The scieniic community remained
River. As the ime of wriing it is undergoing renovaion scepical of Harrisson’s claims, but as daing techniques
before takeover by the Marriot group and ofers parial improved, Harrisson was eventually proved right.
faciliies. Call for status. Further excavaions have shown a coninued human
presence over tens of thousands of years, from
Eaing Out Palaeolithic imes unil as recently as 1400 AD. The
nearby Painted Cave houses wall-painings depicing
Café Mulu, Park HQ. Variety of reasonably priced meals the boat journey of the dead into the aterlife, along
and snacks. 7.30 am to 9.00 pm with remnants of “death-ships” on the cave loor - boat-
D’Cave Homestay ofer home-cooked local dinner to shaped coins containing the remains of the deceased,
non-residents - phone in advance. and grave-goods for use in the aterlife, such as
Wildlower Restaurant, Mulu Rainforest Resort. Asian, ceramics, ornaments and glass beads. The death-ships
Western and local cuisine with live dance performances have been dated from 1 AD to 780 AD, although local
every evening. 6.30 am - 10.30 pm Penan folklore tells of the use of death-ship burials as
late as the 19th century.
92
