19/04/2019 to 23/04/2019 - Mulu National Park / Borneo / Malaysia

19/04/2019

We landed in the small village of Mulu by propeller plane. We walked across the runway and our backpacks were already ready. We were picked up, drove along the only road in the village for 10 minutes, and arrived at Mulu Village. Our small accommodation for the next 2 nights. We cycled 15 minutes to Mulu National Park, registered, checked which tours we could join and which we could do on our own. The plans for the next 5 days were now set.

Almost every evening between 4.30pm and 6.00pm, up to 3 million bats come out of the "Deer Cave" for food. We didn't want to miss this spectacle. So that was the plan for today and right after that, we wanted to start our night hike. We walked 3 kilometers through the national park to the cave entrance. We arrived early and now it was time to wait. Unfortunately, the weather deteriorated. It started pouring rain, and of course the bats don't want to come out in that weather. On the way back, we were completely soaked and our night hike was also canceled.

20/04/2019

The plan for today was Garden of Eden and night hike, both guided tours. First, we visited the largest cave in Mulu - Deer Cave. It is impressively spacious and high. This is where many bats live. We could see huge black spots on the ceiling, which are the bats hanging upside down. Even famous personalities have been immortalized in the stone here. We walked through the cave for a long time and then it got a little more active. We had to climb and walk through shoulder-high water to get out of the cave. On the other side, we could already see the rainforest. We walked for another hour, but had to be careful of leeches, and then we were in the Garden of Eden. A waterfall surrounded by greenery, fantastic. We enjoyed the peace, our lunch box and a refreshing swim. We went back the same way, but stopped at the smallest cave called Lang Cave. We could see many stalagmites and stalactites growing here. We had the best weather, the time was right, and we were at the exit to see the bats fly. We waited. The weather deteriorated dramatically again, we got soaked to the bone, and the night hike was canceled again.

21/04/2019

Today starts a special adventure. We took a boat in the morning to a small craftsman village and then to the "Cave of the Winds". It is named that way because there is always a cool breeze blowing through it. Here and in the next cave, we could see stalagmites and stalactites in the most beautiful colors and sizes. The next cave was the Clearwater Cave, and it deserves its name. Cold, clear water flows through here. We had already climbed several flights of stairs and elevation to reach the cave. We continued by boat towards the Pinnacles. After an hour's boat trip, we got off and a sign showed us 9 km to Camp 5. So we had a 2.5 hour hike ahead of us with our backpacks. Glad to have arrived, we settled into our accommodation (a large wooden house with wooden partitions between the dormitories, which are inhabited by up to 10 people) for the next 2 nights. We cooked our food in the communal kitchen. In the evening, we had a short briefing with our guide and then went to sleep quickly.

22/04/2019

Today, it was time to go to the Pinnacles. These are jagged limestone formations that can be climbed on steep trails. And that's exactly what we did. We started at 6.10am. We climbed high rock ledges, roots, and ladders, and pulled ourselves up with ropes. We had conquered 2.4 kilometers and 1,200 meters in elevation by 10.00am. It might sound ridiculous, but at 35°C and 80% humidity, it was close to our physical limit. We enjoyed breathtaking views and then started the 4-hour hike back. It was even worse than the way up. When we arrived back at the camp, we took a refreshing swim in the river and had the rest of the day off.

23/04/2019

We headed back to the village of Mulu. But first, we had to walk to the boat jetty. So we packed everything again and walked 9 kilometers. After yesterday, it wasn't as fast anymore and every step was carefully considered. But of course, we made it. When we arrived back at the jetty, we took a 1.5-hour boat ride back to the entrance of the national park and checked into a room in Mulu Village for one night. Our last chance today to see the bat flight and join the night hike. Once again, the conditions were perfect to see the bats. It wasn't even raining today, but still, they didn't fly out of their cave. It's a matter of luck, and unfortunately, we didn't have any luck during this visit to Mulu. But our night hike took place, and we saw quite a few nocturnal animals.