Gua Bewah

Bewah Cave - Gua Tahi Kelawar


Useful Information

Location: Boat trips from Pengkalan Gawi, Tanjung Mentong, Sungai Como and Tembat.
Open: No restrictions.
[2009]
Fee: free.
[2009]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Tourist Information Centre, Pengkalan Gawi, Tel: +60-9-626-7788 or +60-666-8498.
Tourist Information Centre, Ketengah, Tel: +60-9-822-3100-103.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History

1959 excavation at Gua Taat.
1978-1985 lake flooded.

Description

The name of Gua Bewah is derived from the homonymous hill it is located in, close to the shores of the fish rich and popular Tasik Kenyir (Kenyir Lake). The lake was created artificially by a huge dam, and is one of the most important tourist destinations of the sultanate. Reasons are the interesting nature with caves and waterfalls, the rain forest and abundant fishing possibilities.

Gua Bewah is developed with wooden stairs and elevated trails. There is even some light, which is solar-powered. Stairs lead to the entrance some 40 m above the level of the lake.

The cave is really notable for its rich and diverse cave life, typical for a tropical cave. There are various crabs, spiders, insects, and of course bats to be found. The bat guano, the food the bats drop and the bodies of dead bats are the beginning of the food chain in the cave. This feeds the smaller fauna such as insects and invertebrates, especially crickets, cockroaches and spiders. They are food for larger creatures like small mammals, frogs and toads and cave snakes.

An archaeological excavation on 1970 revealed the skeleton of a Neolithic man, kitchen utensils, axes and tools. Sever caves with archaeological remains are now flooded by the lake.

Nearby is another cave, Gua Taat (Taat Cave), which does not have electric light. Boats land at the exceptional cave entrance with a totally flat and horizontal ceiling. There is an iron stair leading a few steps up and into the cave. The rest is almost level floor with nice views out of the entrance. The word taat means someone who is very loyal, obedient and respectful for someone. The cave was named so after the local villagers who were very loyal to their chief.

The through cave is praised to have the most beautiful formations of the state. One passage is sometimes flooded by water, depending on the level of the lake. There have been excavations in the cave which revealed flaked tools, pottery, and food remains (molluscs) from the Hoabinhian period (14,000 to 10,000 years BP).

Both caves are visited together on boat excursions from Pengkalan Gawi. The exkursion with a visit to both caves may take a full day, as the boat need two hours to reach the caves.