Wind Cave

Cave of the Wind

Useful Information

Location:	Bau. Gunung Mulu National Park, island of Borneo, Sarawak. 8 km walk from the National Park office. (4.061581, 114.831811)
Open:	Clearwater & Winds: All year daily 8:45, 9:15. [2021]
Fee:	Clearwater & Winds: Per Person MYR 67. [2021]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	Clearwater Cave System: L=238,046 m, VR=355 m.
Guided tours:	Clearwater & Winds: D=4 h.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Hans P Hazebroek, Abang Kashim bin Abang Morshidi (2002): A Guide to the Gunung Mulu National Park, A world heritage site in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. with a foreword by Dato Sri Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Abang Haji Openg, Minister of Tourism 2002. 91 pp numerous colour photos. SB
Address:	Gunung Mulu National Park, Borsarmulu Park Management Sdn Bhd, No 11, Pekan Mulu, Mulu, 98070, Sarawak, Tel: +6085-792-600/601/602/603, Fax: +6085-792-605. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1961	first survey by G.E. Wilford of the Malaysian Geological Survey.
1977/1978	first speleological exploration of the cave by British cavers.

Description

From the Park HQ it takes about 2 hours along a 3.8 km nature trail consisting partly of concrete paths and wooden walk ways. From the jetty near the entrance to Clearwater Cave, a wooden walk way leads along the steep limestone cliffs above the Melinau River. The easy stroll provides good views overlooking the river and also provides close encounters with metre long stalactites hanging from the cliff face. Soon the walk-way turns away from the river and up a gentle slope to the cave entrance.

Upon entering the cave you feel a cool draft, hence the name of the cave. Floodlights brighten up curved passages, narrow in places. The partly wooden walk-way passes under the bottom of a vertical shaft down which daylight falls, and eventually leads to King's Room. This is one of the most beautiful caves in Mulu and is a true wonder of nature. Stalactites hang from the ceiling and stalagmites stand on the floor in all imaginable shapes and sizes. One of the entrances of the Cave of the Winds was used as a burial site between 3000 and 1500 years ago.

On the way to Wind Cave the visitor has to pass Gua Bulansusu (Moon-Milk Cave), a small through cave. The cave is close to the top of Batu Bungan and is reached via a flight of about 400 steps, some wood, some concrete. It takes only 5 minutes to pass through the cave, but is has some worth while features. Fig roots, some wrist-thick, others forming thin branching networks are seen at various points inside the cave. Speleothems hang beneath a low ceiling and form narrow passages. A hole in the ceiling allows sparse daylight to illuminate some of the passages.

Text by Tony Oldham (2004). With kind permission.

While the above description is still mostly correct, there have been some minor changes. The cave is now officially called Cave of the Wind. Due to their proximity, Cave of the Wind and Clearwater Cave are combined. The tour starts with a cruise up the Melinau river in a longboat, the foot trail to the cave does not exist any more, it was abandoned and is overgrown. First stop is the village Batu Bungan, where a Penan longhouse is visited. From Monday to Saturday there is also a market. The next stop is Cave of the Winds and finally Clearwater. At the picnic deck it is possible to swim in the crystal clear water from the river cave. The ticket includes the cave tours, guide and longboat ride. Bring swimsuit, raincoat, sturdy walking shoes, insect repellent, a torch, and some food and drinking water.

The caves of the area were first explored by G.E. Wilford of the Malaysian Geological Survey in 1961. He did this by boat, guided by locals who knew most of the caves. In 1977 a first British expedition into the area surveyed many kilometers of caves in three months. And there were enormous discoveries for decades, currently the cave system has a length of 238 km, which makes it one of the longest cave systems in the world. According to Bob Gulden the Clearwater System (Gua Air Jernih) is the 9th longest cave of the world [2021]. But most of the passages are huge, and according to estimates this cave is most likely the hugest known cave by volume.