MALAYSIAlonelyplanet.com MALAYSIAN BORNEO – SARAWAK •• Miri
ally only after descending the steep stairs into
the bowels of the cavern for half an hour or
so that visitors pause to look back at where
they’ve come from. At any given time some
470,000 bats and four million swiftlets called
the cave home. After following the walkway
through the Great Cave, a short forest path
emerges and leads to the Painted Cave. It’s
easy to miss the small fenced-off area by the
cave entrance that protects the (now empty)
death ships and the ancient paintings. A set of
small travel binoculars are useful to make out
the red hematite figures, as many have faded
beyond recognition.
If you would like to stay at or near the caves,
the best choice is the park accommodation.
Getting There & Away
Access to Batu Niah, the town nearest the
caves, is by road only. At time of research, bus
services to Batu Niah itself were suspended,
with no indication of when they might reume
Express buses on the coastal highway make a
brief stop at the Batu Niah turn-off (RM10,
two hours), 102km south of Miri, but you’ll
have to make your own way to the town itself,
13km west of the main road, and then get to
the park headquarters.
Private cars often hang around the junction
offering transport to Batu Niah and the park
gate; the going rate is RM10, though it can
be harder finding a lift on the way out. For
convenience, though, you may be better off
organising return-trip transport from Miri,
especially if you’re only coming for the day.
At RM20 each way, unless you’re on your own
it should be no more expensive and much
quicker than doing the journey in stages. Ask
at Highlands (%085-422327; 1271 Jln Dagang) or the
visitors information centre (%085-434181; vic-miri@
sarawaktourism.com; 452 Jln Melayu; h8am-6pm Mon-Fri,
9am-3pm Sat & Sun), both in Miri. Coming from
Bintulu, you can also charter a minivan or
private vehicle, but this could cost around
RM100 per car each way, which is hardly
viable without a group.
Getting Around
Transport to the park headquarters from Batu
Niah is usually by taxi or boat. A short but ex-
hilarating journey past jungle-clad limestone
cliffs, the boat trip costs RM10, plus RM2 per
person for more than five people. Taxis also
cost RM10. Boats do most of their business
in the morning; in the afternoon it’s usually
quicker to get a taxi, a few of which are always
waiting next to the bus stand.MIRI
pop 269,380
It’s funny, the closer one gets to the Bruneian
border, the more one notices shady char-
acters coming out of the woodwork. Is it
the repressed Bruneians stepping over the
border for some afternoon delight, or is it
the oil-loving expats who fill up suburban
communities with their country club accom-
modation? (We’re pretty sure it’s the latter...)
Either way, Miri’s memorable cast of charac-
ters gives the city an interesting border-town
vibe, despite its size and population. Perhaps
it’s because Miri is the gateway to a variety of
Borneo’s oft-travelled destinations. Tourists
pass through here in order to reach Gunung
Mulu National Park, the Kelabit Highlands
and, for some, the Niah Caves. If you’re hang-
ing around for a couple of days, check out the
Central Market, the Tamu Muhibbah, where
local Dayak come to sell their vegetables, San
Ching Tian temple, the largest Taoist temple in
Southeast Asia, and Lambir Hills National Park
(%085-491030; admission RM10; hpark office 8am-5pm,
last entry 4pm), a slice of primary rainforest 30km
south of town.Information
Cyber Corner (1st fl, Wisma Pelita, Jln Padang; per hr RM3)
Main post office (%085-441222; Jln Post)
Maybank Bureau de Change (%085-438467; 1271
Centre Point Commercial Centre; h9am-5pm) Dedicated
exchange and cash-advance facilities.
Miri City Medical Centre (%085-426622; 918 Jln
Hokkien) Private medical centre.
Miri General Hospital (%085-420033; Jln Cayaha)
South of town, off the Miri bypass.
Popular Book Store (%085-439052; 2nd fl, Bintang
Plaza, 1264 Jln Miri Pujut)
Tally Laundry Ser vices (%085-430322; Jln Merbau;(^) h8am-6pm)
TOURIST INFORMATION
The visitors information centre (%085-434181; 452
Jln Melayu; h8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm Sat & Sun) is
at the southern end of the town centre. The
helpful staff can provide city maps, transport
schedules and information on accommoda-
tion and tours, and the centre also produces
the useful free Visitors’ Guide to Miri. You
can book accommodation with the National
Parks & Wildlife office (Sarawak Forestry Corporation;
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