3 Days 2 Nights in Mulu: Bat Exodus, Caves & Crystal-Clear Rivers

Many people who visit Sarawak miss Taman Negara Gunung Mulu (Gunung Mulu National Park), even though for nature lovers it's one of the most rewarding destinations in Malaysia. This park, covering more than 528 square km, was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 for its caves and limestone landscapes. There are no roads here, so the easiest way in is to fly to Mulu Airport, for example from Miri. The airport is tiny, your bags arrive almost as soon as you land, and green hills greet you right outside.

We spent the first day at Gua Rusa (Deer Cave), reached via a boardwalk of about 3 km through the forest. Its cave passage is one of the largest in the world, with a ceiling over 120 metres high. Inside are limestone formations, including one resembling the profile of Abraham Lincoln's face. After 5pm, if the weather is good, millions of bats stream out, forming long swirls across the sky in search of food. This is the bat exodus that brings so many people to Mulu.

The next day, we took a longboat along Sungai Melinau to Gua Angin (Wind Cave), named after the cool breeze you can feel in its passages. A lit boardwalk took us past stalactites and stalagmites, including in the King's Chamber. Nearby, Clearwater Cave was our favourite. It's part of the longest cave system in Southeast Asia, with an incredibly clear underground river. There are almost 200 steps to climb, and outside the cave there's a picnic area and a big swimming spot.

We also stopped at the Penan settlement of Batu Bungan, which has a handicraft market with items made by the villagers themselves. Here, visitors can buy their handiwork and try the blowpipe, against a beautiful backdrop of limestone hills.

For all three days, we stayed at Mulu Marriott Resort & Spa, formerly known as Royal Mulu Resort. The rooms are in longhouse-style buildings on stilts on the banks of Sungai Melinau, with a restaurant, swimming pool and spa, surrounded by tropical rainforest.