Harvesting edible bird's nests at Niah National Park, Miri Sarawak

The Niah National Park's caves is important for the local communities, with edible bird's nest and guano collection providing valuable employment and income. Archaeologically, it was a major centre of human settlement as early as 40,000 years ago, and features one of the world’s largest cave entrances. Palaeolithic and Neolithic burial sites, and iron-age cave paintings.

The cavernous entrance of Niah Cave at Niah National Park

Recently, a Gala TV Taiwan crew with their well-known host, Lin Chia Pei visited 'Gua Perintah' a swiftlet breeding cave located within the Niah Cave system. The trip was part of Sarawak Tourism Board's visiting journalist programme (VJP).

Lin Chia Pei, the TV host pointing the way to 'Gua Perintah'

The trail to Gua Perintah

The steep step to Gua Perintah entrance  

The trekking leads to 'gua perintah' (takes about 20 mins – 30 mins) passes through beautiful primary rainforest before moving into at the foot of the hill. The step is steep but once you reach the top, it will be worth the effort for it offers a sweeping panorama of the rainforest canopy.

'Gua Perintah' is a project managed by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation to showcase, create awareness and enhance knowledge on the importance of sustainable swiftlet conservation n Sarawak.

Edible bird's nest collecting is a skilled and dangerous work, done high up at the ceilings of the caves which abound in Niah National Park. The intrepid collector shins barefooted up bamboo scaffolding, often without harnesses, tapping his way up to make sure the bamboo is sound. He lights his way in the black caves with a torch light and uses a special bamboo tool to harvest the nests. 

How to climb a bamboo pole; explained and shown (below) - by the TV host

Wrapping a strap round both feet increases the foot grip

A unprocessed edible nest

The nests themselves are tiny translucent cups about the size of a small egg. They are made by the male swiftlet from glutinous threads of its own saliva, which it weaves into a cup that dries to become thin and translucent like fine porcelain.  Recent research has indeed shown that the nests, which taste rather like noodles, contain a water-soluble glycoprotein that may promote cell division in the immune system.

Edible bird's nest are prepared for consumption by just stewing the processed nest with water and rock sugar; preferably in a double-boiler

At the park one can also visit the Niah National Park museum where the replica of the oldest human skull in South East Asia (40,000 years old), found in the Great Cave, can be seen.

Getting To Niah National Park
Taxi
The most convenient way to get to Niah National Park is by taxi which takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to reach from Miri city. Cost of a one-way fare is about RM150.00

Bus
Take Bus No.33A from city centre  to Pujut Corner Bus Terminal. From here, one can take any bus that goes to either Bintulu, Sibu or Kuching. Get off at the Niah Rest Stop. Bus fare is RM15.00 per person. From the here, take private taxi (about RM30 one-way) to reach Niah National Park HQ.

Sarawak, Malaysia, Borneo, where adventure lives

Ben Fogle's Sarawak Adventure - Fairy Cave and Seafood

Ben's adventure video took him to a 3-million year old cave and an unexpected seafood haven for a place.

The rock in Fairy cave was formed during the Jurassic period and one has to climb a 4-storey high staircase tower to get to the entrance of the cave. The cave area, located 42-km from the city of Kuching near a town called Bau is also a popular rock climbing venue.

After the day is done, Ben walks up a flight of stairs, 6-level up (rest assured that lifts are available) to arrive at a seafood haven appropriately known as 'Top Spot Seafood'. Fresh local catches and vegetables are generously displayed for cooking of your choice.

This is the fourth in a video series of Ben Fogle's Sarawak adventure.

For more of Sarawak, please visit Sarawak Tourism Board's official website

Getting to Niah National Park, Miri Sarawak Borneo

Some of the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ (FAQs) at our Visitor Information Centre Miri about Niah National Park are:

~ How to get there? 

~ How long do we need to visit this park? 

~ Do we need a tour guide to visit the caves?

Here are some basic info about Niah National Park:

Niah National Park is about a 2-hour drive from either Miri City or Bintulu town.  The cave itself was a major centre of human settlement as early as 40,000 years ago, and features one of the world’s largest cave entrances, Paleolithic and Neolithic burial sites, and iron-age cave paintings.  The surrounding area is covered in dense primary rainforest and is home to many species of plants and wildlife.  The caves remain important for local communities, with birds nest and guano collection providing valuable employment and income. 

Q’s no. 1:  How to get there?

Step 1:  From Miri bus station, use bus route no.28 (fare RM2.00 per person) to Pujut Corner Bus Terminal (the out station bus terminal).

Step 2:  Suggest to take the 7.30am or 8am express bus (fare RM10.00 per person) and the journey takes approximately 1hr30mins to Ngu rest-stop. 

Step 3:  Hire a ‘private taxi’ to the Niah National Park headquarters which is approximately 30mins drive from Ngu rest-stop.  Fare is from RM30.00 up to RM50.00 per transport, depends on the number of the group. 

For the return trip, just reverse step 3, 2 & 1.

Q’s no. 2:  How long do we need to visit this park?

The return overland journey requires at least a 4-hr journey and you need another 4-5hrs to explore the park; total of 8-9hrs needed.  If you wish to do it as a day trip, it would be a good idea to start your journey from Miri latest by 8am and you should back in Miri by 6pm.  Overnight? No problem, the park has chalets for rent from RM42.00 - RM157.50 per room per night.

Q’s no. 3:  Do we need a tour guide to visit the caves?

There are 2 ways we can look at this situation:

1)      You may not need a guided tour for this trip, just that you need to do a lot of reading from the information leaflet, visit the museum (take note the museum closes on Monday & public holidays) and besides that, the park has place some mini information board along the trail and at the cave entrance. 

2)      However a guided tour (package tour or hiring a private tour guide) will be an additional bonus because the tour guide can explain and give more information to you.  Meaning to so say, less time spending on reading, and more time to see & experience the park itself.  Our local tour operators sell Niah Caves package and if you wish to hire a private guide, contact the park for arrangement but you need to inform them at least 2 days in advance.

For more info on the park, visit www.sarawakforestry.com or call the park direct at +6085 737454.

 

 

Sarawak... Where Adventure Lives

by Visitor Infor Centre Miri