The Jungle Book

Your passport to Borneo and its exceptional array of natural beauty

- Emmilyn Yeoh

GUNUNG MULU NATIONAL PARK

Known for its dramatic peaks and high biodiversity, Gunung Mulu National Park deserves to top every nature enthusiast’s bucket list. This adventure of a lifetime starts on your flight into the Mulu World Heritage Area, where a bird’s eye view of the Melinau Formation—which contains a remarkable concentration of caves—reveals a geological history of over more than 1.5 million years.

Relish in the serenity that this jungle paradise offers, starting with the best of its showcaves, the Deer Cave, the largest underground river passage in the world and home to more than three million wrinkle-lipped bats. These bats gather at the mouth of the cave in large ring-shaped formations every evening, circling higher and higher up the cliff face before moving out across the rainforest in spiralling ribbons, forming the iconic bat exodus. Enter the Garden of Eden through the Deer Cave, where you’ll be rewarded with a hidden valley and majestic waterfall enclosed by limestone cliffs.

Gunung Api, home to the pinnacles, is where you’ll get a true taste of Mulu’s magnificence. This gateway to the impressive display of endless 45-metre-high, razor-sharp limestone spikes cutting through lush forests isn’t quite for the faint-hearted, featuring ladders and sections of ropes at massive inclinations.

Whether you are looking for a tranquil escape in the deep recesses of the Bornean rainforest, a physical trek to the breathtaking Mount Mulu Pinnacles, or an exploration of the expansive cave systems, this Unesco World Heritage Site will leave visitors of all fitness levels wanting to discover more.