Miri: Reaching the iconic Mulu Pinnacles, nestled deep within Mulu National Park, is an adventure in itself. Accessible only by river, the journey to this UNESCO World Heritage Site begins at the park headquarters jetty. Visitors board a boat and travel up the Melinau River to Long Titut, the gateway to the jungle trail leading to the craggy limestone karsts.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the boat ride can take about 30 minutes if the river flow is favorable but can stretch to an hour during dry seasons when the water is shallow. During these times, boats heavily loaded with passengers and goods often need to be manually pushed if they get stuck on the rocky riverbed. For the boatmen, wearing rubber shoes and armed with a long pole, it is all part of their job. Each boat has one boatman stationed at the front, carefully pushing the boat forward and navigating it around large rocks and riverbanks, while another experienced boatman at the rear controls the engine to keep the boat from drifting off course.
Located in the remote interior of northern Borneo, the 85,671-hectare Mulu National Park is home to one of the world’s largest limestone cave systems, extraordinary biodiversity, and indigenous communities whose way of life remains deeply rooted in tradition and nature. Here, water transport is not just an essential part of ecotourism but also connects the local communities, mainly from the Penan and Berawan ethnic groups, to the outside world.
Donny Andrew, a boatman from the village of Long Iman, describes the boat as a lifeline for the community’s economy and social life. He has lived in Long Iman since he was 19, after marrying a Penan woman. A father of three, he works as a boat operator at Mulu National Park for only six days each month. Sometimes, he takes up jobs from other agencies, such as transporting schoolchildren from their homes to their hostels. The biggest challenge for him comes during extended droughts when the river becomes too shallow, making some areas difficult to reach.
The Penan community residing in the Mulu National Park area is well-known for their traditional handicrafts. At the Mulu Handicraft Market in Kampung Batu Bungan, Penan women diligently weave rattan and arrange handmade items for sale to tourists. Julie Nyeling, one of the handicraft entrepreneurs, mentions that products made by the villagers are also marketed outside of Sarawak, particularly in Kuala Lumpur, during craft sales or festivals. However, she laments the declining interest among the younger generation in traditional handicrafts.
No visit to Mulu is complete without exploring the famous caves in the national park. Local tour guide Jason Lau Siew Hui, who has been in the field for nearly two decades, highlights that Mulu’s true charm goes beyond its caves. He notes that the park is home to a remarkable biodiversity, with ongoing research continuing to uncover even more species. The limestone formations are also home to a variety of endemic species, making its ecosystem extremely valuable for conservation.
Despite the challenges, visitors continue to flock to Mulu National Park, eager to witness the spectacle of millions of bats emerging from Gua Rusa at dusk or to explore the extraordinary limestone cave system hidden deep within the park.