The Gomantong Caves in Sandakan, Sabah, is one of the renowned caves for bird nest harvesting and is located in the lower Kinabatangan area or Gomantong Rainforest Reserve.
Two cave complexes, Black Cave (Simud Hitam) and White Cave (Simud Putih), have been harvested for the prized bird's nest for many years, even today.
Entrance to Gomantong Caves.
Gomantong Caves in Sandakan
Visiting the caves is quite easy, as they are located about two hours from Sandakan town by car or van. Tour companies offer various packages to visit the caves, so you can customize your visit. If you rent a car, you can self-drive to the caves.
On my recent trip here in December 2009, I visited the entire Sukau-Kinabatangan area for the rich eco-tourism offered here, which was made possible with the assistance of Sabah Tourism.
Cave information.
On arrival at the cave's main entrance arch, it was another five-minute drive into the visitor centre, where you purchased your tickets. Nothing stood out there, as there were only two buildings visible.
No caves were sighted, and I asked my nature guide, Ben, "Where are the caves?" He simply smiled and told me that we needed to take a small trek inside.
Start of the wooden walkway to the caves.
And so our exciting cave journey began. A wooden walkway at the back of the ticket building leads into the rainforest while everything around is covered in greenery and nothing in sight ahead of you.
Ben claims that this wooden platform above the rainforest floor was actually one of the initial treks that he created many years ago during his heyday of nature guiding here.
Ben also states that the original path was another way from the old ticket office, and he used to take his guests on this path as it was more interesting. The time it takes to reach the cave area is about a 5-minute walk along here.
Enjoyable rainforest walking to the caves.
Judging from our nature walk, it was rather interesting, with many things pointed out along the way. However, on the return trip through this walkway, more interesting items were spotted, so read about this further in this article.
Rare sighting of a Red-Leaf Monkey.
Once we reached the clearing to the main cave entrance, there was a slight commotion up ahead where several guests were excitedly pointing up.
Ben then turned around and asked me to hurry up and get to where the action was. Apparently, something rare was sighted, which was also on my nature bucket list.
Red Leaf Monkey looking at me.
From a distance, it was orange-brown, and immediately, my camera went into action with maximum zoom. "What kind of monkey was that?" I asked Ben, and with a big smile on his face, he replied that it was the Maroon Langur or Red Leaf Monkey.
He also expressed that I was fortunate to have seen this u at the cave entrance as they rarely come this close.
Without hesitation, my camera snapped away, and I also took a video since this was indeed a rare sighting.
Red Leaf Monkey outside Gomantong Caves.
Red Leaf Monkey, Maroon Langur, Maroon Leaf Monkey, or Presbytis rubicunda are what they are called, and there are some other local names that I forgot.
Entrance to Gomantong Caves.
Inside the Gomantong Caves.
Once inside, you will notice that the wooden walkway circles the main cave, exiting the same way you entered. The caves also measure about 30 meters wide and about 100 meters high.
Cave crabs
As you walk along the wooden walkway, which is slightly above the cave ground, you will first come across a cave stream. If you look closely in the water, you will see small crabs that dwell here.
It's fascinating to know that crabs are available in caves, considering that I always thought crabs belonged to the sea.
Cockroaches on the wooden handrail
Another highlight I was pre-warned about was the cockroaches living in the caves. Cockroaches?
I smiled; what are a few roaches going to do I am not afraid of them but when I got it deeper along the walkway, I must have seen thousands of them.
On the walkway, the ground and even the handrails of the walkway. I would warn those scared of these things - Do not visit this place if you have a significant fear of roaches.
Harvesting Bird's Nest at Gomantong Cave
When I walked deeper inside, the shouting of the Birds Nest Harvesters got louder. Two groups were harvesting, and there must have been about 20 to 30 of them there.
Birds Nest Harvest workers waiting for orders.
Apparently, bird nest harvesting here at the Gomantong Caves is regulated by the Wildlife Department to avoid over-exploitation.
The collection is only done twice a year, and licenses are issued to collectors. Each group takes turns harvesting, and at any one time, only two groups are allowed to do so.
Ropes used for Bird Nest Harvesting.
View from below.
As the Birds Nest can fetch up to US$12,500 a kilogram, this dangerous skill involves the gatherer climbing up a hundred meters to the ceiling of the cave using ropes and rattan ladders.
I witnessed this impressive feat by one of the climbers while the entire entourage waited down below to help steer the bamboo platform up there.
Harvesters at work in Gomantong.
So, if you visit Gomantong Caves and see the harvesters at work, spend some time seeing how they do it. It is incredible to watch them at work, and the WWF describes the caves as the best-managed edible bird's nest in the world, too.
There are four swift species in Sabah, which spawn the white nest (Collocalia Fuciphagus), black nest (Collocalia Maximus), moss-like nest (Collocalia vanikorensis), and white-bellied birds (Collocalia Esulenta). Only the white and black birds' nests are edible and have high nutritional and medicinal value.
Jungle Lianas growing freely.
As we exited the caves and returned to the main building, we retook the rainforest path and this time, I saw some jungle highways known as Lianas.
Branches that twist and grow around trees and from tree to tree. Some of them are as thick as my thigh, too.
A Borneo Pygmy Squirrel is spotted.
At one point on our walk back, Ben stopped and looked like he had lost something near one of the trees.
I asked Ben, and he casually told me that this tree was home to the Borneo Pygmy Squirrel (Exilisciurus concinnus), the smallest squirrel in the world.
Well, I had to see it and believe him, as he had a smile on his face when he mentioned this. Eventually, after a few minutes of waiting, the little squirrel appeared, and I was absolutely amazed at its size.
One of the strange snails the size of a golf ball
Another unique critter Ben pointed out to me was the strange snail the size of a gold ball eating away at one of the leaves.
The rainforest here has quite a number of insects, reptiles, birds, and animals, so when you visit Gomantong Caves, look out for them.
Lookout security tower outside the caves.
Finally, on our way out, Ben pointed up to the hills, and I noticed a couple of huts there. They were guard houses to keep poachers or thieves from entering the caves.
How interesting, I thought. A security post way up on the hills was something new to me.
Caves in Sabah map.
There are several caves in Sabah, and if you are interested in caving and exploring them, check out the forestry department in Sabah Parks.
Unless you are interested in nature and how bird nests are harvested, make a visit here. Otherwise, it could be an experience worth telling everyone if you needed to figure out what to expect when you got here.
Two cave complexes, Black Cave (Simud Hitam) and White Cave (Simud Putih), have been harvested for the prized bird's nest for many years, even today.
Entrance to Gomantong Caves.Gomantong Caves in Sandakan
Visiting the caves is quite easy, as they are located about two hours from Sandakan town by car or van. Tour companies offer various packages to visit the caves, so you can customize your visit. If you rent a car, you can self-drive to the caves.
On my recent trip here in December 2009, I visited the entire Sukau-Kinabatangan area for the rich eco-tourism offered here, which was made possible with the assistance of Sabah Tourism.
Cave information.On arrival at the cave's main entrance arch, it was another five-minute drive into the visitor centre, where you purchased your tickets. Nothing stood out there, as there were only two buildings visible.
No caves were sighted, and I asked my nature guide, Ben, "Where are the caves?" He simply smiled and told me that we needed to take a small trek inside.
Start of the wooden walkway to the caves.And so our exciting cave journey began. A wooden walkway at the back of the ticket building leads into the rainforest while everything around is covered in greenery and nothing in sight ahead of you.
Ben claims that this wooden platform above the rainforest floor was actually one of the initial treks that he created many years ago during his heyday of nature guiding here.
Ben also states that the original path was another way from the old ticket office, and he used to take his guests on this path as it was more interesting. The time it takes to reach the cave area is about a 5-minute walk along here.
Enjoyable rainforest walking to the caves.Judging from our nature walk, it was rather interesting, with many things pointed out along the way. However, on the return trip through this walkway, more interesting items were spotted, so read about this further in this article.
Rare sighting of a Red-Leaf Monkey.Once we reached the clearing to the main cave entrance, there was a slight commotion up ahead where several guests were excitedly pointing up.
Ben then turned around and asked me to hurry up and get to where the action was. Apparently, something rare was sighted, which was also on my nature bucket list.
Red Leaf Monkey looking at me.From a distance, it was orange-brown, and immediately, my camera went into action with maximum zoom. "What kind of monkey was that?" I asked Ben, and with a big smile on his face, he replied that it was the Maroon Langur or Red Leaf Monkey.
He also expressed that I was fortunate to have seen this u at the cave entrance as they rarely come this close.
Without hesitation, my camera snapped away, and I also took a video since this was indeed a rare sighting.
Red Leaf Monkey outside Gomantong Caves.Red Leaf Monkey, Maroon Langur, Maroon Leaf Monkey, or Presbytis rubicunda are what they are called, and there are some other local names that I forgot.
Entrance to Gomantong Caves.
The main cave entrance of Simud Hitam (Black Cave). A walkway leads into the caves, and the strong smell of bat guano gets stronger as you get closer. Most people need to highlight the bat sightings in the evenings.
This is precisely the same Bat Watching at Mulu Caves in Sarawak, and you get to see millions of bats leave the caves from around 4.00 to 6.00 pm daily. Also, depending on the weather, if it rains, it's a no-show.
This is precisely the same Bat Watching at Mulu Caves in Sarawak, and you get to see millions of bats leave the caves from around 4.00 to 6.00 pm daily. Also, depending on the weather, if it rains, it's a no-show.
Video of Gomantong Cave
Inside the Gomantong Caves.Once inside, you will notice that the wooden walkway circles the main cave, exiting the same way you entered. The caves also measure about 30 meters wide and about 100 meters high.
Cave crabs As you walk along the wooden walkway, which is slightly above the cave ground, you will first come across a cave stream. If you look closely in the water, you will see small crabs that dwell here.
It's fascinating to know that crabs are available in caves, considering that I always thought crabs belonged to the sea.
Cockroaches on the wooden handrailAnother highlight I was pre-warned about was the cockroaches living in the caves. Cockroaches?
I smiled; what are a few roaches going to do I am not afraid of them but when I got it deeper along the walkway, I must have seen thousands of them.
On the walkway, the ground and even the handrails of the walkway. I would warn those scared of these things - Do not visit this place if you have a significant fear of roaches.
Video of Gomantong Caves inside
 |
| A Bamboo Piatau is used for bird nest harvesting. |
When I walked deeper inside, the shouting of the Birds Nest Harvesters got louder. Two groups were harvesting, and there must have been about 20 to 30 of them there.
Video Birds Nest Harvesting in Sabah
Birds Nest Harvest workers waiting for orders.Apparently, bird nest harvesting here at the Gomantong Caves is regulated by the Wildlife Department to avoid over-exploitation.
The collection is only done twice a year, and licenses are issued to collectors. Each group takes turns harvesting, and at any one time, only two groups are allowed to do so.
Ropes used for Bird Nest Harvesting.
There are about 25 limestone caves in total that are home to swifts, but only two have a high number of birds nesting there: Gua Gomantong and Gua Madai in Lahad Datu.
View from below.As the Birds Nest can fetch up to US$12,500 a kilogram, this dangerous skill involves the gatherer climbing up a hundred meters to the ceiling of the cave using ropes and rattan ladders.
I witnessed this impressive feat by one of the climbers while the entire entourage waited down below to help steer the bamboo platform up there.
Birds Nest Harvesting Video
Harvesters at work in Gomantong.So, if you visit Gomantong Caves and see the harvesters at work, spend some time seeing how they do it. It is incredible to watch them at work, and the WWF describes the caves as the best-managed edible bird's nest in the world, too.
There are four swift species in Sabah, which spawn the white nest (Collocalia Fuciphagus), black nest (Collocalia Maximus), moss-like nest (Collocalia vanikorensis), and white-bellied birds (Collocalia Esulenta). Only the white and black birds' nests are edible and have high nutritional and medicinal value.
Jungle Lianas growing freely.As we exited the caves and returned to the main building, we retook the rainforest path and this time, I saw some jungle highways known as Lianas.
Branches that twist and grow around trees and from tree to tree. Some of them are as thick as my thigh, too.
A Borneo Pygmy Squirrel is spotted.At one point on our walk back, Ben stopped and looked like he had lost something near one of the trees.
I asked Ben, and he casually told me that this tree was home to the Borneo Pygmy Squirrel (Exilisciurus concinnus), the smallest squirrel in the world.
Well, I had to see it and believe him, as he had a smile on his face when he mentioned this. Eventually, after a few minutes of waiting, the little squirrel appeared, and I was absolutely amazed at its size.
One of the strange snails the size of a golf ballAnother unique critter Ben pointed out to me was the strange snail the size of a gold ball eating away at one of the leaves.
The rainforest here has quite a number of insects, reptiles, birds, and animals, so when you visit Gomantong Caves, look out for them.
Lookout security tower outside the caves.Finally, on our way out, Ben pointed up to the hills, and I noticed a couple of huts there. They were guard houses to keep poachers or thieves from entering the caves.
How interesting, I thought. A security post way up on the hills was something new to me.
Caves in Sabah map.There are several caves in Sabah, and if you are interested in caving and exploring them, check out the forestry department in Sabah Parks.
Unless you are interested in nature and how bird nests are harvested, make a visit here. Otherwise, it could be an experience worth telling everyone if you needed to figure out what to expect when you got here.
Best times to visit Gomantong Cave:
- The Gomantong-Kinabatangan region can be visited all year round, though it is often flooded in December and January, the wettest months of the year.
- The best time to visit the caves is during the Birds Nest Collection in February and August and in the late afternoon till evening.
- AirAsia or Malaysia Airlines flies to Sandakan from Kuala Lumpur, and from there, engage a tour company for your cave visit.
- Taxi is available from Sandakan, and prices may vary depending on the distance.
- A bus leaves Sandakan town for Sukau at RM17.00 (US$5) per trip. However, you will only be dropped at the junction; from there, you will be dropped another 6 km (3.7 miles) into the cave. Getting back to you will be another issue, so I would avoid this.
- Various tour operators around Sandakan and Sabah offer packages to Gomantong and Kinabatangan, so you might want to consider this option instead.
- GPS Coordinates to Gomantong Caves are - 5° 33' 0" North, 118° 6' 0" East
- A general note is that the caves are full of Guano (Bat Poo), and it smells.
- To avoid this, use smelling salts or perfume sprayed on a towel or handkerchief.
- Proper covered shoes are recommended as the floor can get slippery. Avoid sandals or open-faced shoes, and for the fashionable - no high heels, please!
- For photo lovers, cave photography is a challenging task. Flashing will not work, so you will need a tripod and custom settings to achieve beautiful pictures inside. Check with your camera-pro friends about this.
- MyKad Holders - RM5.00 (Below 18 yrs - RM2.00)
- Others - RM30 (US$8) and below 12 yrs - RM15 (US$4)
- The above are old prices.
- DSLR Camera, Compact Camera, Video Camera - RM 10.00 each (US$2.80)
*All pictures were taken with a Nikon D60, Lens: 18-105mm
Conclusion
Sandakan is, in fact, a true Eco paradise with almost every attraction here catered to this industry. Most nature and eco-lovers would choose this part of Borneo to explore.
For the adventure, wildlife and nature lovers, if you are visiting the Kinabatangan-Sukau area, your package would most likely include a visit to the Gomantong Cave in Sandakan, Sabah.
Sandakan is, in fact, a true Eco paradise with almost every attraction here catered to this industry. Most nature and eco-lovers would choose this part of Borneo to explore.
For the adventure, wildlife and nature lovers, if you are visiting the Kinabatangan-Sukau area, your package would most likely include a visit to the Gomantong Cave in Sandakan, Sabah.