Woohoo! Mulu Day 2! - Moon Milk, Wind & Clearwater Caves

On our second day in Mulu we decided to get up early and go for a hike, which involved going through a small cave called Moon Milk cave. Then we were meeting a group at a different cave for a guided tour. The hike was really interesting because we saw lots of interesting flora, and we really got to hear the sound of the rainforest.



The hike was mostly boardwalks, which were very slippery as it had rained all night. The stairs were particularly difficult to climb, and each time we went to grab the hand rail for support, we were greeted by the sight of some kind of creepy crawly! Here are some of the things we saw along the way...
Mating Centipedes on the handrail
You can hear the ants moving inside this branch!


Why did the mushroom get invited to all the parties?
One of many huge snails!
Furry leaves....
These leaves had bumps on, and we didn't figure out why.
The Moon Milk cave was fun, as it was just the two of us and was pitch black inside. It was also quite small, meaning we had to duck and squeeze at times, and when we turned our torches off it was really freaky.
We definitely didn't want to bump our heads
on this spiky ceiling!
The cave is named after a substance that forms on the surface of the rock walls. It looks like a milky white liquid (hence the name Moon Milk), even though it’s solid. It’s actually formed by bacteria, although nobody is quite sure what it is.
This is Moon Milk
Eventually we made it to the Wind Cave and met up with our tour group. This time, our guide was very knowledgeable and stopped every couple of minutes to give us relevant information. 
The hike was tiring and sweaty. This is the sweaty bum-print
Dave left behind while waiting for the tour guide.
Two little bats chilling outside the cave.
Stalagmites
 Interesting fact about caves: I’m sure you all know about stalactites and stalagmites, but there are also formations called heliotites. Stalagmites grow up from the ground, stalactites grow down from the roof, and heliotites grow horizontally, from a stalactite/stalagmite. In the photo below, they have been caused by wind, which blows through the cave and changes the direction of the sediment-filled water droplets.
Heliotites
While chilling before the next tour...
We then moved on to the Clear Water cave – or part of it at least. This is a huge cave complex made up of dozens of caverns, through which pounds a roaring river. This cave system used to be connected to Deer Cave, before the roof collapsed and the Garden of Eden was formed (as mentioned in the previous post). The river level was really quite high when we visited, due to the aforementioned heavy rain. 
Stalactites
Shadow Lady...complete with booby and nipple!
Dave went for a dip afterwards
After the cave tours we headed back to Park HQ, but this time by long boat. The boat sat very low which was different to any other boats we had taken. The trip back was great fun and much more relaxing than the hike there!


Once back at HQ, I signed up to do a canopy walk. Katie very wisely decided not to do it because of her fear of heights. The canopy is around 30 meters off the ground and afforded an entirely different view of the forest. Once again, I really felt like Indiana Jones, walking on a rope bridge, suspended over a river with the potential for crocodiles. Stop the references Dave, please. It’s not even that great a film!
I was tempted to cut the rope...
Massive tree!
Parts of the trees hang down to the forest floor


I did the walk with an Australian civil engineer, who assured me that the rope bridges were perfectly safe, which was comforting to hear.


Our first night in the park, we had been lured into a false sense of security. It had rained a lot and apparently this kept the insects to a minimum. On the second night however, the skies were clear and we were dumbfounded by the sheer quantity of life crawling and flying around the open plan cafeteria. Not the best atmosphere to enjoy a meal in...it was like trying to dine at a driving range, with golf ball sized beetles hurling themselves clumsily at your face.

And so ended another fantastic day in Mulu National Park! Join us next time and see a carnivorous plant as well as an incredible sunset.

Costs (per person)
Miri Hostel (dorm bed) = 30 MYR (£6, $55)
Miri to Mulu Flight Return = £45 ($65)
Mulu Airport Transfer = 5 MYR (£1, $1.50)