We look forward to welcoming you at The Matumau Lodge in Mulu.
We've prepared these FAQ's to help you plan and get the most enjoyment from your trip to Mulu.
How long should we stay?
We recommend a minimum of two nights.
Although it is possible to view "the 4 show caves" with just a one night stay, that will feel a bit rushed and not really give you the benefit of all that Mulu has to offer. It's better to tour more slowly, see more and take time to really enjoy your Mulu experience. This is particularly true with the changing nature of the weather.
A two night stay (arriving on the morning flight on first day) allows time to visit 4 show caves, view bat exodus and walk the Melinau trail (Clearwater to Park HQ trail), for example.
If you would like to see even more, such as the Canopy Skywalk, the Penan settlement, the Melinau valley or hike to Camp 5 or Camp 5 and the Pinnacles, a longer stay is needed.
What can we see and do in Mulu?
Mulu has a lot to offer for visitors of all levels of physical fitness.
The most accessible sights are in and around the Park Headquarters : Orchid Garden, Deer Cave trail, Deer Cave and Lang's Cave, bat observatory. There is also the Canopy Skywalk.
Accessible by boat or by longer trail : Clearwater spring and cave, Wind cave, Moonmilk cave, Melinau valley (both upstream and downstream).
For those who like trekking, there are several trails requiring one or more nights spent away from the Mulu HQ area: Camp 5 trail, Melinau Gorge and Pinnacles climb, Camp 5 and on to Headhunters trail, and the most strenuous of all, the Gunung Mulu summit climb (several nights in jungle shelters).
Please take a look at our About Mulu pages for more details.
Our Mulu map shows you where these places are.
When's the best time to come?
The climate in Mulu is equatorial - the temperature doesn't change much from one month to the next. It is hotter during sunny days (around 33degrees C) than in the early hours of the morning (around 27degrees C).
Mulu experiences high annual rainfall : the "rain" in rainforest !
March to October are somewhat drier months than November to February. However, heavy downpours are a regular part of life in Mulu - so even during the drier months one can expect rain. The changing colours of the skies contribute to making Mulu's scenery so dramatic. The showers tend to occur in the late afternoon, evening or night.
How do we get there?
1) By plane : this is the quickest and easiest way to get to Mulu. MAS Wings operate two flights a day from Miri. Booking can be done on line at www.maswings.co.my
The flight is approximately 20min from Miri to Mulu and the plane flies over the meandering course of the Baram and Tutoh rivers.
2)By boat: it is possible to reach Mulu by boat via Marudi. Regular services operate from Miri to Marudi from Kuala Baram ferry terminal. The service from Marudi on upstream is irregular and depends on river conditions. The trip takes a whole day or more.
How does one arrange tours?
All trips into the Park require registration at Park Headquarters, payment of Park fee and an accompanying guide.
Tours can be booked via Mulu Park. Regular tours operate at scheduled times to the most popular destinations (the key show caves) and visitors can join these tours. Some tours require pre-booking. Further details can be found at www.mulupark.com
Please note that The Matumau Lodge is not a travel agency. We provide accommodation (and friendly advice) only.
Tours can also be arranged through travel agencies (we recommend Borneo Adventure) as well as directly using experienced registered freelance guides (for contact details of freelance guides please contact the park or us).
How much do the tours cost?
Please visit the Park web site or call the Park for the latest prices.To give an indication, the price of a "four show cave" visit spread over two days and including the boat trip to Clearwater amounts to a total of approximately RM70. This is the approximate price for a visitor joining the scheduled tours (per person).
What should we bring with us?
The following items will be useful:
good walking shoes (*)
lightweight longsleeved shirt and trousers
small backpack for day trips
small torch
insect repellent
sun screen
hat
plastic sandals or flip-flops
rain poncho
bin bag for protecting the things in your back pack from rain
umbrella
spare clothes
swim suit
(*) for the 4 show caves strong trainers are sufficient, for wild trails and climbs trekking shoes are needed
Please contact us if you have any other questions.