Final words on Mulu

When we arrived at the Mulu airport, we were picked up by a lady who drove us to the national park headquarters where we checked in into their very comfortable Rainforest Lodge. Other than the national park accommodation, there's also the Marriott Mulu Resort if visitors want even more comfort, but in my opinion, the national park lodges and hostels are good enough. Clean and comfortable. At first it did not strike me how she managed to get her 4WD vehicle to Mulu or even how she got the petrol for her car. But later, I realised that it was a 4WD after all and it could have made the overland journey from wherever in Sarawak. And the petrol was brought in by boat from Marudi.

Another thing to mention is that there is no electrical supply from the national grid. Because Mulu is so cut off, all electrical power comes from generator sets. Twice a day when the park headquarters switch generators, there'll be a few seconds of blackouts. But you can hardly tell because otherwise, the electricity is supplied round-the-clock. As for the water supply, it comes from the river or collected rainwater but is filtered by the time it comes out from the taps. The water is very slightly yellow if one looks closely enough but should be safe for consumption if boiled, which we did.

As I related previously, Mulu is practically cut off from the rest of the world by design. Only the Melinau River and the four daily flights physically link Mulu to the rest of the world. Communication with the outside world is thus a problem. Not a big problem but still a problem. At the national park headquarters, visitors can still stay connected by WiFi, but the range is limited to the area around the headquarters building, which includes the cafe. Naturally, the Wifi signal drops off as you wander away from the building but I managed to find a very weak one-bar signal from the Lodge I was in. A one-bar signal that still allowed me to use Whatsapp but not for anything else. Oh yes, I had to buy usage from the headquarters office. A RM5 usage for 24 hours, after which you have to buy another coupon.

National park headquarters

All visitors have to register themselves when they set foot into the Mulu national park. Everyone will have to wear a plastic wristband. The counter staff are all very helpful. Inside the headquarters building, there is also the Mulu Discovery Centre which is very informative and educational. Everything you need to know about the caves in Mulu is covered.

Around the national park headquarters

Even if a visitor is not on one of the guided or self-guided tours in the national park, there are always places to wander around within the vicinity of the park headquarters. A keen eye can uncover those small fauna that tend to hide themselves so well during the day or night, but there's nothing like the experience of a guide who can point out things that would otherwise be missed.

During both nights at the national park, we could hear the place come alive with loud sounds all around us. Basically, the croaking of frogs, and they do make a lot of noise! Of course, to walk around at night would require torches as the boardwalks were very poorly lit. There's also a Night Walk guided tour which we did not sign up for, and thus we missed it. Now regretting it, of course!

Rainforest lodge

We stayed at one of the two buildings that made up the Rainforest Lodge within the national park headquarters. Very nice and private accommodation, but the most expensive at the national park. We were booked into the Lodge by the tour agency that we had used to arrange this trip. There are other cheaper lodgings but perhaps with less privacy, such as the two Longhouses and also the hostel.

Food

Food is no problem. There's a cafe there. Don't expect anything top-end and you will be fine. Just order from the menu at the counter, get your number and the food will be delivered to you when ready. Choice of sitting at the tables or at the riverside bar which looks over the Melinau River. Recommended is the bar. We saw the hustle and bustle of daily life along the river when partaking our breakfast. The cafe is open till about nine o'clock at night. I must also mention that there is the obligatory souvenir shop attached to the cafe.

Outside the national park

Is there life outside the Mulu national park? Definitely. There's a straight road that leads directly to the national park and on both sides, there are hostels for people who do not wish to stay at the park headquarters or the Marriott Mulu Resort. In addition, there are also cafes that offer alternatives equivalent to the food in the Mulu Cafe. These hostels and cafes line the road till the park's drop-off/pick-up point is reached. By the way, to get into the park, it would be necessary to cross the bridge that straddles the Melinau River. That in itself is already quite an experience.