Swiftlet nests
The treasure of bird's nest soup.
Mike Prince from Bangalore, India — CC BY 2.0 · Josefito123 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mike Prince from Bangalore, India — CC BY 2.0 · Tim Denholm — CC BY 4.0
The largest cave system in Sabah, inside Gomantong Hill, the biggest limestone outcrop in the Lower Kinabatangan, set in a protected forest where orangutans live. For centuries the caves have been famous for the edible nests of swiftlets, the source of the celebrated bird's nest soup of Chinese cuisine, a trade that has gone on since at least around AD 500. Twice a year, from February to April and from July to September, licensed nest collectors climb to the lofty cave roof on nothing but rattan ladders, ropes and bamboo poles, a breathtaking sight. Visitors follow a wooden walkway that loops through Simud Hitam, the Black Cave, under a soaring roof pierced by shafts of light. At dusk hundreds of thousands of bats pour out of the cave in rippling streams, hunted by hawks. Entry for foreigners is about thirty ringgit per adult, with an extra camera fee, and it opens daily from eight in the morning to five in the afternoon. The cave is home to vast numbers of cockroaches, its floor is thick with bird and bat droppings and the smell is strong, so wear closed shoes and avoid touching the railings. It is about two hours' drive south of Sandakan, and most people visit on a trip to the Kinabatangan River, where boats go out in the late afternoon to spot proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants and hornbills along its banks.
The treasure of bird's nest soup.
Hundreds of thousands at dusk.
A boardwalk under a soaring roof.
Gomantong Forest Reserve near the Kinabatangan River, about two hours' drive south of Sandakan
During the two harvest seasons, February to April and July to September; the exact dates follow the birds' breeding cycle, so there is no guarantee on the day you visit. Ask at the entrance or your tour organiser.