Fairy Cave, Bau, Kuching

Fairy Cave, Kuching, Kuching Overview

Located at a distance of 40 kilometres from Kuching near the former Bau gold mining settlement, Fairy Cave is a limestone cave with unique rock formations. It is commonly known as Gau Pari and can be accessed after climbing a four-storey staircase.

According to experts, Fairy Cave was formed around 200 million years ago during the Jurassic era. The stalactites and stalagmites within the cave have taken interesting shapes and conjure amazing memories. It is believed that this structure got its name from a stalagmite that has a resemblance to a Chinese Goddess. The cave is massive and there are walkways for tourists who are willing to explore it.

There are a number of adventure activities that take place on the cliff face. The most popular among them is rock climbing with different degrees of difficulty. A short drive from the iconic Wind Cave will take you to the Fairy Cave. Both the caves are visited together and can be covered in a half-day trip.

Exploring the Fairy Cave

In order to reach the Fairy Cave entrance, visitors have to climb a four-storey staircase made from concrete. From the entrance, the cave looks dark and spooky with abundant greenery everywhere. The winding wooden stairs leads inside the cave. Make way through the steep and slippery steps into the main chamber with a huge opening that allows sunlight to burst in.

This place is very beautiful and looks straight out of the postcard. The intimidating sight of the formations has a strange way of making connections. Besides the formations, ferns, mosses and bats cover this space. The water dripping from above feeds the tiny plants and the bats’ poop makes the soil fertile. From the massive opening, one also get to enjoy a breathtaking view of the surrounding areas.

Sarawak Wind Cave

A short drive from Fairy Cave is the Sarawak Wind Cave. It stands on the banks of River Sarawak and strikes visitors with stalactites and stalagmites formed over the centuries. Both of these caves are very different from one another and can be covered in a half-day trip.

Wind Cave has three unlit tunnels and the interior is pitch dark. Unlike Fairy Cave, the car can be parked right at the entrance of the Wind Cave. For the convenience of the visitors, a 1000 metres plank-walk runs throughout the cave interiors. Wind Cave is also a natural habitat for rare species of plants and animals. Presently, there are 14 bat species and 12 snail species living within its dark walls.

For moving around in this cave one has to completely rely on torchlight. The routes are lined with reflective stickers and there are hand railings on both sides, hence there is a lesser probability of getting lost or falling off. Notice boards are installed at various points that provide information on different species in the cave.

At the end of the passage, a path takes onedown to one of the tributaries of the Sarawak River. There is a thin stretch of sand with public changing rooms. Hence, a refreshing dip is the best way to rejuvenate the senses after this exploration.

How to Reach Fairy Caves

There are no direct buses from Kuching that takes visitors to the Fairy Cave. One can opt for public bus services from Kuching till the town of Bau. And from Bau, buses operate till Krokong. The cave is located at a walking distance from here.