“ADA BUAYA TAK?”[1] my travel companion casually asked the boatman. “Eh, jangan panggil nama dia. Nanti dia akan timbul,”[2] he hushed.
After a one-minute ride to get across the teh tarik-hued river, the journey to catch a glimpse of the 1,200-year-old cave drawings at what is known as Painted Cave, originally known as Kain Hitam Cave, began. However, I did not expect to journey 2.8km on a slippery boardwalk (it rained the day before) before reaching Trader’s Cave, the first in the network of caves I wanted to explore. Painted Cave is part of the Archaeological Heritage of Niah National Park’s cave complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site, inscribed on 31 July 2024.
Trader’s Cave is a beauty—it made me feel like I just marched into the fortress city of Minas Tirith with giant columns lined at its mouth. After ambling and taking photos over the 200m stretch, we exited, only to be swallowed by the Great Cave.
