sign in a cave in Laos

18 March 2012

Six Mile Tunnel, Perak

Six Mile Tunnel is a river cave in Perak. It is located near the Tambun Lost World theme park and they now control access and run adventure caving trips there (RM 80 pp for 10+ pax, RM100 pp for 2-9 pax).

Years ago it used to be quite an adventure to get to the cave, as you had to cross lakes covered in tall reeds and negotiate mud and slime. In those days cavers often used inner tubes as flotation devices and to transport their bags across the lake.

When I visited in 2006 after a long absence, the lakes had been cleared, the first part of the lake had been filled in and there was a rough track so we could drive part way.

However there was still some very deep sticky mud to negotiate to enter the lake in front of the entrance.



The cave passes through the hill and was used by tin miners. It is not 6 miles long, more like 700 m.

The entrance is quite low and the passage can fill to the roof, so the cave should be avoided during heavy rain!

There are lots of bats in the passage and sometimes they brush against you
- Jan S took this photo of 2 bats heading straight for the camera

There is nice calcite decoration in the passage
these straws have probably grown since the miners regularly used the cave.
There are some relics left by the miners

We saw a frog and a turtle and there were fish in the water

The cave comes out into a wang, so the only way on is back through the cave!

The miners stacked their waste stones at the side of the passage
Fungus

Jan leaving the cave
and wading across the lake

Across the valley is Pencil Rock.

Six Mile Tunnel register number Prk 27/03.

See more photos on Jan's blog.

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission

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