Merapoh 2013 - Baja caves

Oct 1 2013 I was with Habli, Juki and Zainudin at Gua Baja. Baja means fertiliser in English, and the hill probably has this name as guano has been taken from the caves. We explored 2 caves and named them Gua Baja Bawah and Gua Baja Atas.

Gua Baja Bawah is a ground level cave. It has some large chambers and passages, nice formations and has been extensively dug for guano. There are several entrances, this is the main one we went in -

 

 

There were plants and snail shells at one entrance -

There was also a lot of graffiti.

There are many pits left by the guano diggers and in one is the dried remains of a bird, presumably a raptor

We then left this cave and Zainudin joined us and mentioned a cave higher up. He then cut down a long thin tree and led the way to a place further round the cliff, with Juki and Habli carrying the tree. They then struggled to get it securely in place against the cliff.

 

I didn't fancy the climb up, so I waited at the bottom whilst the boys in blue went up to explore the cave, Gua Baja Atas. They were gone a long time and eventually came back, full of excitement as it was a very big cave, with huge high chambers and passages, and lot of entrances, some with good views over the surrounding hills.

 

Juki had taken lots of photos with my camera, so I could get some idea of what the cave looks like.

 

 

© Liz Price
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