Introduction
The Wind Cave is a very popular local tourist destination close to Kuching. It probably
received its name from the draught of air which passes through the passage
leading to the Sungai Sarawak Kanan on which it is situated. The name is translated
as "Wind Cave" or "Cave of the Winds".
In fine weather, many groups from Bau and Kuching visit the cave. The most popular attraction is the western entrance of the cave which has a small beach adjacent to the Sarawak River. It is a favourite picnic and swimming spot that has gained in popularity after the closure of the Bau Lake for the mining of gold.
While some visitors take to swimming and relaxation
in or near the river, others would explore the cave. Torches are needed to enter the cave
and explore its passages.
The stream provides easy access through the cave to the river. This cave is smaller
than the Fairy Cave, but it has different formations and the cave stream adds a different
focal point.
Location and Access
The Wind Cave is located in the limestone area of Bau to the southwest of Kuching.
It is about 5 km southwest of Bau. The cave is situated off the Bidi road which
passes the Bau Lake. A new sealed road has recently been completed to the cave and
the Sarawak River. A parking bay is situated adjacent to the river at the end of the
access road from Kuching. Buses are available to Bau.
Bau Caves
The caves of the Bau Formation in West Sarawak lie in a narrow belt which extends from
the Kalimantan border, about 22.5 km southwest of Bau to Bau. This
area covers approximately 155.4 square km. It is the largest most accessible cave region
in Sarawak with the highest number of recorded caves. Underground streams are common
in these caves and the larger cave entrances have been inhabited in the past.
The Wind Cave was formed during the Jurrassic-Cretaceous period. Excavations by early explorers such as Beccari in 1865 have shown that people inhabited Wind Cave until recent times. Earthenware vessels, charcoal and pieces of marine and freshwater shells were found. The deep pits within the cave may have been made by gold prospectors in the 1930's.
Description
The Sarawak River divides into two branches
about 60 km from the river mouth. Its right arm, the Sungai Sarawak Kanan,
flows past the western entrance of the Wind Cave. The cave's dominant feature is the small
stream which meanders through the cave to join the Sarawak River.
This stream has cut a narrow meandering path in the cave floor and has also cut current
scallops on the walls. The main cave passages are wide with flat roofs,
while the smaller passages form an irregular network in the northern section of the cave.
The major features of the cave include the stalagmites and stalactites, and pillars which form when these two join together. These are all common calcite formations. The minor features include floor cavities, pendants and current scallops. The limestone of the cave is pale grey or blue in colour and is fine-grained. Deposits of clay as well as thin layers of guano or rock phosphate are found throughout the cave.
The floor of the main passage has conical cavities which are separated by blade-like pinnacles of limestone. Stream erosion is evident by the smooth horizontal grooves in the floor and scalloped walls of the passages. These current scallops have a honeycomb appearance and indicate the direction of the flow of water. Another formation are the pendants which are limestone projections approximately 60 cm in length and which hang from the roof of the cave passage.
Flora
The mountain over the cave is covered by limestone forest, which is characterised by thin
irregular soil cover and stunted plant growth on the summit. On the slopes and at the
base of the mountain is a remnant forest of medium sized trees and shrubs, including
such species as Excoearia borneensis (Euphorbiaceae) and Popowia pisocarpa
(Annonaceae) and Eugenia sp. (Myrtaceae), Palaquium spp. (Sapotaceae)
and Firmiana malayana (Sterculiaceae). To the south and east of the mountain,
there is a cocoa plantation extending almost to the base of the hill.
Fauna
There are three groups of cave animals: the troglobites, which are restricted to the cave;
the troglophiles, which live within the cave but can also exist in outside environments; and
the trogloxenes, which use the cave for roosting but feed outside the cave.
Inside the cave, gastropods (molluscs) have been found on the walls and floor of the stream passage. These snails are unique to each limestone area. On the limestone mountain, 12 different species have been found, which include Opisthoporus rostellatus, Brotia costula and Gastroptychia adversa.
A variety of birds can be found along the river and on the limestone hill. Several types of bats inhabit the cave and can be seen hanging from the cave ceiling. The black nest swiftlets Aerodramus maximus) can be seen and heard in the cave.
Research
Each cave has specialised cave fauna for the particular environment and the Wind Cave allows
research of its particular flora and fauna. No two caves are alike. The processes that
are responsible for their formation result in different formations and structures.
A small cave such as the Wind Cave lends itself to controlled studies of the edible nest swiftlet since the cave is easily accessible from Kuching. The height of the cave ceiling is not more than 15 m in the smaller passage, so that it would not be too difficult to examine the nest of the birds.
Facilities Available
For further enquiry, please contact us
