Gomantong Caves

Gomantong Caves are a major limestone cave system in Gomantong Hill within the Gomantong Forest Reserve in Kinabatangan District, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. The complex comprises two main caves, Simud Hitam and Simud Putih, renowned for edible-nest swiftlet nests harvested for bird's nest soup and for large bat colonies. Surrounded by lowland rainforest, the caves are known for their impressive chambers, guano ecosystem and wildlife viewing opportunities.

Visitors can expect a managed nature site accessed via a wooden boardwalk through lowland rainforest leading to the large entrance of Simud Hitam (Black Cave), which is open to the public. Inside, the vast chamber has high ceilings with swiftlets nesting on the walls and ceiling, a floor covered in guano and inhabited by cockroaches, beetles and crabs. Simud Putih (White Cave) is higher on the hill and generally closed to general visitors. The site offers wildlife observation including bats, swiftlets, and occasional orangutans and other forest wildlife in the surrounding reserve.

Gomantong Caves are formed in a limestone outcrop estimated to be millions of years old. Archaeological evidence indicates human use of the caves for thousands of years. The caves have been commercially harvested for edible bird's nests for centuries, with a long-established licensing system regulating collection. The site is gazetted as part of the Gomantong Forest Reserve and managed for conservation and sustainable nest harvesting.

The caves are culturally significant for the traditional harvesting of swiftlet nests used for bird's nest soup, a practice carried out by the local Orang Sungai community under licenses issued by the Sabah Wildlife Department. Harvesting is traditionally conducted twice a year using rattan ladders and poles, reflecting long-standing local knowledge and customs associated with the caves.