Fairy Cave, Bau, Sarawak

the massive cavern inside Fairy Cave, Malaysia

Fairy Cave (also known as Gua Pari) is an impressive show cave near the former gold mining settlement of Bau and about 40km from Kuching, Sarawak. The cave is part of a 170 million year old Jurassic limestone formation and is older than Mulu and Niah Caves.

It is just a few minutes drive from another show cave, Wind Cave, and most tourists would combine both on a half-day trip from Kuching.

flights of stairs leading up to the entrance of Fairy Cave.

Access to the cave is via a four storey concrete staircase which brings you to the cave entrance.

At the top of the staircase a ranger will explain the route to you with the help of this trail map. On my recent trip, the Gunung Kapor Summit Trail was unavailable because it takes 2 hours and there was insufficient time left before closing time.  But the main Dark Trail and Twilight Trail is the main attraction here so I was not too bothered.

map showing the various trails inside Fairy Cave
narrow passage leading to the main cavern

You pass through a dim, narrow passage and up some steep metal steps. It is fairly dark but you can manage without a torch, unlike Wind Cave where a torch is essential. Some might find this part rather claustrophobic but bear with it as the passage soon emerges into a massive cave with a huge opening which allows the light to flood in.

To get an idea of the scale of this cave, look for the person in this photo:

Fairy Cave is big!

The cave is criss-crossed with concrete footpaths and steps and it is best to stick to the paths for safety and to avoid damaging the fragile eco-system.

The combination of light, water and thin, guano-enriched soil allows plants to survive here, mostly ferns.

Interior of Fairy Cave, Sarawak
dead bat at Fairy Cave

There are a lot of birds (swiftlets) and bats living in the cave, including this small guy who was lying on the path and may have fallen from the cave roof, high above.

uvula-shaped stalactite

The mouth of this cave is complete with a uvula-shaped stalactite.

stalgmite shaped similar to Guan Yin at Fairy Cave

In a shadowy recess of the cave is a stalagmite which looks like a statue of Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. Obviously I am not the only one who sees the resemblance as there were many joss sticks sticking out of cracks in the rocks in front of the 'statue'.

footprint-like impression at Fairy Cave

Nearby is a depression in the cave floor shaped like the giant footprint of a yeti or some other huge creature. It seems the fairies in this cave are very large and heavy footed!

View from an opening in Fairy Cave, Bau, Sarawak

From the opening high up above the cave floor you can get a good view of the surrounding fields and forested hills.

Opening Hours and 2024 Admission Charges

The cave is open from 8.30pm to 4.30pm.

Admission for Malaysian adults is RM 1 and for Foreign adults is RM 5.

Malaysian children are free and foreign children ages 6-17 cost RM 2.


You can find more background information on Fairy Cave on Sarawak Forestry Corporation's official website.

How to Get to Fairy Cave

Most tourists arrange a tour from Kuching covering Fairy Cave and Wind Cave. These tours usually last around 4 hours and cost around RM200 per person including lunch.

Since I prefer independent travel, I rented a car (RM120 per day) and drove myself. Direction signage on the outskirts of Kuching is not great but once I found the road to Bau (route 1004) it was fairly straightforward. The approximate location of the cave is marked on the map below.

About 8km after Bau keep your eyes peeled for a small sign to Wind Cave. The turn off for Fairy Caves is a few minutes drive after that.

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