What’s inside the Sarawak Chamber, world's largest cave chamber?

The enchanting Gunung Mulu National Park in northern Sarawak, Borneo, is home to Sarawak Chamber, the world’s largest cave chamber. And when we say home, the cave chamber is located right beneath the towering limestone peaks of the national park.

Sarawak Chamber was discovered in January 1981, by a team of three British cavers, Andy Eavis, Dave Checkley and Tony White. The team stumbled upon this magnificent cave chamber during an expedition called Mulu’80 Expedition.


This expedition took the explorers deep in the forest of Borneo, to explore and study the vast cave systems that were a part of the Gunung Mulu National Park. For those curious, the national park is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.



Upon discovery of this unique cave system, it was clear that what lay in front was no ordinary cave. Thus, the world became aware of the largest cave chamber ever.

How big is the Sarawak Chamber?
Sarawak Chamber leaves everyone baffled with its sheer size. The chamber measures 600 m in length, 415 m in width, and 80 m in height. It is estimated that the chamber alone can hold several jumbo jets!



It took millions of years of erosion to create this giant underground cavity. One must feel so little (literally) in the presence of such a massive thing.


Did you know that you can visit the Sarawak Chamber?
The visit means camping one night at Camp 1 of the Sarawak Chamber. Needless to say, this is a guided tour, given the challenging nature of the place. A three-hour moderately difficult trek takes visitors to the mouth of the Good Luck Cave or as the locals call it Gua Nasib Bagus. That’s not the chamber yet.


To reach the Sarawak Chamber, one will need to have a good level of fitness and the ability to withstand some rough terrains. From here onwards, visitors will have a chance to proceed if only the water level is low. After following a river channel and traversing steep boulders, one will get the sweet chance to stand at the mouth of the chamber.

Also read: Lascaux Caves in France has some prehistoric tales to tell


What’s inside the chamber?
Inside the Sarawak Chamber, one will find underground rivers, flowstones, massive walls that are basically calcite formations, and surprisingly, animals that have adapted to a life without any sunlight. The chamber is completely devoid of sunlight. These organisms are found only here.


Sarawak Chamber is one of the most incredible geological formations on earth and to get up close and personal with the chamber is a dream of many.