Hikers Hunting For New Trails Discover Secret Caves Used by Japanese Soldiers During WW2 In Labuan

By Syakir Roslan  •  13 Dec 2022 in News

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Are you a fan of hiking? If you answered no, you might just change your mind after hearing this but for all you hiking enthusiasts, it’s time to add another location to the bucket list!

Yesterday (12 Dec), a team of MTB Park hikers uncovered three cave chambers in the Pancur Hitam forest in Labuan during while looking for new hiking routes – which they had been doing since June 2021 in secrecy to prevent public intrusion on untouched grounds. MTB Park is known for its Merinding Trail.

According to The Star, the hikers believe that these newly-discovered caves have the potential to be turned into a national heritage site that could reveal information regarding people who lived there during ancient times.

Jamil Kario, who lead the team of hikers, explained how they discovered a hollow area of the cave in addition to a waterfall and a rare type of bamboo growing around the area.

He also believes that the caves were used in World War II as a hideout for Japanese soldiers.

“After entering and climbing through the first cave, we found that it is about 24m in length and 12m in height.

“The three caves are home to thousands of bats, hanging from the ceiling… as you enter the caves, you will have to wade through several feet of water,” stated Jamil in an interview with Labuan Bernama representatives.

Village head Haryadi Omar of Kampung Pohon Batu expressed his desire for Labuan Corporation (LC) to have a meeting with the National Geopark Steering Committee to acknowledge the caves as the national geopark site for Labuan.

Furthermore, both Haryadi and the MTB Park team agree that the area could be developed into an extreme sports destination and tourism spot.

Haryadi concluded by saying “we must be thankful to the explorers who discovered the caves and came up with ideas to help turn the Pancur Hitam forest into attractive and challenging hiking trails”.

Since December 2021, Labuan has been recognised as a national geopark teeming with rock landscapes and biological sites hosting a mangrove forest in Kinabenuwa, a coastal forest in Tanjung Kubong, a wildlife sanctuary in Pulau Ular in addition to several marine parks across the state.

If you’re in the mood for adventure, why not take a trip to Labuan and explore all the natural beauties that the land has to offer. And while you’re at it, take a short flight over to Sarawak and visit the Mulu Caves at Mulu National Park, where Abraham Lincoln’s stone-esque side profile and real-life trolls (not the internet kind) can supposedly be spotted in the caves-chamber which can fit 40 Boeing 747s.