Into the Mud Volcano in Malaysia
Did you know, there are volcanoes that spit out cool mud, right in a village located in Limbang outskirt, Sarawak?
Located about 37km from the town of Limbang, Kampung Meritam got its fame through these mud volcanoes but due to its proximity and lack of public transportation, the place was never too touristy. In fact that when we went there, we got the whole place all for ourselves.
What I first expected was the place is just a small area with one pool of mud but as soon as we reached the entrance, we immediately noticed a few volcanoes popping out of the ground, overflowing with mud.
Around the entrance and front area
Mud volcanoes with different shapes and sizes
While in awe of the mud volcanoes, don’t forget to check out the back area with many more of them! You can walk there through a small wooden bridge/platform.
A newly formed baby mud volcano
The way they bubble out and overflow formed unique volcano shapes
The ground of the entire area were covered with a layer of dried cracked mud
Looked like a mud-filled crater
These volcanoes are “alive”! Gas bubbles were constantly popping out of the Earth
Time to dip in! It was actually kinda scary when I first went inside, because you don’t know what’s inside (what if there’s a mud shark underneath? XD). A few times my foot touched something (felt like a small piece of grass) and it tickled and scared me haha.
The mud pool was very deep, I tried poking a long bamboo stick and still cannot reach the bottom. Don’t worry though, as long as you don’t panic, you won’t sink! The buoyancy of mud pools and quicksands are actually very strong. I tried to sink in more but it’s just too hard to do so.
They don’t suck you in like those in the movies. Just wriggle your legs around to get out. If you are still worry about it, read this article: Quicksand Science
Thanks to these mud pools, I managed to do a low cost cosplay: Wakanda Sometimes XD
Kampung Meritam Mud Volcanoes: Tips & Other Information
- Entrance Fee: RM4 per person
- Operation Hour: Not specified but don’t come to early or too late
- The area may be unmanned and locked sometimes. In that case, call the phone number hanging at the gate to have the staff come over to open the gate.
- Not recommended to visit at noon when the sun is scorching hot, unless you are planning to be fully covered in the ‘natural sunscreen’ 😉
- Bring extra clothing and towel
- Don’t go into the mud with jewelry such as a ring, you might lose it in the mud
- Wear something ‘secure’, as the mud would get inside the clothing and become slippery and heavy. You wouldn’t want your pants to slide down when you’re out.
- The facilities weren’t complete at that time, the bathrooms had no water but there were a few working pipes outside. I had to take a shower outside to wash away the mud. Check if there is water from the pipes before going down into the mud.
- Most importantly: Enjoy the muddy experience!
You may like these posts on Miri, Sarawak
*Captain Planet passing by* Remember, please take care of our environment, and please don’t destroy the Nature. Leave no trash behind and take back only photos and memories (and also some trash if you can). BE ONE WITH NATURE *flies away*
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