MY · Sabah · 5.42°N 117.94°E

agop batu tulug caves

Wooden coffins carved with buffalo and crocodile heads, in caves above the Kinabatangan river.

Best time
Any time of year. The drier months, roughly March to September, keep the stairs less slippery. Go in the morning before the heat.
How long
Half a day
Getting there
Fly from KL to Sandakan (about 2 hours 40 minutes), then drive about 1.5–2 hours south on the Sandakan–Lahad Datu road to Batu Puteh, where it crosses the Kinabatangan. There's no handy public transport, so drive or hire a driver. It fits easily into a Kinabatangan river trip.
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MY · Sabahagop batu tulug caves5.42°N 117.94°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Wooden coffins carved with buffalo and crocodile heads, in caves above the Kinabatangan river.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingAgop Batu Tulug CavesMY, Sabah
KLagop batu tulug caves
≈ 1,819 km from KL, as the crow flies
Kg. Batu Putih, Sabah: Agop Batu Tulug (Batu Tulug Caves) in District Kinabatangan; Wooden Coffins

Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A limestone cliff at Batu Puteh on the Kinabatangan river, with caves holding more than a hundred wooden coffins from 500 to 900 years ago. Many are carved with buffalo heads, crocodiles, lizards and snakes. A small Sabah Museum gallery at the foot of the hill tells the story of the finds.

Makan

  1. UFO tartsSandakan's little sponge tarts topped with custard and meringue. Pick some up before the drive.Map ↗
  2. Sandakan seafoodBack in town, prawns, crab and fish at the seafood restaurants by the bay.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. The coffin cavesStairs climb the cliff to the caves, where the carved belian coffins lie much as they were found.Map ↗
  2. The museum galleryDisplays at the foot of the hill on the coffins, their carvings and their discovery in 1984.Map ↗
  3. A night on the riverBatu Puteh's community homestay runs boat trips for proboscis monkeys and hornbills if you want to stay over.Map ↗

Good to know

  • The site reopened in May 2026 after almost a year's closure.
  • The stairs are steep and get slippery after rain. Wear shoes with grip.
  • These are graves. Don't touch the coffins, and keep your voice down.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.