Exploring Sarawak and wondering how to get from Batu Niah to Miri? We can help!
Batu Niah, or Niah Caves, is a popular place to explore. Batu Niah is the small town by the Niah Caves National Park, a popular place for tourists to visit. Miri is the main city in the area and the entrance point to many of Sarawak’s amazing attractions including Niah Caves, Mulu National Park, the Kelabit Highlands and more.
If you are visiting Sarawak, you’re probably going to need to work out how to go to Miri from Niah Caves or how to get from Miri to Niah Caves.
While Batu Niah-Miri Sarawak travel is not that far, this journey can seem complicated – at least until you take it step-by-step. It’s actually quite straightforward with many people making this journey every day.
Below, I break down exactly how to get to Miri from Batu Niah so you know exactly what you need to do, when, whether you are looking for a bus from Batu Niah to Miri, a Batu Niah to Miri taxi or driving to Miri from Batu Niah. This way, you will be exploring the top attractions in Sarawak as quick as possible!
I also describe the reverse journey from Miri to Batu Niah.
Don’t miss our full guide to visiting Niah Caves here.
Travelling to Malaysia? Click here to download your free Malaysia Trip Planning checklist. We’ll help you get ready for your trip!
Have any questions? Join our Malaysia Travel Planning Facebook group here now! It’s the perfect place to ask any questions and to be inspired.
Contents
Map: Batu Niah Miri
The distance from Batu Niah to Miri is about 83 kilometres and it takes about an hour and 30 minutes to drive. The exact driving time depends on traffic and road conditions.
It’s worth noting that Batu Niah is the small town by Niah National Park. It is not far from Niah Caves (or Gua Niah in Malay) which is what you are probably heading here for. There is also the town of Niah which is about ten kilometres from Batu Niah.
The entrance to Niah Caves National Park is usually what you are looking for so that is what this article is about.
BEST OPTION: How To Get From Batu Niah To Miri
The quickest and best option for travelling from Batu Niah To Miri is to take a private taxi or to hire a car.
The cheapest option is to take a bus and then a taxi.
Here’s a summary of your options:
| Mode of transport | Duration | Best For? | Book |
| Bus + Taxi | 2 hours 45 minutes | People who want the cheapest option | Book here |
| Car | 1 hour, 30 minutes | People who are happy to hire a car or who like to stop along the way | Book here |
| Taxi | 1 hour, 30 minutes | Anyone who wants the easiest and most straightforward way to get between Batu Niah and Miri | Ask at your hotel |
Option 1: Bus From Batu Niah To Miri
It’s easy to take a bus from Batu Niah to Miri, but first, if you are at the caves, you need to get to the town of Batu Niah.
This requires a taxi ride, and it’s about 5.6 kilometres away. You can try the Grab app to get a taxi which costs about RM6. If you have problems, ask the people working at Park Headquarters for assistance. They can hopefully call you a taxi.
From Batu Niah, buses depart every 1-2 hours in the afternoon and take about an hour and a half to Miri. There is a lack of buses at other times of day. Tickets start from RM15.
The bus lines that operate on this route are Freesia Express and Sungei Merah Express.
I recommend you buy your ticket in advance so you know you won’t be waiting hours if one is full.
Click here to see the latest timetables and prices now.
Buses arrive in Miri at Terminal Bus Miri Pujut. This is about 5 kilometres from the centre of Miri. I recommend you take a taxi via the Grab app to get to your accommodation.
Option 2: Batu Niah To Miri By Car
It’s also possible to hire a car and drive. This is what I did last time as car hire is not expensive and it was a great way to explore more places as well. I liked the flexibility this gave me.
You won’t be able to hire a car in Niah itself. You’ll need to hire this in Miri and make a return journey. Or, some rental companies will allow you to hire in Miri and drive on to Bintulu, Sibu or Kuching, but there will be a one way fee for this.
As stated above, the Batu Niah Miri distance is about 83 kilometres and it takes about an hour and 30 minutes to drive.
The road is straightforward. Once you get near Batu Caves, look out for signs for “Taman Negara Niah” (Malay for Niah National Park) when travelling to Niah Caves. On the return journey, Miri is a major city and there are more signs.
There is free parking available at the National Park Headquarters.
Click here to read more about driving in Malaysia or click here to see car rental prices.
Option 3: Batu Niah To Miri By Taxi
It’s also possible to take a taxi from Batu Niah to Miri. You can use the Grab app to try to find one (may be difficult at certain times) or ask for help at Park Headquarters. People do report having problems getting a taxi back to Miri.
The Grab price from Miri to Niah Caves was RM137 when I looked (but note that this can change depending on demand in the system).
For day trippers to Niah Caves, it can make more sense to hire a taxi for the day from Miri so you don’t have to worry about how you’ll get back. You can try to find a driver yourself or go through a local travel agent. Your hotel is usually the best place to ask.
I met someone at Niah Caves who hired a driver for the day for RM350 through his hotel
Miri To Batu Niah
Getting from Miri to Niah Caves is the same as travelling from Niah Caves to Miri. Simply reverse the instructions above.
So if you want to take a bus, take a bus from Miri to Batu Niah. These depart from Terminal Bus Miri Pujut, about 5 kilometres from the centre of Miri.
The buses mostly depart in the morning and take an hour and 40 minutes. Tickets start at RM15 with prices depending on your bus line.
Click here to see the latest schedules and prices.
Once you arrive in Batu Niah, you can try to use the Grab app to get a taxi to the National Park entrance.
If you wish to drive, you can hire a car in Miri easily to come here. Make sure you tell your car hire company you are driving here as sometimes there can be extra fees if you leave the Miri area.
You can also use the Grab app in Miri to get a taxi or try to hire one for the day if you are simply visiting Niah Caves for a day trip.
Final Words
There you have it! Miri and Batu Niah are not far apart. It is straightforward to travel between the two whether you would like to travel by taxi, car or bus.
The bus is the best option if you want to save money. Otherwise, hiring a car or a taxi does make things very simple.
I hope you found this guide to how to travel from Batu Niah to Miri useful. Check out our full guide to visiting Niah Caves here as well as all the best things to do in Miri here and all the best hotels here. You can also find our complete travel guide to Miri here or read about how to get from Miri to Bintulu here or Miri to Brunei here.
Planning a trip to Malaysia? Have any questions? Join our Malaysia Travel Planning Facebook group here now! It’s the perfect place to ask any questions and to be inspired!
