Fairy Cave (Sarawak)

Fairy Cave is a part of Bau limestone formation which was formed during the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous period, dated approximately 163 to 100 million years ago.^[3][4] The creation of this limestone occurred through deposition in a shallow marine setting characterized by warm ocean currents, located far from sources of land-based sediments. This process included the gathering of shells, coral reefs, and pieces of marine organisms, along with the precipitation of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) from seawater, resulting the formation of limestone.^[5]

One of the legends that is famous among the Bidayuh community is the stalagmites and stalactites inside cave are villagers who had angered the gods and were turned into stone.^[6] It is believed that these villagers were being cruel towards the children and especially the orphans.^[2] Some version has it that the villagers humiliated a boy during a Gawai celebration and thus resulting them to be punished in the similar way.^[7] Some local Chinese believed that the cave is the home of Chinese deities.^[6]