Siju is a small village located on a road halfway between Nongalbibra and Baghmara, the District Headquarter of South Garo Hills. Siju is well known for its huge limestone bat cave or Dobakkol which is considered one of the longest cave systems in Asia. Siju cave is 5 km away from Duramong Siju bazaar on the main road but it is motorable right up to 50 meters from the mouth of the cave. The famous Dabat wari is located in the Simsang river, just 150 meters away from the entrance of the cave.
Siju Bird Sanctuary can also be seen across the river from the Siju cave area this is known all over for Hornbills and Peacock Pheasants. However, sighting one from the cave area is rare. Trekking to the Bird Sanctuary is possible after crossing the Siju hanging bridge across the river. While trekking to the core zone of the sanctuary, we have to walk past the beautiful Goera Ronggat, a weird limestone formation which looks like the ancient ruins of Angkor wat in Cambodia. There are numerous limestone formations in the Siju area like the famous Goera Ronggat, Goera Rongchang, Siju Cave etc. The Siju cave is one of the least explored caves in Meghalaya, however, it has been explored to a depth of about 5 Km but till today no one has reached the end or explored and mapped it completely. Siju cave has a species of white blind fishes, thriving in the deep pools of the cave along with thousands of bats who made this cave their home for thousands of years. Hence, the name Bat Cave or Dobakkol. For avid trekkers, trekking to Chitmang peak (2nd highest peak in Garo Hills) can also be arranged on request via Rongsu village.
Siju is also known for its marine fossil beds. There are lots of fossilized limestone rocks all over Siju where amulets, shells, starfishes and other marine life forms can be seen in fossilized forms, and are millions of years old. Scientists will have a field day studying these fossils, which can shed more light on the pre-historic life forms of the region. Siju is like a time capsule waiting to be opened with secrets waiting to be revealed.
