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Destinations
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Places of Interest |
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Kuching and Southwest Sarawak. Capital of Sarawak, Kuching is located on the banks of the Sarawak River. The river divides it into two districts - the northern district where the government owned-buildings are mostly are, and the southern district, a commercial spot. The Jalan Tun Haji Openg Main Bazaar and Lebuh Temple roughly demarcate southern district from Kuching’s own Chinatown. The river also features an elegant European-styled walkway fondly called Kuching Waterfront. |
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Sibu. Sarawak’s second largest town along the banks of Rajang River, Sibu is also a bustling trading spot. The town is also the main staging point for upriver safaris to the longhouses of the Kayan and Kenyah. The Sibu Civic Centre has an exhibition hall for tribal antiques and ancient photographs of the town. The Lembangan Market is where hundreds of stalls that sell exotic and local products are found. |
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Bintulu. Quiet and serene, Bintulu is a town about 30 minutes from Sibu and a mid-point to the Similajau and Niah National Parks. There is a night market at Jalan Kampung Dagang known to the locals as Medan Pasar Malam. Kampung Jepak showcases the traditional huts of the Melanau fishing community. |
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Miri and Northeast Sarawak. Known as the ‘ Oil Town’ because there are some 624 oil wells around, Miri is the fourth division in Sarawak. The first oil well is called the ‘Grand Old Lady’ is situated atop Canada Hill. Tamu Muhibbah is a market where the Orang Ulu, one of the ethnic groups, sell exotic jungle products.
Miri offers some of the most beautiful natural wonders. The remarkable Gunung Mulu National Park, the famous Niah Caves National Park and one of the world’s most diverse rainforest, the Lambir National Park are located here. The Lambir Hills National Park is only 20km south of Miri has sandstone hills and breathtaking waterfalls where visitors can enjoy the exotic natural flora and fauna. There are tree towers for bird watching and jungle trails that lead through the forest.
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Damai and Santubong. The Santubong Peninsula, which is about 35 minutes by road from Kuching, is a popular retreat for locals. It offers a few places for bird watching. Buntal Village is arguably the best place to start because it is an important wintering ground for migratory birds between the months of October and March. The variety includes plovers, sandpipers, egrets and terns while resident birds include the Collared Kingfisher, the White-bellied Sea Eagle and the Brahminy Kite. Visitors can jungle trek to the summit of 810-metre high Mount Santubong using either one of the two trails that would take approximately about eight hours. |
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Sarawak Cultural Village. Situated about 40 minutes by road from Kuching, the Sarawak Cultural Village is also known as the ‘ Living Museum’. It was constructed to preserve Sarawak’s cultural heritage at Pantai Damai and Santubong. It is an ideal place to know more about the different cultures and people that make up the state.
Seven unique traditional houses are scattered over this beautiful 17-acre site where natives demonstrate their traditional activities like sago processing, traditional cake making, handicraft making. Visitors get to savour traditional dances performed by the natives in their finest costumes and get to see the model houses of every major ethnic group such as the longhouses of the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu peoples, a Penan hut, a Melanau tall house, a Malay house and a Chinese farmhouse. Every building has members of the various ethnic groups dressed in their traditional costumes and performing their traditional activities.
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The Cat Statue. The statue stands at the junction of Jalan Pandungan, Jalan Central Timur and Petanak Central Market. It is the symbol of Sarawak’s capital, Kuching, which means ‘cat’ in Malay. Unveiled in 1988, this famous landmark was built to commemorate Kuching’s declaration of city status. |
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Cat Museum. Cat lovers would fall in love with the collection of more than 2,000 cat artefacts and memorabilia in this museum located at Bukit Siol. The museum also offers seminars and international conferences for cat lovers’ club from all over the world. The Cat Information Centre provides history and research materials about cats. Opens from Tuesday to sunda from 9.00am to 5.00pm. |
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Santubong Fishing Village. This picturesque fishing village is 32 km from Kuching and can be reached by express boat or taxi from downtown Kuching. It has good beaches and is the site of several archaeological discoveries. Ancient Hindu and Buddhist rock carvings have been found around the Santubong River delta.
During the Tang and Sung dynasties from the 9th till the 13th centuries, Santubong was an important trading centre.
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Skrang River Safari. When in Sarawak, a visit to a longhouse is highly recommended to complete the experience. There is a longhouse safari, which begins with a four-wheel drive to the banks of the Skrang River.
From there, the safari continues down the shallow Skrang River, occasionally "shooting the rapids".
A thrilling journey along this scenic river brings you to a series of Iban longhouses made of ironwood shingles.
The longhouse has separate rooms placed side by side, all of which open onto a long communal hall, used for leisurely activities like wood carving and basket weaving.
Guests are often invited to attend nightly ceremonies and drink a potent rice wine, tuak, which the Iban make. The Iban are a hospitable people. Comfortable guesthouses are available for visitors. |
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Water World |
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Beaches & Island |
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If you are looking for white, sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, Santubong offers some of its finest beaches like Damai Beach, Teluk Bandung and Pulau Satang. There are facilities available at the Damai Golf & Country Club, Holiday Inn Damai Lagoon and Holiday Inn Resort Damai Beach. Other beaches include Pantai Siar (about 90km from Kuching), Pantai Semantan, Pantai Penyok and Pantai Bandung. These beaches are excellent for swimming, snorkelling and other sea sports and activities. Pulau Satang Besar, located north of Kampung Telaga Air, is a designated turtle sanctuary that protects green turtles. Boats can be hired from the village to the island. |
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| Click here to find out more about Water World at other destinations |
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Nature’s Trail |
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National Parks. Sarawak is famous for its numerous and fabulous national parks be it for a thrilling adventure or a fun-filled but relaxing holiday. Facilities like tents, fully equipped chalets, rest houses and canteens are available and there are many local tour operators who are trekking expedition specialists. |
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Gunung Gading National Park is about five minutes by road from the town of Lundu in Southwest Sarawak. Its biggest attraction is the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia. This park was opened to the public in mid 1994 and is a conservation zone for the rare bloom.
Batang Ai National Park, which covers more than 24,000 ha and is the site of the Batang Ai Hydroelectric Dam. It is also the home to Orang Utan, gibbons and hornbills. |
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Gunung Mulu National Park is situated about 100km east of Miri, Spanning 554 square kilometres and covered by a magnificent rainforest, the park was registered as a national park in 1974 and is home to more than 20,000 animal and some 3,500 plant species. This place was also recently gazetted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site |
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Gazetted as a national park in 1857, Bako National Park is Sarawak oldest national park. It spans about 2,742 ha and is located about 37km from Kuching. Bako is one of the smallest parks in Sarawak but it is known for its extraordinary variety of plant and wildlife species. One of its main attractions is its incredible variety of fauna. Almost every type of vegetation found in Sarawak can be found in Bako. Visitors are also able to see long-tailed macaques and silver leaf monkeys and chance upon the rare proboscis monkeys, particularly in Telok Paku and Telok Delima. Other wild denizens of Bako include the Oriental Small-clawed Otter, the Hairy Nosed Otter, the Borneo Bearded Pig, the Sun Lizard, the Grass Green Whip Snake, flying lemurs, pangolins and Wagler’s Pit Viper. At sunset on Teluk Assam beach near the park headquarters, visitors get to watch hundreds of swifts flying around their nests near the rocks. There are also more than 150 species of birds here. Among the trails in Bako include Telok Paku (0.8km), Tajor (2.75km), Tanjung Rhu (1.8km) and Ulu Serait (2.75km). At certain fixed periods, some of Bako’s long distance trails might be closed temporarily to trekkers due to conservation work. This is to ensure that these places are left completely undisturbed. You have to obtain a permit to visit the park at the Visitor’s Information Centre in Kuching or obtain a permit upon arrival. |
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The Similajau Park, located about 20km northeast of Bintulu, boasts of emerald waters, tropical rainforest and long and golden sandy beaches. Opened to the public in 1995, the park offers a host of activities from trekking to bird watching to coastal and river cruises. Its wide-open spaces are ideal for watching some of the 185 species of birds such as hornbills and eagles. There are also more than 20 species of mammals, including wild boars and macaques. Saltwater crocodiles and green turtles are also found in this park. |
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Other national parks are Kubah National Park (2,230 hectares), Lambir Hills National Park (6,952 hectares), Tanjung Datu National Park (1,379 hectares) and Loagan Bunut National Park (10,736 hectares). |
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Kubah |
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Loagan Bunut |
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Cave. Sarawak is famed for its magnificent collection of limestone caves that includes the world famous and largest underground chamber called Sarawak Chamber. The place measures 400 metres in width and 600 metres in length – spacious enough to house London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Of the 25 caves and passages discovered, only a few are open to the public. The unique ‘show caves’ are Deer Cave, Lang Cave, the Cave of Winds and Clearwater Cave. These grottos are well lit and have sturdy walkways and plank-walks to make it easier for adventurous visitors to enjoy their exploration.
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Deer Cave is the largest cave passage in the world. It is over two kilometres in length and is high and wide to hold up 47 jumbo jets. The main chamber is 174 metres wide and 122 metres high. It is also home to millions of wrinkle-lipped bats that leave the cave in search of food at dusk.
Lang Cave, next to Deer Cave is the smallest cave in the park. It boasts of its own beauty. The stalactites and stalagmites found in this cave are unique and have their own limestone creations.
The Clearwater Cave spanning over 100km is the longest cave passage in Southeast Asia. It has a well-shaded river where swimming and picnic activities can be enjoyed and a subterranean river, which is navigable by boat. There are also rare species of orchids, pitcher plants and the one-leafed plant, which is only found in Mulu. Wind Cave, which is part of the Clearwater Cave system is assessible by a walkway that leads from the riverbanks. It also has many impressive stalactites, stalagmites, rock corals and flow rocks.
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Niah Caves National Park. Best known for the discovery of prehistoric human remains dating back to 30,000 years ago, Niah Caves is also one of the birthplaces of civilisation. Hidden in the forests of Miri, the park covers more than 3,140 ha and has a big cave known as the Great Cave as well as some smaller grottos. Niah Caves National Park is reachable by road from Miri or Bintulu. It takes about two hours to reach Batu Niah from Miri and approximately three hours from Bintulu. The final journey is a short boat ride to the park’s headquarters. Read more.. |
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Gunung Mulu National Park. The majestic Gunung Mulu, rising over a mass of sandstone and shale, dominates the Gunung Mulu National Park in the Miri and Limbang Division. The park covers 52,866 hectares of the shale and sandstone, flanked by limestone outcrops with virgin tropical forests at the lower slopes, seeing montane vegetation at the upper region.
It was gazetted as a National Park in 1974. The mix of natural habitats amidst such wild and rugged scenery makes it one of Sarawak's most popular destinations. Among its attractions are the spectacular pinnacle rock formations tucked in the valley of Gunung Api and its cave complexity. Read more.. |
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Mountains. Another important archaeological research site is Gunung Sabis, where Palaeolithic and Neolithic tools and human remains were found in 1873. Artefacts of cave dwellers from 40,000 years ago were also found here.The 2,376-metre high Gunung Mulu is the state’s second highest mountain. The others are Gunung Api (1,750 metres) and Gunung Benarat (1,585 metres).
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Historical & Heritage |
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Sarawak Museum. The Sarawak Museum is located at Jalan Tun Haji Openg. It was built in 1891. Stored inside and on display are Kayan and Kenyah woodcarvings, Iban war totems, musical instruments, antique Islamic and Chinese ceramics and life-size models of a Penan hut and an Iban longhouse. |
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Astana. Situated along the northern bank of the Sarawak River, the Astana was built in 1870 as a wedding gift from Rajah Charles Brooke to his wife, Ranee Margaret. Today, it is the official residence of the Yang Di-pertuan Negeri of Sarawak, the official head of the state. Fort Margherita, right across the Kuching Waterfront was a fort built in 1879 by Brooke. Named after his wife, it stands at Jalan Sapi and was later converted into the Police Museum in 1971. |
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Colonial District. There are many old architectural monuments that survived World War II in the Colonial District. The Courthouse, with ironwood roofs, was built in 1874 with Roman, British and traditional architecture influence. It was a place for gathering of all the government offices until 1973 and now serves as the High Court and Magistrate Court. A clock tower was added in 1833 and the Charles Brooke Memorial in 1924.
The Pavilion Building was built in 1907 with a late English renaissance and colonial style and design and is now a textile museum. The Sarawak Steamship Building was built 23 years later, which now houses a tourist information centre and souvenir stalls. With its distinct columns and arches, the Round Tower at Jalan Tun Haji Openg was built in 1931. The Bishop’s House was built for Borneo’s first Anglican Bishop in 1849.
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Tua Pek Kong Temple. Located at Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, across the Kuching Waterfront, this magnificently decorated temple with a history that dates back to the late 1800s. The oldest Chinese temple in Kuching, it is most busy during the Wang Kang festival, held annually to commemorate the deceased. |
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Chinese History Museum. Lies directly opposite the Tua Pek Kong Temple, this museum exhibits artifacts of the early traders during the 10th century, initial migration from various regions of China and some documents from the 19th century. |
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Flora & Fauna |
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Semenggoh Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre. The Semenggoh Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, which is situated 30km south of Kuching is a home for the Orang Utan primates orphaned or rescued from captivity. These highly intelligent animals are trained to live independently at the centre before being released in the surrounding forest reserves. A permit is required to visit this centre, which can be obtained free from the Visitor’s Information Centre near Padang. |
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Matang Wildlife Centre. Located in the Kubah National Park, about 35km from Kuching, the centre is home for endangered wildlife with large enclosed areas of rainforest and cages. The Matang Wildlife Centre provides shelter for isplaced animals like sun bears, sambar deer and civets and houses three large bird sanctuaries that are home to sea eagles, hornbills and many other birds found in Sarawak. There is also training programme that teaches the orang utan how to survive in the wild.
Adventurous trekkers can hit the jungle trails that include the Pitcher Trail, the Sungai Rayu Trail, the Sungai Senduk Trail and the Sungai Buluh Trail. There are picnic spots, accommodation facilities, a car park and a small canteen for visitors who intend to stay overnight. An information centre is also located here.
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Jong Crocodile Farm. The Jong Crocodile Farm, located about an hour’s drive from the city at Serian Highway is the place where visitors get to see the snappy reptiles up close. The farm also houses a small zoo. |
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| Click here to find out more about Flora Fauna at other destinations |
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