| Places of Interest
SARAWAK
The state of Sarawak is as large as the whole of England, forming Malaysia's
largest state, and with Sabah, comprises what is known as East Malaysia.
Contrary to what a lot of the Western media would have you believe, much
of the state is still virgin jungle!
View of Kuching Across the Sarawak
River |
KUCHING
- Kuching is the capital of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak, and was
until World War II the seat of the "white Rajahs" - the Brookes. In 1841
James Brooke was made Rajah of Sarawak by the Sultan of Brunei who had
until then reigned over the region. James' nephew, Charles succeeded him
and set up a system of government for the area. It was Charles who built
many of the interesting sights in and around Kuching - the Istana, Fort
Margherita, the Courthouse and the Sarawak Museum, along with many other
fine buildings which are still used in the city. His son, Charles Vyner
Brooke continued where his father left off, until the Japanese invaded
the city at the end of 1941. After the war, the colony was ceded to Britain
until independence in 1963.
The focal point of Kuching, and the reason that it exists, is the Sarawak
River which flows through the middle of the city. The Kuching waterfront
area has been recently restored and has become a very popular meeting place,
with food stalls, restaurants and entertainment facilities. From the waterfront,
you can get great views of the Istana, Fort Margherita, and the kampungs
which line the North bank of the river.
FORT
MARGHERITA
- was built in 1879 to guard the approaches to the city from pirates. The
fort houses the Police Museum, which is interesting from the viewpoint
of the exhibits on display, which include the "laughing skulls".
View of the Istana Across the Sarawak River
from City |
THE
ISTANA
- It is currently the official residence of the Head of State of Sarawak,
however, it was originally built by Charles Brook as a bridal gift for
his wife.
The centre of the city is quite compact, and places of interest in the
city area are easily accessible on foot. It is largely a modern city with
many sights to fascinate the visitor. It is a good jumping off point for
a visit to Borneo. It is reputed to be the cleanest city in the whole of
Malaysia. One of the best museums in South-East Asia, the world famous
Sarawak Museum, is located in the city, and contains displays which will
give the visitor an important insight into life in the villages of Borneo,
the various tribes of the region, a cross section of the history of the
area, and wonderful displays of the flora and fauna of the region. The
museum houses an exceptional ethnographic collection, a very diverse collection
of Chinese ceramics and furniture, and some excellent archaeological exhibits.
We would recommend a tour of the museum prior to travelling too far from
Kuching, as it will give you an insight into everything that you will experience
while in Borneo.
Kuching is possibly the best place in the whole of Borneo to buy artefacts
and handcrafts from the entire region, particular in the shops along the
Main Bazaar, which runs along the waterfront and is the oldest street in
Kuching.
Water village near Bako National
Park |
BAKO
NATIONAL
PARK - Bako National Park is the oldest park in Sarawak,
being created in the 1950's, and offers the perfect introduction to Sarawak's
forests and wildlife. It is the home of Proboscis Monkeys, Long-tailed
Macaques, Silver leaf monkeys, wild boars, squirrels, monitor lizards,
and magnificent bird life. A special aspect of Bako is its plant life.
Proboscis monkey in the mangroves - Bako N.P. |
It contains a wide range of vegetation - peat swamp forests, padang (grassland)
vegetation, mangrove forest, dipterocarp forest, cliff vegetation beach
vegetation, heath, and pitcher plants - it is said that it is possible
to see almost every type of vegetation found in Borneo.
The Sea Stack |
Access to the area is only by boat. Bako also has some good white sand beaches.
All the beaches are are bordered by limestone and sandstone cliffs. The action
of the sea has left some unusual rock formations, such as the well known "Sea
Stack". It is possible to spend a half day, a full day or even a number of days
in the area. We recommend that a full day trip be allocated to the area to be
able to take in the various diversity of the Park.
SARAWAK
CULTURAL VILLAGE - "See Sarawak in half a day"! Located
just outside Kuching near Santubong, it gives the visitor a good insight
into the day to day life in a typical village atmosphere, with displays
of dances, music, crafts and artefacts. There are replica buildings representing
every major ethnic group in Sarawak, staffed by members of those ethnic
groups in traditional costumes, carrying out traditional activities. Follow this
link to find out more The Living Museum
Arrival by boat at Hilton
Batang Ai Resort  |
BATANG AI
- Batang Ai means "main river". The river has been dammed to form the site
of one of the largest hydroelectric schemes in the region. A huge reservoir
has been formed which has drowned some of the valleys of the area, and
with it, a number of villages and longhouses. The reservoir, however, has
provided a magnificent backdrop to some breathtaking scenery, and provides
an easy means for accessing areas upstream of the dam. Beyond the lake,
visitors can see wonderful dipterocarp forests with drooping trees overhanging
the river. In this area the primary means of transport is by boat on the
rivers. Batang Ai National Park is but a boat trip away, and has a huge
variety of wildlife and flora to amaze the visitor. The trip to the park
takes you up river past tiny villages and fish farms. A short hike through
areas of the park will provide an insight into the flora and fauna of the
region. The park is home to wild Orang-utans and many other protected wildlife
such as the hornbills and gibbons.
Trekking in
Batang
Ai
National Park |
Another major attraction of
this area are the Iban longhouses. Visitors to the area are able to experience
the authentic longhouse atmosphere as the traditional lifestyle is still,
today, practiced by the longhouse dwellers. |
A Trip by
Longboat
on the
Batang River |
Nanga Murat Longhouse on the Skrang
River |
SKRANG
RIVER -
Skrang is an exciting destination for the tourist who wishes to see and
experience life in a long house. The journey to Skrang is firstly by road,
and then by a motor propelled long boat up the river.
The highlight of any visit to a Skrang longhouse the entertainment by
the longhouse residents featuring traditional dances and music. Tuak, the
locally brewed rice wine, is generally served during the entertainment.
View of Miri from Canada
Hill |
MIRI -
Miri is
the gateway to the North of Sarawak, and is a coastal city located just
South of the Sarawak/Brunei border. The city has developed largely as a
result of the oil industry and timber tycoons, and much of the economy
of the area is today derived from the oil companies. It is also a popular
spot among the many expats working in Brunei for rest and recreation.
The charm of the city lies in its wonderful mixture of races, culture
and language. Its population is made up largely of natives, malays, chinese
and expats. There are some wonderful open air markets to entice shoppers
with numerous local wares, local fruits, exotic batiks, clothes and fragrant
rice and a host of other goods. The most popular market is Tamu Muhibbah,
which is also open in the evening.
Oil Well No.1 on Canada
Hill |
Tourists to the area can visit the long jetty, which is an ideal spot
to watch the sun set over the South China Sea, Oil Well No. 1 on Canada
Hill where oil was first discovered in Sarawak in 1910, and various parks,
markets and local beaches.
Miri is also an excellent place for the purchase of artefacts and souvenirs
from many areas of the region. Sarawak pottery makes excellent souvenirs
and can be found at a couple of shops along the Lutong-Kuala Baram Road.
Many shops can also be found selling handicrafts such as terendak, pua
kumbu, rattan bags beads etc.
The Miri River is often alive with regattas, skiing, and rafting competitions.
MULU CAVES
- The caves of Gunung Mulu, as it is known locally, are the crowning glory
of Sarawak's national parks and contain the largest limestone cave system
in the world.
Mulu's system of caves is truly spectacular. The caves which are open
for public inspection include the world's largest natural chamber (Sarawak
Chamber), the world's largest cave passage (Deer Cave) and the longest
cave in South-East Asia (Clearwater Cave).
Langs Cave at Mulu |
A visit to Mulu Caves will generally include an afternoon/early evening
Tour of the Deer and Lang Caves on your first day in the area and a
tour of the Wind and Clearwater caves on your second day.
There is also plenty to see and do above ground, without having to venture
into the caves. The park contains 15 different types of forest - including
mixed dipterocarp, heath, peat swamp, moss forest and montane vegetation
- and thousands of species of ferns, fungi, mosses and flowering plants,
including 170 species of wild orchid and 10 species of pitcher plant. Mulu's
wildlife is as rich as its flora, and is inhabited by an impressive variety
of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects and other invertebrates.
NIAH
CAVES
- The caves are located close to the coast a couple of hours South of Miri.
They are the sight of the earliest habitation by man in South-East Asia
some 40 000 years ago. At the rear of the main cave is the smaller painted
cave with its 1000 year old rock paintings of small canoe-like boats, which
were possibly used as coffins, which indicates that the cave was probably
used as a burial ground.
Niah also supports birds nest collectors who climb up spindly scaffolding
and poles to reach the roof of the cave some 50 metres above the floor
to collect the edible white birds nests formed by swiftlets which live
in the cave, and which are used in the famous Chinese dish - "birds nest
soup".
The caves are also inhabited by bats which deposit guano on the floor
of the cave. Guano collection has become another thriving industry based
in the vicinity of the caves.
As a result of the swiftlets and the bats living together, when evening
comes along there is a wonderful spectacle of the swiftlets arriving home
as the bats depart for the night. |
SABAH
