INTRODUCTION
Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia. It covers an area of 124,000 square kilometres and has a coastline of some 800km facing the South China Sea. Lying on the northwest coast of Borneo, the third largest island in the world, Sarawak shares its boundaries with Kalimantan (Indonesia Bomeo) in the south, Brunei and Sabah in the north.
Sarawak is also known as 'The land of many rivers'. The rivers provide natural means of transportation and communication. The 590km long Sungai Rejang is the longest river in the country. The rivers together with the wide spread trunk roads and well connected domestic air links make traveling to interior destinations easily accessible.
Once ruled by the three White Rajahs for about 100 years from 1841-1941, there are many a romantic past told about the wars and glimpses of the bygone era of the Brookes. The battles between the pirates and the Brooke forces, the rebellions by Dayaks, Malays and Chinese gold miners had filled Sarawak past with mystery and excitement. The famous Sarawak Museum with its huge collection of native heritage and artefacts, also houses the best collection of its rich history. Today, despite her rapid urbanisation, many historical remains of the Brookes can still be found at Kuching and other parts of Sarawak.
SARAWAK - LOCATION MAP
SARAWAK - GETTING THERE
BY AIR
Air Modern jet aircraft connect Sarawak with the outside world and connect the main centers within the State while smaller turbo-prop planes make once remote settlements easily accessible for the visitor.
Kuching International Airport has direct flights to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bandar Seri Begawan and Perth in Western Australia and to Hong Kong via Kota Kinabalu. There are also direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Miri and Sibu, from Johor Bahru to Kuching, and from Kota Kinabalu and Labuan to Kuching and Bintulu.
BY ROAD
Bus, Indonesia - There are two daily bus services between Kuching and Pontianak. Journey time is roughly 10 hours.
Bus, Brunei - There are five daily bus services between Miri and Kuala Belait (2 hours), with onward connections to Bandar Sri Begawan, plus a direct mini-bus service between Miri and Bandar Sri Begawan(4 hours) twice daily.
Self Drive - Visitors may enter Sarawak from Brunei or Indonesia using their own vehicles or rental vehicles, provided they have valid international insurance cover. An international drivers licence is advisable.
KUCHING & SOUTHWEST SARAWAK
Kuching, the state capital of Sarawak (pop. 450,000 approx.), is one of the most interesting cities in Southest Asia, and one of Malaysia's most rewarding travel destinations. It has everything the discerning traveler could wish for. Kuching's romantic and unlikely history features a hundred-year dynasty of White Rajahs. Its rich and varried architectural heritage mixes many styles and influences, whilst the relaxed hospitality of its charming citizens is an object lesson in multi-culturalism. It is also the perfect base for discovering Sarawak's interior.
The city's main thoroughfare is the broad, meandering Sarawak River. In days gone by its banks were a hive of trading activity, watched over by the White Rajah from his palace. The river remainsthe focus of city life even today. The beautifully landscaped Kuching Waterfront - popular with visitors and locals alike - provides an excellent starting point for a stroll around the city centre.
Most of the main attractions are close to the Waterfront and the central business and hotel district, so a walking tour is the best way to really appreciate the city, soaking up the sights, the sounds and the atmosphere. It is very easy to cover the city center on foot or in one of the small ferries, or perahu tambang, that ply across the river. The old town consists of row upon row of 19th century Chinese shophouses, fanning out from Main Bazaar, Kuching's oldest street, These bustling streets are a browser's paradise, crammed full of restaurants, food stalls, and art and curio shops. Mosques, temples and churches are also dotted throughout the city center.
Kuching has literally dozens of historic buildings - even the courthouse and the post office are unique examples of colonial period architecture. The excellent museums include the historic Sarawak Museum, with one of the best ethnographis collections in Southeast Asia. Equally fascinating are the Islamic Museum, the Chinese History Museum and the Police Museum in Fort Margherita. Kuching means 'cat' in Malay, and a short ride to Kuching North City Hall brings you to the world's first and only Cat Museum.
The city's many attractions are backed up by excellent facilities and services. Accommodation includes international class hotels, small family run hotels, budget inns and backpacker hostels. Shoppers are spoilt for choice with modern malls, a host of traditional shophouses, and colourful street markets. The shophouses around Main Bazaar offer the best selection of arts and traditional handicrafts in the whole of Borneo, and for ecotic jungle produce and superb photo opportunities, the weekend market is in a class of its own.
Kuching has a range of sport and recreation facilities, including some excellent golf courses. Entertainment is taken care of by cineplexes, pubs, karaoke lounges, hotel bars and discotheques. Eating out is Kuching's main leisure activity, with superb seafood as the highlight. A wide range of Malaysian and international cuisine is also available in hotels and air-conditioned restaurants. Kuching has enough attractions to keep you busy for days, or even weeks. You can discover the tropical splendor of Borneo's rainforest at nearby national parks such as bako, Gunung Gading and Kubah. If you want to meet the indigenous people of Sarawak and enjoy their legendary hospitality, the Iban longhouses of the Skrang, Lemanak and Batang Ai rivers are all accessible from Kuching, as are a host of traditional Malay and Bidayuh villages. Local tour operators arrange visits, or you can make your own arrangements.
Nearby Damai is Sarawak's main beach resort area. Just 40 minutes from Kuching, it offers international class resort hotels, a jungle activity center, the world-famous Sarawak Cultural Village and a challenging, Arnold Palmer designed golf course, as well as sleepy fishing villages and rugged jungle scenery.
Kuching International Airport is only 20 minutes from the town center and 45 minutes from Damai. There are frequent flights to Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru, Kota kinabalu (Sabah) and all of Sarawak's major towns. International connections include Singapore, Brunei, Manila, Perth, Hong Kong and Pontianak (Indonesia). Kuching is also connected by road with all of Sarawak's major towns, and there are fast express boat services to many local destinations.
ISLAMIC MUSEUM
The first museum of its kind in the region, this cultural gem houses important artifacts that chronicle the development of Islamic culture within Sarawak and throughout the Malay-Indonesian archipelago. The museum is the proud custodian of the oldest extant Islamic artifact in Malaysia, an inscription stone found in Terengganu dating back to AD1302. And within its collections are curios from as far a field as China, India and Persia. The museum's main gallery houses artifacts and manuscripts which recount the arrival of Islam to the Malay-Indonesian archipelago.
The secondary gallery boasts an impressive collection of Islamic architecture and decorative arts found in mosques, palaces and forts dating from the early 7th to 8th centuries. Of particular interest are "Jubin" or ceramic tiles dating from the Safavid period of Persia in the 17th century. Also on display are wonderfully intricate tiles from Syria and Turkey. The museum's collection of ceramics extends to Persian earthenware bowls, and ' jars, mugs, bowls, plates, pitchers and vases with the earliest dating back to the 10th century.
A section is also devoted to Muslim scholars who made great advances in various fields of learning. Another section is devoted to Muslim astronomers and medics. Items displayed include astro-navigational instruments such as astrolabes, which were early astro-navigation instruments. Rare, ancient science and literary religious manuscripts as well as outstanding Islamic calligraphy dating back to the 15th century are also on display. Other exhibits of interest include Islamic weaponry dating back to the 17th century, such as keris (kris), daggers, swords and firearms from the Ottoman period, and body armour from the Persian Qajar period (1840-1850). There are also coins of various periods and items of trade on display.
LONGHOUSES - VISIT AT HOME WITH THE PEOPLE OF SARAWAK
One of the most memorable experiences Sarawak has to offer is a visit to a longhouse, where you can observe a unique way of life and enjoy legendary Dayak hospitality. These thriving communities, whole villages under one roof, are not relics from the days of tribal warfare - they are the preferred way of life for a large percentage of Sarawak's rural people, particularly the Iban, the Bidayuh and the Orang Ulu.
Nowadays most longhouse dwellers are hard working farmers, and wear practical modern clothing for work and leisure. However, if you visit as part of an organized tour group, they will take great pride in wearing their traditional costumes and regalia and performing elaborate dances and welcoming rituals for their visitors.
The long covered gallery that runs the length of an Iban longhouse is called the ruai, and this is where you will be greeted. A miring ceremony is frequently conducted to welcome visitors, where offerings of food and drink are presented to the local deities to ensure their good will. After the miring, guests will be invited to sample a glass of tuak, a potent local rice wine, and drink to everybody's good health. Visitors are then entertained with traditional music, dances and games. After the locals have had their turn, the guests are expected to join in the fun. Anyone who refuses will soon find themselves dragged to their feet by the young ladies of the longhouse and forced to take part in the dancing.
After the entertainment is finished there are a number of options, depending on how adventurous you are. Some tour operators arrange for visitors to eat a traditional longhouse dinner with their host family and sleep on mattresses in the ruai, according to Iban tradition. Others may put their guests up in a simple guesthouse nearby, with more familiar cuisine prepared by the tour guide, who is always an accomplished cook. For lovers of luxury, a few 'longhouse resorts' are now operating, managed by professional hoteliers and serving international cuisine in resort style comfort.
Visitors who stay more than one night can get to see Iban culture at first hand, visiting the rice fields and pepper gardens, and learning how the Iban make use of the rainforest for all of their everyday needs. Some tours can last a week or more, with visits to a number of longhouses and a fair amount of jungle trekking. Second and subsequent evenings are more low-key, with visitors sitting in the ruai, drinking tuak or coffee and chatting with their hosts. The Iban are very sociable people, and many can speak English, so some fascinating conversations are guaranteed.
The journey to and from the longhouse is a very interesting and enjoyable experience. After a ride in an air-conditioned bus, a short trip in a traditional longboat introduces you to the pleasures of upriver travel. These narrow wooden craft are safe and very sturdy, and the Iban are expert boatman. There are four main areas for visiting Iban longhouses - the Skrang River, the Lemanak River, Batang Ai, and the middle Rejang River. Most tour groups will generally visit the first three, which are half a day away from Kuching, whilst independent travellers usually opt for the Rejang area around the town of Kapit, a half day's travel from Sibu. A few specialist operators also visit Orang Ulu longhouses deep in Sarawak's interior, where visitors are seldom seen, although these trips require quite a lot of time.
Another interesting possibility is a trek through the beautiful Bario Highlands, staying overnight in remote Kelabit longhouses. Visitors with little time to spare can visit a Bidayuh longhouse on a day trip from Kuching, or an Iban longhouse from Sibu or Miri. However, overnight stays are strongly recommended, to get the most from your visit.
SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE (LIVING MUSEUM)
Do not leave Kuching without visiting the Living Museum
Popularly known as the Living Museum, The Sarawak Cultural Village is a showcase for Sarawa's rich cultural diversity. Visitors to the Village can sample instant Sarawak all in one single place. The Cultural Village built on a six hectares site at the foothill of the legendary Mt Santubong is 35 kilometres from Kuching City and is a stone's throw away from Damai Holiday Inn, a beach resort.
The Cultural,Village is tastefully landscaped with a manmade lake at the centre surrounded by 7 authentic replicas of ethnic houses: the Bidayuh centre house and longhouse, the Than longhouse, the Penan hut, the Orang Ulu longhouse, the Melanau Rumah Tinggi, the Malay house and the Chinese farmhouse. Displayed in each house are many artefacts made by the individual dwellers. Demonstration of arts and crafts like beadworks, wood and bamboo carvings, pua weaving, straw weaving can be seen while touring the Village.
The rich cultural heritage in the form of dances and music presented by various ethnic groups is one of the highlights of the visit. The grand cultural show which lasts about one hour is performed in the Village air-con theatrette.
SEMENGGOH WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTRE
Unlike in a zoo, the Orang Utan at Semenggoh Rehabilitation Centre are set free in a 740-hectare forest reserve. Here, the Orang Utans are being nurtured to readapt themselves to the jungle life. The Centre, 32 kilometres south of the Capital, is one of many outdoor attractions of Kuching.
Iron stained rocks
A 30-minute leisurely stroll on the specially built plankwalks from the entrance to the Rehabilitation Centre also provides an opportunity to view various species of trees from, the rainforest and some tropical fruit trees.
The Centre opens daily from 8.35am - 3.45pm including Sundays and Public Holidays. A visit to the Centre is recommended at or before the feeding times for the orang Utan. The feeding times are 8.30am - 9.00am and 11.45am - 12.00noon in the morning and 3.00pm - 3.15pm in the afternoon.
Besides the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, there are three Wildlife Sanctuaries in Sarawak. These are areas designated for the protection and preservation of wildlife, particularly the rare species, in the state. These are the:-
Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary in Lubok Antu, located in the Second Division of Sri Aman,
Sibuti Wildlife Sanctuary in Miri,
Samunsan Wildlife Sanctuary in Sematan and
Matang Wildlife Centre near Kuching.
SARAWAK HANDICRAFT CENTRE
Many thanks and deep appreciation to the state government for giving the historical Round Tower to Sarawak Craft Council (SCC) to showcase Sarawak handicraft products. The Round Tower was one of the first buildings to be constructed of brick after the disastrous fire that destroyed most of the neighbouring wooden shophouses in Kuching in 1884. It was initially used as a government dispensary and later housed various government departments.
The first floor will be used as administrative office and the ground floor will be used as showroom. Also, at the ground floor craftsmen will be invited to demonstrate the many type of handicrafts produced by craftsmen of Sarawak. The Round Tower provides the bird view of the handicrafts produced in Sarawak. Visitors could see live demonstration of various weavings - pua kumbu, basketry and mat making from bemban and rattan, wood carving and bead working.
The Sarawak handicraft centre was officially opened by Sarawak Tourism Minister, The Honourable Dato Sri Abang Hj. Abdul Rahman Zohari Bin Tun Abang Hj. Openg, on 19 June 2004.
NIAH NATIONAL PARK
Niah is one of Sarawak's smaller national parks, but it is certainly one of the most important, and has some of the most unusual visitor attractions. The park's main claim to fame is its role as one of the birthplaces of civilisation in the region. The oldest modern human remains discovered in Southeast Asia were found at Niah, making the park one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Yet there is much more to Niah than archaeology. A vast cave swarming with bats and swiftlets; the thriving local economy based on bird-nests and guano; ancient cave paintings; a majestic rainforest criss-crossed with walking trails; abundant plant and animal life - all these and more make up the geological, historical and environmental kaleidoscope that is Niah.
Entry Permits & Fees
There is a nominal entry fee for all National Parks in Sarawak. Photo permits are also required. Check with the National Parks and Wildlife Offices in Miri or Kuching, or with the Sarawak Tourism Board, for the latest fee structure. Day trippers to Niah can obtain a permit and pay any fees at the Park Headquarters.
LOCATION MAP
NIAH NATIONAL PARK - GETTING THERE
Niah is within easy reach of both Miri (109 km) and Bintulu (131 km).
From Miri:
Syarikat Bas Suria (Tel: 085-434317/412173)
has a regular bus service to Barn Niah from the Miri Bus Station. The journey time is 1 hr 40 mins. Share taxis from the Bus Station are available, as are regular taxis, which can usually be chartered on a daily basis. A number of tour operators can arrange guided tours to the park. Self-drive cars are also available - ask at your hotel counter or check in the yellow pages.
From Bintulu:
Syarikat Bas Suria (Tel: 086-335489) has a regular bus service to Batu Niah from Bintulu Bus Station. The journey time is 2 hrs. Share taxis from the Bus Station are available, as are regular taxis, which can usually be chartered on a daily basis. Self-drive cars are also available - ask at your hotel counter or check in the yellow pages.
From Batu Niah to the Park Headquarters:
The Park HQ is about 3 kin from Barn Niah. Chartered taxis and tour buses will take you straight there, but if you arrive by bus or share taxi, you have three choices. A motorised longboat from Batu Niah to the Park HQ brings you through delightful jungle scenery. A taxi from Batu Niah is not so interesting but a good idea if it is raining. If you are not too heavily burdened with luggage, the Park HQ is a pleasant 45 minute stroll along the river bank.
NIAH - EARLY HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
Niah's importance was first realised in 1957. The curator of the Sarawak Museum, Tom Harrisson, led an archaeological dig at the West Mouth of the Great Cave. The excavations revealed plenty of evidence of human settlements in the area; tools, cooking utensils and ornaments, made of bone, stone or clay. The types of items found suggested a long period of settlement reaching back into the palaeolithic era (the earliest part of the stone age).
In 1958, a discovery was made which confirmed Niah's place as a site of major archaeological significance. Harrisson and his team unearthed a skull which was estimated to be 40,000 years old. The find was at first ridiculed by the scientific community, for it was the skull of a modern human (homo sapiens sapiens), and it was widely believed that Borneo was settled much later. However, as dating techniques improved, and as more evidence of the settlement of Southeast Asia and Australasia came to light, Harrisson was proved right.
What is most interesting about Niah, however, is the comtinued human presence over tens of thousands of years, and the sophistication of the societies that gradually developed there. A large burial site further into the mouth of the cave had clearly been used from palaeolithic times right up to the modern era, as late as 1400 AD. The earliest graves, found in the deepest levels, were simple shallow graves without adornment. Yet moving up through the layers, conffins and urns appeared, along with grave goods such as pottery, textiles and ornaments, and even glass and metal items, which came comparatively late to Borneo.
The Great Cave is not the only important archaeological site. The Painted Cave, as its name suggests, houses detailed wall-paintings depicting the boat journey of the dead into the afterlife. The meaning of the paintings was explained by the discovery of a number of "death-ships" on the cave floor - boat-shaped coffins containing the remains of the deceased and a selection of grave-goods considered useful in the afterlife, such as Chinese ceramics, ornaments and glass beads. The death-ships have been dated as ranging between 1 AD and 780 AD, although local Penan folklore tells of the use of death-ship burials as late as the 19th century.
NIAH - THE PAINTED CAVE
Shortly after the Moon Cave, the plankwalk emerges into daylight and a short pathway through the forest leads to the Painted cave. This is the site of the Famous Niah cave paintings and the place where the 'death-ships' were found. The contents of the death-ships have since been transferred to the Sarawak Museum, but the cave paintings and some of the empty death-ships can still be viewed on the wall behind the fenced-off burial site.
The painting can be difficult to see unless you allow your eyes to become accustomed to the light. They are rendered in red hematite and cover a long narrow strip (approximately 30m) at the back of the cave wall. They portray spread-eagled human figures, probably representing warriors and hunters, some of the animals of the surrounding forest, and - most importantly - longboats carrying the souls of the souls of the deceased on the dangerous journey to the land of the dead.
Although the burial site at the Painted Cave is far more recent than those at the Great Cave, It is no less important as it offers a clear insight into the development of the traditional religions of Borneo. It is worth spending some time at the Painted Cave, as the atmosphere of the place is very tranquil and relaxing. It is easy to understand why Niah's earlier inhabitants felt it was a suitable resting place for their ancestors.
