Sarawak tourist destination

In 1958, archeologists discovered evidence of human occupation of the caves dating back some 40,000 years. Rock paintings were found in what has become known as the Painted Cave, and the discovery of several small canoe-like coffins (death ships) indicate that this site was once used as a burial ground.

Key Tips
Since the caves are home to millions of bats, it’s a good idea to wear sturdy shoes to avoid an ugly encounter with guano – bat dung.

How To Get There
By Road and River
The Park is accessible by road from Miri or Bintulu. It takes about 2 hours from Miri and 3 hours from Bintulu to Batu Niah. From Batu Niah, it is a short boat trip to the Park Headquarters.

Who to Contact
For more information, please contact Sarawak Tourism Office Tel: +6082-246 575 / 775 Email: mtpbkch@tourism.gov.my

Jungle trekking is also possible as there are four jungle trails here, the Pitcher Trail (takes about 2 hours), the Sungai Rayu Trail ( about 3 – 4 hours), the Sungai Senduk trail (about 1 hour) and Sungai Buluh trail (about 2 hours). Picnic spots, an information centre, accommodation facilities, a car park and a small canteen are available at the park HQ.

Key Tips

Although chances of seeing orang utans are very good, other animals at this centre may be a little harder to catch a glimpse of.

How To Get There

By Bus or Taxi
Matang Wildlife Centre is about 30km from Kuching City and it takes about 40 minutes to reach the Centre. Since there is no regular bus that goes directly to the centre, hiring a taxi is recommended. Alternatively, you may contact any of the travel operators who offer packaged tours.

Accommodation Booking: DynamicTourism Online Com

Enjoy and experience the fascinating view along the Sarawak River by cruising with Cenderajiwa Cruise, Sarawak traditional boat.

It will capture a Sarawakian way of life from a different perspective. Main attractions along the cruise include Malay houses on stilts, fishing villages, shipyards, sawmills and nipah palms. Delight in the breathtaking views of a violet and amber sky as the sun sets in the evening.

The rate is RM20 per person for adult and RM5 per person for child with about 1 hour cruise durations.

Don’t miss the oppurtunity to cruise with the unique traditional boat. Find out about Cenderajiwa Cruise in their official blog; cenderajiwa-cruise.blogspot.com

Sarawak Traditional CruiseSarawak River Cruise: Cendera Jiwa Cruise

A holiday in Sarawak is not complete without a visit to the longhouses that are the traditional dwellings of many of the natives here such as the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu. A longhouse is a terraced street of separate dwellings covered by one roof. A tuai rumah (headman) is the head of the longhouse. Every family has their own separate bilik (room). Communal activities are carried out on the ruai (verandah). Male visitors will spend a night on the verandah whereas female visitors are invited to stay in the bilik or room.

Longhouse communities normally wear practical clothes like jeans and T-shirts. They only wear their traditional costumes during festivals like Gawai Dayak or the Iban harvest festival and also during weddings. Tour groups are normally greeted with a glass of tuak or rice wine and a welcome dance. After that, they will tour the longhouses and will be entertained by various cultural performances. You are usually invited to join in the dancing. Visitors can spend a night at the longhouses or in a nearby guesthouse. – source: tourism malaysia.

Sarawak Longhouse

***

Lambir Hills is very popular among ecologists and researchers. Just a sample 52 hectares of the park’s 7,000 hectares revealed 1,050 different species of trees, and each tree supports 1,000 species of insect life!

Ecologists think there are many plant and insect species in the park still waiting to be discovered. This ecological wonderland is one of the most accessible of Sarawak’s national parks, just a 30-minute drive from Miri. In your eagerness to get to Mulu or Niah you should not miss out on a visit to Lambir. Its forest is home to gibbons, tarsiers, bearded pigs, flying squirrels, deer and 157 types of birds and the beautiful clouded leopard.

You will see the wildlife as you wander the park’s forest trails. The longest and toughest is to the top of Bukit Lambir (465 metres) but the superb view of the rainforest below makes the climb worth the sweat.

There is a 40m tall tree tower on the trail from which you can get a close-up view of the pulsating life of the rainforest canopy. The Park is also ideal for birdwatching.

Its close proximity to Miri makes the park ideal for a day visit, but if you want to study the wildlife at leisure, overnight accommodation is available at the park headquarters. – source: tourism malaysia.

Lambir Hill National Park

***