Archive for the ‘Sarawak’ Category
This vibrant Sunday market along Jalan Satok, comes alive Saturday afternoon when local traders from the outskirts of Kuching peddle their wares.
Catch a glimpse of the fat squirming grubs, sieet, or unique wild ferns “midin” and other jungle produce sold in makeshift stalls by the roadside, or simply on empty rice sacks lain on the ground.
The place truly comes alive with a riot of colours, smells and dialects as the locals converge to buy their weekly produce.
Traders sell handicrafts, clothes, fresh produce, food and drinks and much more. This is also an excellent excuse for picture taking opportunities.
Take an outing to the market, and be prepared to face a bevy of smiles, fierce haggling and friendly faces in the true Sarawakian warmth and charm.
Jalan Satok Sunday Market, Kuching Sarawak
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Mulu Caves National Park is home to one of the longest networks of caves in the world. Here lies the world’s largest underground chamber, the Sarawak Chamber, capable of accommodating forty Boeing 747 airplanes.
In Mulu, you will also find the world’s biggest cave passage, Deer Cave, which can fit five cathedrals the size of Saint Paul’s in London. Another key attraction is Clear Water Cave, the longest cave in Southeast Asia. The massive caves here are home to millions of bats and cave swiftlets that swarm out into the jungle in great clouds every evening at dusk!
The outdoorsy type will be pleasantly surprised by some of the best examples of tropical limestone weathering in the world, including enormous razor-sharp pinnacles, deep-cut canyons, appropriately named The Pinnacles. There are tough but rewarding multi-day hikes available from the resort. A guide and porter are recommended. -source: tourism malaysia.
Gunung Mulu National Park
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Gunung Gading National Park is a beautiful expanse of mountainous rainforest only two hours away from Kuching. Located near Lundu, a pleasant little town in south-west Sarawak.
Initially, the park was a closed conservation zone for the spectacular Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world that can grow up to one metre in diameter. However, after extensive environmental impact studies, the National Parks Department decided that Gunung Gading is a treasure that should be shared with the public.
It was therefore opened to the public in 1994. However, Gunung Gading National Park remains closely watched by the National Parks Department to ensure that visitors will get the best opportunities to view the flowering Rafflesia without causing any damage to the young buds and other flora in the surrounding area.
A plank walk has been built close to where the Rafflesia is commonly found, making viewing possible when the plant is in bloom.
Jungle trails lead to streams, cascading waterfalls and the mountains, with one path taking trekkers to the summit of Gunung Gading (906m). The rugged mountains within the Park provide a scenic backdrop to the nearby town of Lundu, and the beaches at Pandan and Siar. – source: tourism malaysia
Gunung Gading National Park, Sarawak
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Gazetted in 1991, Batang Ai National Park shelters many protected animals. It also serves as a water catchment area for a huge artificial lake, creating the Batang Ai Hydro-electric dam. The lake extends up to the Engkari and Ai Valleys, where the scenery complements an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity.
Because of the limited facilities available within the park, the best way to see it is by arranging to be part of a longhouse tour, where you’ll get a chance to meet natives of the Iban tribe and discover how they live in their communal house and how they interact non-destructively with nature.
Batang Ai National Park, Sarawak
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Sarawak’s oldest national park was established in 1957, covers a modest 27 sq. km., and is about 37km from Kuching. It’s known for its extraordinary natural scenery, habitats, plants and wild life. Its most significant feature are secluded coves and rugged rocky headlands with magnificent steep cliffs that overlook the South China Sea.
The sea spray, wave action and the wind have also carved out magnificent sea arches and sea stacks at the base of the cliffs, some rearing above the waves like a mighty serpent’s head. The attractive sandstone formations appear pink with iron patterns on the cliff. Further inland, waterfalls tumble down into freshwater pools in a tranquil and idyllic jungle setting. -source: tourism malaysia
Bako National Park Sarawak
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