INTRODUCTION
Sarawak is Malaysia's largest state. It lies in East Malaysia and shares the island of Borneo with the eastern state of Sabah, the separate country of Brunei and the Indonesian provinces of Kalimantan.
Sarawak is the largest and, certainly in terms of visitors per square kilometer, least touristed state of Malaysia. Nearly as large as peninsular Malaysia, the interior is covered in a thicket of impenetrable jungle and mountains and the great majority of the population lives near the coast or along rivers leading to the sea.
DIRECTIONS TO SARAWAK
Alone among Malaysia's states, Sarawak maintains separate immigration control, mostly so mainlanders cannot freely immigrate and swamp the thinly populated state. Even if coming in from elsewhere in Malaysia, Malaysians need to bring along their ID and other foreigners need to fill out a second immigration from. Still, for most travellers this is just a formality and an interesting extra stamp in their passport, as anybody who does not need a visa for Malaysia can get a free 90-day visit permit on arrival. If you do need an advance visa for Malaysia, you'll need one specifically for Sarawak, so be sure to state this when applying at the Malaysian embassy.
By plane
Most visitors arrive in Sarawak by plane. The largest gateway is Kuching, about 1.5 hours away from both Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu, which also has a few direct international flights to Hong Kong and Perth. Other airports with domestic connections to peninsular Malaysia on both Malaysian Airlines and Air Asia include Miri, Sibu and Bintulu.
By land
There are direct international buses from Pontianak, Indonesia to Kuching as well as from Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei to Miri.
GETTING AROUND SARAWAK
Sarawak is big and, by otherwise high Malaysian standards, its roads are poor, making planes the most convenient way of getting around. For example, it's about 1 hour from Kuching to Miri by plane (full fare RM164), but a butt-numbing 14 hours by bus (RM70).
By plane
There are frequent flights between Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri, as well as turboprop jungle hoppers run by Fly Asian Xpress (FAX) (formerly MAS Rural Air Service) into remote longhouses and other settlements in the jungle.
By bus
Most cities in Sarawak are now linked by express buses although travelling times can be long because of the distance. Companies include Vital Focus Transportations Sdn. Bhd., which operates Suria Bas, PB and Borneo Highway express buses, and Biaramas.
By boat
Express boats run from the coast inland along Borneo's larger rivers. They are generally faster than buses and cheaper than planes, but more dangerous than both (especially in the dry season when the water is low) as captains are suicidal maniacs and the boats hit sunken or floating debris with depressing regularity. Popular routes include Kuching-Sibu (4 hours) and Sibu-Kapit (3 hours).
Local transport
Most cities have local buses and taxis serving not only the city centres and their surrounding suburbs but also adjacent rural districts.
THINGS TO DO
See
Sarawak's highlights include the caves of Gunung Mulu National Park, reckoned by some to be the largest in the world, and the orangutans of Semengoh.
Do
Visit the Sarawak Cultural Village, some 45 minutes' drive from Kuching. Entrance fees are RM45 per person. It is a living museum of different tribes and architecture spread over a lovely green area at the foot of Mount Santubong. You will be able to see how Iban, Melanau, Bidayuh, etc. tribes live, work and cook in the longhouses, each with its own identity. It is also best to visit this place during the annual Rainforest World Music Festival which happens each July. The festival is held on the grounds of the Sarawak Cultural Village, hence you don't need to pay the entrance fees (festival fees include entrance to the Village).
Rainforest World Music Festival has been around for the past few years and its popularity is growing from year to year. Accommodation around the festival grounds are snapped up as soon as bookings open so be quick. Good places to stay are Holiday Inn Damai Beach and Damai Lagoon, both a few minutes' walk away from the festival. The three-day world music festival brings together some of the best world musicians for workshops and nightly live concerts. Tickets for the three-day festival approx. RM120.
SHOPPING
Various tribal handicrafts are the most popular souvenirs from Sarawak. Particularly notable are pua kumbu, double-weaved fabrics woven by Iban women and illustrated with hypnotic, surreal patterns, wood carvings and bead handicraft by the Kayan and the Kenyah tribes, and Bidayuh baskets and floor mat or kasah, woven from rattan. Black pepper from Sarawak (far more potent than the bland stuff sold in the average supermarket) is also a worthwhile buy.
CUISINE
Eat
While Malaysian staples are widely available, Sarawak cuisine offers several local delights.
- Umai (or umei) is a traditional Melanau dish, consisting simply of slices of raw fish marinated with limes and served up with a zippy chilli sauce.
- Sarawak laksa is the local spin on the ubiquitous noodle dish. It's sweet and coconutty like Singapore's laksa lemak, but gets a unique zing from heavy spices (notably sambal belacan, a mix of chili and shrimp paste) plus toppings of grated cucumber, chili and egg.
- Kolo mee is a simple but popular Sarawakian noodle dish, consisting of dry egg noodles tossed in oil and served with slices of roast pork.
- Tomato kueh tiaw is a variation of the popular fried kueh tiaw (thin, flat rice noodles), with tomato gravy, meat (usually chicken pieces), vegetables and seafood (usually prawns). It is particular to Kuching.
- Kek lapis Sarawak or Sarawak Layer Cake is an elaborately baked cake with multiple layers which has a unique and delicious taste.
Drink
The local firewater, served up in prodigious quantities if you stay in a longhouse, is known as tuak and is distilled from rice, sago or any other convenient source of fermentable sugar. For those who want a stronger dose, langkau or Iban whisky can be sourced from longhouses in the interior.
ADVICE FOR TRAVELLERS
Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) are very common in certain parts of this region and great care and caution should be taken when entering water, especially brackish areas like Batang Lupar. Active headhunters no longer exist in Borneo and have not for at least 30 years.
