Print this article if you're a tour operator, accommodation provider or touristAn introduction to Sarawak
Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia and lies south west of Sabah - the only other Malaysian state situated on Borneo. Like its counterpart Sarawak also shares the island with Kalimantan in Indonesia and the kingdom of Brunei.
Sarawak is a land of cultural diversity with a mixed population of the Bidayuh, Melanau, Kelabit, Lun Bawang and the Iban people, a strong and successful warring tribe of Borneo. Like Sabah, the state also has a large Chinese and Malay population.
Getting there
The capital of Sarawak is Kuching - one of the most vibrant cities in the region and the fourth largest city in Malaysia. Kuching International Airport is a thriving hub for transport and connects the rest of Malaysia and Singapore to Sarawak, with regular flights from most Malaysian cities, Singapore, Hong Kong and further afield. Since the coastal region is predominantly swamplands, Kuching and Sibu (two of Sarawak's most thriving ports) are in fact located on river banks a considerable distance away from the sea.
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History & Transport
Sarawak’s traditional cultural treasures are intermingled with unique western influence from its "White Rajahs.” Its first white explorer was English adventurer James Brooke who was made king in the year 1841 by the Sultan of Brunei. After 100 years and 3 generations of “White Rajahs”, Sarawak joined together with Singapore, the Federation of Malaya and North Borneo to form the Federation of Malaysia in 1963.
Geographically Sarawak is often divided up into three main landscape groupings. The coastal area is predominantly low lying and flat. This area is filled with swamps and wetlands. The hilly region houses the main settlements of modern day Sarawak and is the most inhabited part of the state. Thirdly there's the mountainous area across the border with the Murut and Kelabit highlands toward the north.
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Breezing along dense walls of jungle in motorized canoes called 'perahus' is a necessity rather than an attraction - but it is the backbone of transportation in most parts of Sarawak and many travelers nonetheless fall in love with the rustic trails. Light aircrafts and helicopters are other common means of transport in dense regions inaccessible by boats.
Major towns like Miri and Bintulu also have some road transportation. Sarawak’s coastline is notoriously swampy so accessing the towns via the coastal ports can be tricky as their only proximity to the coast is at the point where Sarawak's hills stretch across up to the South China Sea coastline.
Miri is a charming little city, itself home to a major airport serving international and domestic flights connecting most parts of Malaysia and Singapore to Sarawak through the national carrier MAS, and a low-cost airline called Air Asia. The petroleum capital of Sarawak, Miri is a quaint little city steeped with culture and tradition unique to Sarawak. It is also the gateway to Sarawak’s fascinating world of dense jungles and breath taking cave chambers.
Things to see & do: Gunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park close to Miri has some of the best and most expansive cave networks and karst formations to be found in Southeast Asia, against the backdrop of stunning hilly rainforest. The park takes its name from Mount Mulu, standing 2376 metres above sea level. The mountain face is a sheet of shale and sandstone dating back to the cretaceous period 40 to 90 million years ago!
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Tourists exploring the wonders of Gunung Mulu National Park are well-advised to retire to a luxury hotel in nearby Miri due to the proximity and beauty of its setting. Rest your weary legs and prepare for another day in the breathtaking wilderness from MalaysiaExplorer.net's top-pick - Miri Marriott Resort & Spa. A fine example of what can be created from the combination of Malaysia's stunning rural charm and Western ingenuity |
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Mulu National Park is a full UNESCO World Heritage Site tucked away inside the lush tropical rain forests of Borneo. Getting to the park is an adventure in itself but it is well worth the fascinating jungle adventures that await you. The park has modest and comfortable accommodations as well as camping facilities. It also offers various different tour packages like camping packages, trek packages and others that will take you around some enormous caves, limestone pinnacles, cliffs and gorges. Deer Cave, for example, is amongst the largest single cave passages in the world.
Further noteworthy caves around the park include Benarat Cavern and Clearwater Cave, containing parts of one of the largest underground river systems anywhere. Clear water is also believed to be the largest cave worldwide in terms of volume, a whopping 30,347,540 cubic metres.
Niah National Park Caves
Sarawak is truly a journey through prehistoric times with most of its natural settings dating back many millions of years, like the Niah Caves, in the Niah National Park in Miri, on the Sungai Niah River. These caves are important prehistoric sites where records and evidence of prehistoric man dating back 40,000 years have been found. The Great Cave of Niah is comprised of many capacious, sprawling chambers and is located in a sizeable limestone block that has the oldest recorded human settlement in East Malaysia. The journey to the caves is through a raised plank walk inside a vibrant jungle.
Bako National Park
Bako National Park, established in 1957, is the oldest and smallest national park in Sarawak but is nonetheless amongst the most compelling with its gorgeous rainforest, varied wildlife, fascinating plant life, hidden beaches, waterfalls and rugged trails. The park is a 20-minute boat ride from Kampung Bako and is often visited as a day-trip from Kuching. The forest reserve also offers lodging and camping facilities at very reasonable prices for visitors wanting to experience its extensive trail system made up of 16 colour-coded jungle trails abundant with natural beauty.
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Beaches & Trekking
Sarawak’s 700 km coastline that runs along the northwestern side of Borneo is also home to some beautiful white beaches, and remote islands like the Damai Beach, in Santubong. This fabulous beach resort is accessible from Kuching and has the best of the South China Sea with the majestic jungle-clad Mount Santubong as its backdrop. Tourism in Sarawak thrives on quality resorts and those in Santubong are no exception.
For those who want to enjoy nature and its true beauty, there’s the isolated Kelabit plateau, in the region bordering Kalimantan. The plateau is a haven for jungle trekking and for those hoping to get away from it all. Sarawak is a land with a rich tapestry of culture, traditions, spectacular natural attractions and fascinating wildlife. It is a land of riveting sights and adventures for every kind of holiday maker!
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Complete your trip with our travel essentials checklist: Tours, Flights and Car Rental
- Tailor all aspects of your holiday or visit to Kuching with comprehensive tour and package choices.
- Read our top tips on car rental to ensure you choose a suitable vehicle at a good price.
- Our guide to Malaysia flights is packed with advice and pointers on finding the best routes and super deals.
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Photo Credits: Rafiq Mirza, m_p_king and Adamina
