Page 154 - The Guide To Sarawak

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PLACES OF SPECIAL INTEREST LISTING
and original coffee shops in town. Notable features include the Fish Market on Jalan Bendahara and the adjacent Tua Pek Kong Temple.
OIL WELL NO. 1
(THE GRAND OLD LADY) (See Petroleum Museum, page 156)
ORANG ULU LONGHOUSES
Batang Baram and Tributaries
The Baram River is home
to dozens of Kenyah and Kayan longhouses, as well
as settlements of semi- nomadic Penans. Notable longhouses include Long Mekaba, famous for its traditional musicians, the idyllic Long Bedian and the remote Lio Matoh, gateway to the Kelabit highlands
(see below). Access is via chartered 4WD or express boat. For further information contact the Visitors’ Information Centre, Miri.
T (085) 434 181
TAMAN AWAM MIRI
Jalan Miri - Bintulu, 3km from City Centre.
A large family park offering children’s playgrounds, botanical gardens, soft adventure activities and jogging trails. The park is dotted with stone carvings and sculptures, overlooked by a towering wooden walkway leading to an observation platform. Open: Daily, 9am~5pm
THE KELABIT HIGHLANDS
Bario, Baram
Access only by Air (MASWings) or 2 day trek from Ba’Kelalan.
Centred on the settlement of Bario, Sarawak’s Shangri- La is over 1,000m above sea level and flanked by jungle- covered 2,400m peaks.
The Kelabit people are wet rice farmers, and their padi fields decorate the rugged landscape, producing the
fragrant and sought-after Bario rice. There are dozens of excellent trekking trails, from short strolls to week- long expeditions. Full details available from Visitors’ Information Centres in Miri & Kuching
LIMBANG DIVISION
BA’KELALAN
Ba’Kelalan, Lawas
3 hours drive from Lawas, air access from Lawas and Miri. Ba’Kelalan is the largest
Lun Bawang village in the northern highlands and is famous for its apples and organic vegetables, as well as the local musicians and their ‘bamboo bands’. It
has a network of excellent trekking trails connecting to the Kelabit Highlands.
BUKIT MAS
Limbang
This 210m limestone outcrop dominates the town of Limbang and the commanding views of nearby Brunei make the steep walk worthwhile.
FORT LIMBANG
(See page 153)
KAMPUNG PUNANG
Kampung Punang, 12km from Lawas Town.
This traditional Brunei Malay fishing village at the
mouth of the Manggoreng River is best known for
its long wooden jetty, but also manifests extensive mangrove forests with large populations of proboscis monkeys and fireflies. Nearby seagrass beds offer the chance to spot dugongs and Irrawaddy dolphins. Homestay available, www. punang.com.
LIMBANG ESPLANADE
Waterfront, Limbang
The Esplanade is a popular place for strolling in the evening, with good views of the Malay kampungs across the river. The Limbang Rebellion Memorial is the Esplanade’s focal point,
and there is an attractive Chinese Temple near the river’s edge.
SARAWAK’S BROOKE ERA FORTS
Rajah Charles Brooke built an extensive network of 15 forts (of which 11 survive) from the mid-19th Century onwards to pacify and defend the State. These forts were simply built from wood or rough stone, with armouries and quarters for the fort-men below and on the first floor, an office and basic living quarters for the district officer. While some have fallen into ruin, others are nowadays fascinating museums or vibrant arts and
crafts centres.
FORT MARGHERITA
Jalan Astana, Kuching
Tambangs (wooden water taxis) leave from various Waterfront jetties.
This imposing fort was built in 1879 to guard Kuching’s river approaches from pirates, and is named for Charles Brooke’s wife, Ranee Margaret de Windt.
T (082) 244 323 Open: Mon-Fri, 9am~4.45pm & Sat,
Aerial view of Ba’Kelalan, home of the Lun Bawang people, showing the irrigated rice paddies where the famous Bario rice is grown.