Sarawak Budget Travel Guide

Welcome to my treasure trove of travel information on Sarawak. I am continuously adding new info on the sights throughout this state, and I hope you will find the information you are looking for.

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Major Tourist Attractions of Sarawak

Exploring Sarawak

Sarawak Budget Travel Guide helps you get to know Sarawak better, and is especially useful if you are planning a trip there. All the places of interest in Sarawak and listed and described for your benefit.

Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia. It occupies an area of 124,450 sq km on the northwestern part of the island of Borneo. Sarawak shares a border with the neighbouring state of Sabah as well as with the Indonesian province of Kalimantan and with Brunei.

Sarawak has a population of 2.4 million. Over half a million people live in the capital city, Kuching. Other major cities in Sarawak include Miri (pop. 263,000), Sibu (pop. 254,000) and Bintulu (pop. 176,800). There biggest proportion of Sarawak's population are the Ibans, which make up 30% of the population. The Chinese is a close second, at 26%. Most of them are Hakkas and Hokkiens. Malays form 21% of the populations. Other indigenous groups living in Sarawak include the Melanau, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Kayan, Lun Bawang, Kelabit, Kenyah, and Penan.

History of Sarawak

Sarawak was historically part of the Sultanate of Brunei until 1842, when it was ceded to James Brooke, from where began a dynasty of White Rajahs ruling Sarawak. James Brooke became the de facto monarch of Sarawak without any intent of colonizing the state, and it stirred the imagination of other white adventurers with aspirations of the same intent.

Sarawak became a British Protectorate under the rule of Rajah Charles Anthony Johnson Brooke, the second ruler of the Brooke dynasty. The third Rajah of Sarawak, Charles Vyner Brooke ceded Sarawak to Great Britain, and it remained under British rule until it gain independence and joined Malaysia in 1963.

What to see in Sarawak

Sarawak is a destination for nature lovers. There are many natural parks in the state of which the most popular include Gunung Mulu National Park, Bako National Park and Niah National Park. Gunung Mulu National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has some of the biggest cave chambers in the world.

Many visitors come to Sarawak to experience its indigenous culture. This often includes a visit to the longhouses to view how the Ibans and other groups live in the interior of the state. Those who are interested in the historical aspect of Sarawak should visit the heritage sites in Kuching, especially those along the Sarawak River.

Getting there

Sarawak maintains tigher immigration control than any other Malaysian state. Malaysians coming from Peninsular Malaysia are required to complete an immigration form, and are limited to 90 days stay in the state. Foreigners are required to complete a second immigration form. Those who require a visa to enter Malaysia would need one specifically for visiting Sarawak. This should be specified when applying for your Malaysian visa.

By Plane

Kuching International Airport (KIA) is the main gateway for most visitors to Sarawak. It has direct flights to Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, and Penang in Malaysia, as well as international flights to Singapore, Pontianak, Bali, Jakarta, Bandar Seri Begawan, Macau and Xiamen.

By Road

You can enter Sarawak by road from Brunei, Indonesia and from the state of Sabah.

Infrastructure

The most ambitious road network in Borneo is the Pan Borneo Highway, which links Sarawak with Brunei and Sabah.

Places in Sarawak

Major Towns in Sarawak

Small Towns and Villages in Sarawak

Administrative Divisions of Sarawak

Iban warrior, Sarawak Cultural Village (2 October 2004)
© Timothy Tye

Sarawak Location Map

View Sarawak in a larger map

Pitcher Plants on the Headhunter's Trail, Mulu National Park
Author: Jeremiah Harris (cc-by-3.0)

Tourist Attractions & Travel Destinations in Sarawak

Click here on Sarawak Tourist Attraction for a full list of all the places, tourist attractions and travel destinations in Sarawak that I have described. I hope this list provides you with the information that you are looking for.

National Parks & Wildlife Sanctuaries in Sarawak

Mountains in Sarawak

Major Rivers in Sarawak

Indigenous Groups of Sarawak

Festivals in Sarawak

Traditional Dances of Sarawak

Sibu, Sarawak
Author: SpOt ON (public domain)

General Post Office, Kuching (1 October 2004)
© Timothy Tye using this photo

Miri aerial view, Sarawak
Author: Mirilan (public domain)

Photo Credit & Attribution:
Mulu Caves: Author: Kjetil r (Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License); Niah Caves: Author: mailer_diablo (cc-by-3.0)

Malaysia Hotel Room Price Checker

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Flight Checker

Flying somewhere? Say you're going to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Penang or Kuching to Singapore, which airline gives you the best rate for the date and time of your trip? Instead of visiting each airline website one by one, use our Flight Checker on the right to find out.

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Exploring Malaysia is researched and written by Timothy Tye. Content and articles in Exploring Malaysia are provided in goodwill and are believed to be correct at time of writing. While every reasonable care is taken to check and verify the information shared, Exploring Malaysia disclaims responsibility for its use. All pages may be printed out for your own personal, non-commercial use. Photographs appearing in Exploring Malaysia are available according to the licensing terms specified in its caption. Photographs not credited to a third party belong to Timothy Tye and may not be reused in any form unless you are first given permission. Write in to inquire if interested. Third party photographs are governed by their respective licenses.

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