Kuching and the Southwest
Kuching has held on to much of its original character while new development spreads further away from the old town centre. The result is one of the most charming towns in Southeast Asia.
Main Attractions
In 1839, when British adventurer James Brooke made his way up the winding Sarawak river in his ship, the Royalist, he had little idea that in a few short years he would be ruling a whole country. As the governor and rajah of the Sarawak region, he initiated the “rule of the White Rajahs”, which lasted three generations and over 100 years.
Today, remnants of the Brooke legacy can still be seen in the fort and square tower that stand watch over Sungai Sarawak. Behind the Kuching waterfront lie historical buildings waiting to be explored, while beyond that in the north, scenic coastal parks protect the peculiar proboscis monkeys, dolphins, crocodiles and the endangered marine turtles. Two hours south of Kuching, and close to the Indonesian border is a Bidayuh longhouse where you can linger on for a day or two, while further inland a day’s journey away, Iban longhouses offer glimpses into the fascinating world of former headhunters. But if that’s not enough culture and nature to immerse yourself in, you can also explore the caves and gold mines of Sarawak’s western corner.
Kuching
Winding through lowland nipah swamps, the Sarawak river has always been the focal point for Sarawak’s capital city, Kuching 1 [map].This delightful old trading town is suffused with old memories, enhanced by the many colonial buildings that have withstood the march of progress. People are friendly and hospitable, with time to stop for a chat. Amid the noisy traffic, the shophouses squeezed between the bustling markets of the Main Bazaar and the stately old buildings give the capital an elegant and dignified air. History has always seemed close to the present in Kuching, and the town centre had changed little from a century ago until the early 1990s, when pressures to modernise led to new roads and improvements to the riverfront.
A river ferry passes the Sarawak State Assembly building on Kuching’s waterfront.
James Tye/Apa Publications
Scattered around Kuching’s colonial heart stand the buildings that played such an important part during the Brookes’ rule. A Heritage Walk has been devised that covers many of these buildings. The best time to make an on-foot exploration is early morning, or break it up and continue after 4pm, when the heat of the day has begun to pall.
Take one of the gaily painted tambang – the small ferry boats leave as soon as they have sufficient passengers – from the various jetties or pangkalan along the Kuching Waterfront. First stop is the Astana A [map]. Built in 1870 for the newly married second rajah, Charles Brooke, it is now the official residence of Sarawak’s head of state (and therefore closed to the public). Several renovations later, it consists of three bungalows, supported by square brick pillars, with the low, spreading roof giving shade to the interior. A little further downriver, after the Sarawak State Assembly Building, is Fort Margherita B [map] (no formal opening times, best time to catch the caretaker is early morning from 8am; free), which holds a commanding position overlooking the town. There is little to see inside the fort apart from its bare walls. However, if you find the fort closed, you can still catch a good sunset from here. The first of a series of forts that lined Sarawak’s main rivers, Fort Margherita was built in 1879, at a calm and peaceful time. The fort was never used for its intended purpose during the Brooke era; the only time it came under attack was during a Japanese air raid in World War II. No severe damage was caused, however, and since the war, the quaint fort has been used mainly as a barracks by the police force.
Longhouse inhabitants.
James Tye/Apa Publications
Back across the river is Kuching’s Square Tower C [map] (daily 9am–5pm), an imaginative building dating from 1879. Its architecture harks back to the Victorian era’s fascination with medieval culture. Although equipped with a real dungeon for prisoners, the tower was later used as a popular dancing hall and now houses souvenir shops.
Across the road from the Square Tower sits the Court House D [map] – a quietly impressive colonial building built in 1874, standing stolidly beneath shading trees. Arguably the most beautiful colonial building in Kuching, the building has been converted into the Sarawak Tourism Complex, and now houses a Visitors’ Information Centre (tel: 082-410 942; Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, closed public holidays) on the ground floor. The National Parks Booking Office (tel: 082-248 088; Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, closed public holidays) is also here if you want to make enquiries about visiting and/or staying at the national parks. The clock tower was added in 1883. The Charles Brooke Memorial, an unimposing obelisk erected in 1924, stands facing the Court House. Closer scrutiny reveals four superbly crafted copper plaques depicting, in turn, an Iban warrior, a Chinese courtier, a British soldier and a Malay warrior.
TIP
Late afternoon on the Kuching river is best enjoyed from a tambang, the colourful local water taxi. Negotiate with the boatman for an hour’s charter – pay no more than a few dollars – and sit back as he takes you on a leisurely ride past Kuching’s bustling riverside.
Next to the Court House, on Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, is the odd-looking Round Tower E [map], built in 1886 to house the town dispensary. Brooke seems to have had a predilection for fortifications; the Round Tower was meant to double up as a fort in times of attack. It is now occupied by the Sarawak Handicraft Centre (Mon–Fri 8.30am–12.30pm and 2pm–5pm, Fri closes at 11.30am), where craftsmen and craftswomen can be seen making mats, weaving textiles and embroidering. A good range of quality handicrafts is also on sale. Adjacent is the Pavilion with its elaborate frontage, now housing the Sarawak Textile Museum (daily 9am–4.30pm; free). At the time of writing, a songket-weaving centre was planning to open its doors at the end of 2012 within Kuching city centre. Songket is a textile woven from silk threads on traditional two-treadle floor looms, a Malay tradition that has been around possibly since the late 16th century. At the Tanoti Weaving Gallery (mobile tel: 012-304 7782) visitors can watch as expert weavers produce high-quality songket and contemporary hand-woven fabric from start to finish.
Travelling by water in Kuching.
James Tye/Apa Publications
Kuching Waterfront
Once a collection of godowns and trading stores, the old waterfront was greatly transformed in 1993 to become the Kuching Waterfront, a kilometre-long stretch of recreational areas, gardens, walkways, stalls and restaurants. At the beginning of the Kuching Waterfront park is the Sarawak Steamship Building, which houses the Kuching Waterfront Bazaar (daily 9am–10pm, but may close earlier depending on attendance), a collection of souvenir stalls.
Further along the waterfront is the one-time Chinese Chamber of Commerce building that has been transformed into an interesting Chinese History Museum (tel: 082-231 520; daily 9am–10pm; free). This far end of the Waterfront is dominated by the impressive white edifice of the Hilton Kuching – the beginning of the main upmarket hotel area.
The street facing Jalan Main Bazaar now forms the main tourist area – a shopping mecca not just for touristy souvenirs but with pieces to interest serious collectors. Many of the old shophouses have been taken over by travel companies, and handicraft and antique stores specialising in primitive arts.
To retrace the historical journey of Sir James Brooke amidst the modern buildings and Malay kampungs of Kuching’s waterfront, you can book a cruise with dinner and dance show on board. The Sarawak River Cruise (tel: 082-240 366; charge) departs daily at 5.30pm and returns at 7pm at the pier near the police station. At time of writing, there’s a 10 percent discount on tickets purchased between 10am and 3pm. From the waterfront, you can also watch Kuching’s legendary sunsets, when the sky over the city take on a gorgeous red-magenta hue – alternatively, hop on a river tambang to the Istana jetty or any of the jetties west of the Astana.
Making offerings at the Tua Pek Kong Temple.
James Tye/Apa Publications
Chinatown
Crossing the road from the end of the Waterfront one reaches Sarawak’s oldest, and possibly prettiest, Chinese temple, the Tua Pek Kong Temple F [map]. Its construction in the late 18th century marks the strong Chinese presence in Sarawak. The Chinese community trades not only in the main towns and cities, but also upriver, with trade boats stocked like floating supermarkets, or with boats attached to remote longhouses, supplying goods and building up a network of trade and news wherever they go.
Like many Malaysian towns, Kuching has its share of ornate Chinese temples. Built in 1895, the Kuek Seng Ong Temple on Lebuh Wayang is the traditional place of worship for Henghua fishermen, praying for good catches and a safe return from the sea. The temple is dedicated to the god Kuek Seng Ong, whose figure is placed on a sedan chair on the 22nd day of the second moon, and carried through the town’s main thoroughfare.
On one side of the temple, Jalan Ewe Hai runs into Jalan Carpenter to form the most atmospheric strip in Chinatown, with quaint shops, great food (look for the stalls set in the courtyard of a Chinese opera stage facing a temple) and traditional tradesmen.
General Post Office
Jalan Carpenter ends at Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, which passes the impressively columned General Post Office (Mon–Sat 8am–5pm, closed first Sat of the month), built in 1931 by Vyner Brooke, the last rajah. Behind the temples and shophouses of Chinatown is one of the oldest buildings in Kuching, the sprawling Bishop’s House G [map]. It was built in 1849 by James Brooke for the Reverend Thomas Francis McDougall and his wife. With his typical astuteness, Brooke selected McDougall as the first Anglican bishop of Kuching because he had previously been a surgeon. Nearby is St Thomas’s Cathedral.
A Kenyah woodcarving of a dragon in Sarawak Museum.
James Tye/Apa Publications
Sarawak Museum
Jalan Tun Haji Openg continues past the grassy square of Padang Merdeka to the Sarawak Museum (Old Wing) H [map] (tel: 082-244 232; www.museum.sarawak.gov.my; daily 9am–4.30pm; free).
FACT
Naturalist Eric Mjoberg, who was the first to climb Sarawak’s highest mountain, Mount Murud, in 1922, was one of the more famous curators of the Sarawak Museum.
This is perhaps the most important place of interest for the visitor. Alfred Russell Wallace, the naturalist and co-founder of the theory of evolution along with Charles Darwin, spent many months in Borneo, exploring and collecting specimens. On the ground floor, you will see Wallace’s painstaking efforts – in the natural history collection on Sarawak’s wildlife. Upstairs, the first floor has been transformed into walk-in replicas of ethnic longhouses. Explore the Iban longhouse, with simulated fires, human skulls hanging from the rafters, as well as a warrior’s elaborate headdress and weaponry resting at his bedside; you almost expect him to walk in and sound the battle cry. The Brookes insisted upon capable curators, whose Western expertise was to serve only to illuminate the ethnological richness of Borneo and the vivid expressions of the societies it nourished.
The enthusiastic influence of Cambridge graduate Tom Harrisson, one of the museum’s curators and a pioneering anthropologist, can be seen in many of the collections. There is a human dental plate on display that was found in the stomach of a 6-metre (20ft) crocodile. A rhinoceros-horn cup that can detect poison is another item. If the drink was contaminated, the liquid bubbled to the top: since princes were always trying to poison one another, rhino horn was in high demand during the days of the dynasties.
A footbridge across the busy Jalan Tun Haji Abang Openg links the museum’s old wing to the new wing, the Dewan Tun Abdul Razak gallery which was formerly the Legislative Assembly Hall. While the museum shop is located on the ground floor, the first floor exhibits material discovered during archaeological digs in Sarawak.
Kuching Mosque.
iStockphoto
Jalan India Street
Continue down Jalan Barracks, past the Padang and the Central Police Station and turn right into Jalan India Street, a colourful jumble of shops and small businesses, little changed from 50 years ago.
Veer left into Jalan Market, the old market street that leads to the golden domes of decorative Kuching Mosque I [map] (Masjid Bahagian Kuching), which overlooks the river. Built in 1968, it replaced the much older wooden structure built in 1852 that burnt down. Retrace your steps along Lebuh Market to Jalan Gambir, where you will find a collection of colourful shops marking what was once the main trading area. Indian Muslim traders, following the Chinese example in the 18th century, headed for Sarawak to set up textile shops and moneylending stalls; the area still exudes a faint aura of the exotic East. Tucked between these shops is the narrow facade of Bandar Kuching Mosque (Masjid Bandar Kuching). Built in 1834 for the Indian Muslim traders, the mosque will be demolished at the end of 2013 to make way for the construction of a three-storey mosque and commercial space to fulfil the needs of a growing business community. The streets around the mosque are a labyrinth of small Indian shops and spicy, curry-scented restaurants. Continue the walk through this colourful area back to the Court House.
Local fruits at Kuching’s Sunday Market.
James Tye/Apa Publications
The popular Sunday Market J [map], which attracts Dayak tradesmen from the surrounding countryside, is situated on the outskirts of town at Jalan Satok. The stallholders arrive and set up market around midday on Saturday and continue until midday Sunday. All manner of strange foodstuffs – jungle produce, wild boar, bats, lizards, monkeys and turtles – are on sale here, alongside fruit, vegetables, pets, orchids and fish.
A dance performance in traditional dress at the Sarawak Cultural Village.
James Tye/Apa Publications
The carnivorous pitcher plant, found in Bako National Park.
Tourism Malaysia
Sarawak’s western beaches
Sun-worshippers, beach-lovers and golfers head for Damai Beach 2 [map] near Santubong, just 30 minutes by road from downtown Kuching. As well as the water sports offered by the various resorts, an 18-hole golf course designed by Arnold Palmer and jungle walks on Mount Santubong increase the recreational options.
For a fine introduction to Sarawak’s varied cultures, visit the state’s award-winning Sarawak Cultural Village 3 [map] (tel: 082-846 411; www.scv.com.my; daily 9am–5.00pm; charge), adjacent to Damai beach. Spread across 6 hectares (15 acres) of jungle at the foot of Santubong Mountain, the park has authentic dwellings of the seven main cultural groups, staffed by friendly helpers wearing the appropriate dress. The village offers demonstrations of traditional arts and crafts, as well as daily cultural shows which incorporate Iban, Kayan, Kenyah, Melanau and Malay, Chinese and Bidayuh dances. The cultural village is also the site of the immensely popular Rainforest World Music Festival (rwmf.net) that brings together renowned world musicians from far-flung places like Africa, the Middle East, Europe, South America and Southeast Asia to celebrate three days of world music in July. During the day, there are also music workshops, lectures and jamming sessions.
TIP
There are traditional dance performances at the Sarawak Cultural Village at 11.30am and 4pm each day. Call 082-846 411 for more information.
Nearby is the seaside village of Buntal, which is extremely popular for seafood, especially at night. With prior permission, you may be allowed to visit the green turtle sanctuary of Pulau Satang Besar 4 [map], north of Kampung Telaga Air, where precious turtle eggs are closely guarded. During the northeast monsoon season, especially December and January, the rough seas make it difficult to get there. For more information, contact the Sarawak Forestry on tel: 082-248 088; www.sarawakforestry.com/htm/snp-np-satang.html.
TIP
You can stay in four of Sarawak’s national parks at Bako, Kubah, Matang and Mount Gading; for latest room rates or to book, tel: 082-248 088 or request rooms online at ebooking.com.my.
Bako National Park
An abundance of nature can be enjoyed at the many national parks accessible from Kuching. Some parks can be enjoyed as day trips, although all deserve a longer visit. Gazetted in 1957, Bako National Park 5 [map] (Taman Negara Bako; tel: 082-248 088; www.sarawakforestry.com/htm/snp-np-bako.html; park headquarters Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, closed public holidays; charge), was Sarawak’s first, and it offers some of the best chances to see native animals in the wild. Situated on a peninsula at the mouth of the Sarawak river, Bako’s relatively small area of 2,740 hectares (6,770 acres) is uniquely rich in both flora and fauna, offering examples of almost every vegetation group to be found in the state. Primary rainforest covers one side of the peninsula, while the other side offers a picturesque coastline of steep cliffs and sandy bays with beaches for swimming. Mudflats and sandbars support a great diversity of sea birds, as well as peculiar red crabs and mudskippers.
While it is possible to visit Bako on a day trip, the rewards are greater if you stay for one night at least – a visit of two or three nights is recommended. Some people stay for a month, relaxing in the natural environment and exploring all the park has to offer. Catch the sun setting over the coloured limestone karsts of the main beach, and enjoy the unearthly experience of walking in the luminous forest at night.
The dry plateau is home to the bizarre insect-eating flowers known as nepenthes, or pitcher plants; eight species exist within the park’s confines. The coastal swamp forest is a favoured retreat of Borneo’s endemic proboscis, or long-nosed, monkey, the long-tailed macaque, bearded pig and sambar deer, some of which find their way down to the beaches. Within the park is a good system of well-marked paths; ask for a guide map at the Park Ranger’s Office. Settle down and get ready to explore the wonders of Bako.
A magnificent plank walk leads through a tidal mangrove forest that changes character throughout the day with the rise and fall of the sun, and the ebb and flow of the tide. Here in the early morning, when the water is low, lucky visitors may encounter the shy proboscis monkey or the silver leaf monkey, feasting on the young leaves. Tread quietly and keep your eyes wide open. The popular Lintang Trail leads through nearly all the vegetation types and up to the arid plateau, where pitcher plants can be found among the scrub.
Within the park, accommodation is available at the resthouse, dormitories and chalets at the headquarters at Teluk Assam. A small shop supplies basic provisions which you can cook yourself, or the canteen offers a perfectly acceptable menu. Beware the cheeky long-tailed macaques that will try to find their way into your chalet kitchen or steal food right off the table in the main dining area. They are a basketful of trouble, providing high entertainment for onlookers. Book your accommodation with the National Park’s desk (tel: 082-248 088; Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, closed public holidays) at the Visitors’ Information Centre located in the old Court House in Kuching.
Women weaving at the Sarawak Cultural Village.
James Tye/Apa Publications
Bako-Buntal Bay
Between Santubong and Bako National Park lies Bako-Buntal Bay 6 [map], a birdwatcher’s paradise and Malaysia’s most important natural site for migratory water birds. At low tide the sea recedes, exposing inter-tidal mudflats rich in the type of food that entices 15,000 migratory birds to escape their harsh winters for. Birds like the Spotted greenshanks and the Far-eastern curlews have been flying here since the early 1900s, feeding on crustaceans and mudskippers, and sometimes a stranded fish or two.
TIP
Sarawak Forestry takes its conservation role very seriously. You cannot overnight at the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre or the Tanjung Datu National Park because of the wildlife it seeks to protect – the orang-utan and marine turtles – and there is no accommodation nearby.
The bay also supports at least three species of dolphin – the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, the Irrawaddy dolphin and the Finless porpoise, while the estuarine crocodiles prefer to bask on the delta banks. Mangrove trees fringe the bay and along Sungai Buntal in the west and Sungai Tabo in the east, where a population of proboscis monkeys live. Local nature conservationists call the Bako-Buntal Bay the “Kinabatangan of Sarawak” after Sabah’s famous Lower Kinabatangan river that also teems with wildlife. Several local tour operators provide wildlife cruises in the bay area; contact the Visitors’ Information Centre at tel: 082-410 942.
An orang-utan at Semenggoh Wildlife Centre.
Fotolia
Some 22km (14 miles) southwest of Kuching is the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre 7 [map] (tel: 082-248 088; www.sarawakforestry.com/htm/snp-nr-semenggoh.html; daily 8–11am and 2pm–4pm; charge), where you’ll find Sarawak’s first dedicated reserve for orang-utans. From the main gate, it is a 20-minute walk to the centre. This is another must-visit excursion and a great chance for an encounter with these delightful animals. Rehabilitation for orphaned babies and adult animals which have been kept as domestic pets is an ongoing process as they are taught to climb trees, find food, make nests and otherwise survive in the wild. The Semenggoh Nature Reserve where the centre is located is also the home for hornbills, monkeys and Malayan sun bears.
TIP
Feeding times at the Semenggoh Orang-Utan Sanctuary are from 9–10am and 3–3.30pm, so time your visit.
Northwest of Kuching
Only 21km (13 miles) from Kuching is the 2,230-hectare (5,500-acre) Kubah National Park 8 [map] (tel: 082-248 088; www.sarawakforestry.com/htm/snp-np-kubah.html; park headquarters Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, closed public holidays; charge). Within its confines are streams, waterfalls and bathing pools. A five- to six-hour return trail leads to the park’s highest peak, Mount Serapi (Gunung Serapi), while the most popular waterfall trail leads through dipterocarps with plankwalk sections in front of the waterfall. Kubah makes a good day trip from the capital; chalets are available for longer stays. The Matang Wildlife Centre 9 [map], some 14km (9 miles) further along, is home to a number of orang-utan and other local fauna which are contained in large enclosures found within the rainforest.
Sarawak fans.
James Tye/Apa Publications
Bau
About 36km (22 miles) from Kuching are the historic gold-mining limestone hills of Bau ) [map]. Gold mining began in the mid-19th century when the Chinese discovered it in the limestone walls. Although mining activities closed in 1921, illegal diggers continue to mine occasionally. Beyond the glitter, Bau has two show caves worth a visit – the Wind Cave and Fairy Cave. But there are also other caves to explore – with and without technical know-how – even a cave that is associated with burials, rock art and Neolithic stone tools. If you do not fancy caves, you can also try your luck with an old gold mine. For more information, call Kuching Offroad at tel: 012-886 2347; its tours require a minimum of two participants.
A Sarawak longhouse.
James Tye/Apa Publications
Longhouse Tours from Kuching
A visit to a longhouse in Sarawak – mostly found in the Skrang, Lemanak or Batang Ai regions – is a must. You get to see an integrated community living under one roof, and the Iban people are generally great fun and very hospitable, earning a little side income from the visits.
The Iban and most of the Orang Ulu build their dwellings near rivers, which once offered their only means of access. Today, many are accessible by road and boat. Many longhouses have tourist accommodation nearby, ensuring privacy for both the longhouse-dwellers and visitors. When visiting the longhouses at Batang Ai, you can also visit the nearby national park, which is home to the endangered gibbons, orang-utans and hornbills.
Closer to Kuching and within one and a half hours’ drive is the Annah Rais Longhouse, where you can easily make your own arrangements with the Bidayuhs. If you are visiting for a day, plan to arrive by 9.30am, as activities start from 10am onwards. You can also stay with the Bidayuhs and learn how to build bamboo rafts, perhaps catch your own fish or enjoy the nearby hot springs and refreshing waterfall. To arrange for a day visit including transfer or an overnight stay, contact Macheree’s Homestay on mobile tel: 019-817 5229 or mdrlonghousehomestay.com.
Sarawak’s northwestern corner
The little-explored northwestern part of the state has more surprises for those who want to visit. The road west leads to Lundu and Sematan, where remote beaches – try Pandan Beach 12km (7.5 miles) outside Lundu town – are among the many attractions. Out from Sematan, a relaxed little fishing village, are several deserted islands, one of which, Talang Talang, is a turtle sanctuary.
TIP
Park staff closely monitor the beaches of Tanjung Datu. The endangered green turtle and the olive ridley turtle regularly lay their eggs here. A fenced-off turtle hatchery ensures the survival of egg clutches that are vulnerable to natural predators such as pigs, monitor lizards and snakes.
More national parks can be visited in the northwest. The town of Lundu is the access point to Gunung Gading National Park ! [map] (tel: 082-248 088; www.sarawakforestry.com/htm/snp-np-gading.html; park headquarters Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, closed public holidays; charge). Gazetted in 1983, the park covers an area of over 41,000 hectares (101,100 acres), on both sides of the Lundu river. Within the park are waterfalls and an eight-hour trail to the summit of Mount Perigi. Giant Rafflesia blooms, growing up to 1 metre (3ft), can be found in the park, and chalets are available. According to legend, Mount Gading (Gunung Gading), or Ivory Mountain, is named after a Javanese princess who used to bathe at one of its numerous waterfalls. The trails are steep, but it’s worth hiking them to see both rafflesia blooms and the falls, especially Waterfalls 3 and 7.
Dragonboats take to the water by Kuching.
James Tye/Apa Publications
Gazetted in 1994, Tanjung Datu National Park @ [map] (tel: 082-248 088; www.sarawakforestry.com/htm/snp-np-datu.html; park headquarters Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, closed public holidays; charge) is Sarawak’s smallest park, covering an area of just 1,379 hectares (3,400 acres). Right at the westernmost tip of the state, the park has clear rivers and fine beaches with unspoilt reefs. It is accessible by boat from Sematan, and the whole journey takes around three and a half hours – but there is no park accommodation available due to the need to protect turtle nesting areas in the vicinity.
Batang Ai National Park (tel: 082-248 088; www.sarawakforestry.com/htm/snp-np-batangai.html; park headquarters Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, closed public holidays; charge) and the adjoining Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary are favoured haunts of orang-utans, gibbons, barking deers, leaf monkeys and wild boar, as well as several hundred species of birds. Both areas are located in the Sri Aman Division, east of Kuching and north of the Batang Ai Dam. The Batang Ai river, a tributary of the Batang Lupar, was dammed to create Sarawak’s first hydroelectric power plant, which became operational in 1985. A subject of great controversy at the time, the dam flooded over 10 longhouses belonging to the Iban and Orang Ulu, and also affected the flora and fauna in the area. During the drier times of the year, the dam is not a pretty sight as thousands of dead trees protrude from the water. The dam is fed by several tributaries where many longhouses are found.
Once past the Batang Ai dam – a four-hour trip from Kuching – the journey to the park takes about two hours upriver by longboat. There are no facilities in these two reserves as yet, but visitors can stay in one of the nearby Iban longhouses or at the more comfortable Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort.