Sarawak’s diverse culture, nature can become tourism magnet for global travellers

BINTULU: The multicultural society and natural environment can become major attractions to visitors, especially foreigners, to the state.

According to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, many tourism-related activities involving nature exploration are available in the state and the state government is looking seriously into developing this sector.

He said the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) could play a key role in the state’s tourism industry by introducing the potential of this division, including Tatau and Sebauh which have beautiful beaches, as well as the Similajau National Park that could be used as a venue for outdoor activities.

“Sebauh and Tatau also have a diversity of local cultures,” he said after having officiated at the opening of the 12th Borneo International Kite Festival (BIKF) 2016 at the old airport here yesterday.

His text of speech was read by Assistant Minister for Arts and Culture Datuk John Sikie Tayai.

The chief minister said to implement tourism development in the division including the two districts (Tatau and Sebauh), the homestay programme should be introduced – similar to what that had been done in other places across the state.

“I believe that the racial diversity in the two districts can be of interest to visitors and at the same time, homestay can offer lucrative incomes to the operators if promoted properly,” said Adenan.

He noted that there were a total of 31 villages with 500 operators that had signed up for the homestay programme in the state.

“We hope the villages and longhouses in this division will come up with their plans and sign up for the homestay programme in their respective areas,” he said, adding that developing tourism sector was not the sole responsibility of the government, but it also depended on the participation and cooperation of the private sector as well as the creativity of the local authorities and the local communities.

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Samalaju Resort’s irresistible holiday package in Bintulu

SAMALAJU, BINTULU: Planning a romantic or a family getaway this Christmas or New Year holidays? Samalaju Resort Hotel says it is offering you, in December, a holiday package you cannot refuse.

The newly-opened Samalaju Resort Hotel, some 60km from Bintulu town and perched on a 23-acre site along Tanjung Similajau with stunning views of both the South China Sea and the Similajau National Park, is offering a two-day and one-night holiday room package at RM310 nett (for superior room, inclusive of a complimentary breakfast, welcome drinks and cookies, and free Western set dinner for two, as well as sunset movies).

On top of this, the Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve buffet dinners are at RM69.90 nett per person.

Beverages are also on offer at the restaurant bar and karaoke lounge whereby customers will enjoy ‘buy-two-free-one’ offer at RM50.00 nett, and ‘buy-five-free-one’ at RM100 nett.

The Christmas Eve buffet dinner will serve roasted turkey with homemade sauce, lasagne, Christmas pudding plus other traditional Christmas-themed dishes, including complimentary fruit punch and coffee and tea.

Diners can also expect specially prepared leg of lamb on New Year’s Eve buffet dinner.

Designed to be an oasis of calm amidst the hustle and bustle of this ever growing town, the 175-room hotel has 148 rooms and suites, nine three-room chalets, including a host of modern facilities.

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Similajau Park mind-blowing for tourist who’s ‘park-hopping’

BINTULU: The Similajau National Park (SNP) with its golden sandy beach and lush green forest has been receiving a rising number of visitors over the years.

The park, which is located 30 km north-east of the Bintulu town, has been a popular destination especially during weekends and public holidays.

Last year, the park received a total of 13,068 visitors where 11,945 of them were locals and the rest foreigners, where the peak months are August and September.

Leah Hollmayer, whose travel plan in Sarawak is to hop from one national park to another, told BAT3 that this was the second national park in the state she had visited.

“I just came from Bako National Park and I will be staying here for two days. My next stop is Niah National Park and later Lambir National Park,” said Hollmayer who is touring with her 20-month old daughter Inga.

The Canadian said that despite visiting and staying at two national parks, she still finds the national parks fascinating.

“It is a mind blowing experience. And each national park is different from another, the vegetation and the setting, for example,” said Hollmayer.

The Similajau National Park has been known as a spot to watch dolphins which usually appear in the morning in groups of three or five.

Gazetted in 1976 as a conservation site to protect the flora and fauna, the park covers an area of 8,996 hectares, where vegetation ranging from littoral fringe, ‘heath forest’ or Kerangas forest and Mixed Dipterocarp Forest.

Littoral fringe consisted of rock and cliff vegetation, beach vegetation and mangrove forest while Kerangas forest supports stunted trees and scrub-like vegetation.

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Sago worms, tebaloi, umai and all things about Mukah

SIMILAJAU: The Mukah Wet Market at the riverfront is a must-see for any first-time visitor to the burgeoning administrative centre.

Although it sits in a relatively small area, it is known for its fresh fish and produce at reasonable prices. Unsurprisingly, many locals still prefer to shop there for their groceries instead of at supermarkets.

A good time to visit is when the market is at its busiest – in the early and mid-hours of the morning – where one can see fishermen unloading the day’s catch off their boats at the jetty and customers snapping them up quickly, sometimes even before the fish has the chance to be displayed on the tarpaulins laid on the floor.

Among the exotic fish offered for sale yesterday was a large ikan landak at least a foot long with long spines, and small sharks.

Freshly prepared umai – thinly sliced pieces of raw fish marinated with onions, chilies and lime juice – can usually be found at the market as well although the BAT3 team did not manage to spot any umai vendors during a visit yesterday morning.

Another of Mukah’s specialties which can be found at the wet market is sago and its derivatives, including the tasty tebaloi crackers and sago flour balls. They are sold at the small stalls housed in a building along the waterfront.

Of course, one cannot visit the market without keeping an eye out for sago worms, the larvae of a beetle which lives in and eats the pith of the sago palm. The fat grub is prized for its rich and buttery flavour and texture, and can be eaten raw or more commonly, stir-fried.

Greengrocer Josie Eyun, 56, told the BAT3 team that the current price for the delicacy is about RM50 per kg as it is not the season for it.

“In places like Miri and Bintulu, it is even more expensive – about RM80 per kg,” she said, adding that someone had asked her to help them sell the larvae at her stall.

Josie comes from Kg Tebakang in Serian but moved to Mukah 25 years ago with her husband. She has pretty much settled down in this place but still visits her village at least twice a year.

After the short visit to the market, the BAT3 team set out for Bintulu via the Pan Borneo highway.

The three-and-a-half-hour trip included a brief stop at the bright-yellow Batang Mukah Bridge just outside of the town to look at the massive coal yard and operations just next to it, and a quick lunch at a 24-hour rest stop at the Mukah-Selangau junction.

About 77km before we reached Bintulu, somewhere near Tatau, we stopped to take photo of a large rock by the roadside that has been spray-painted with 4-digit numbers. Apparently thisrock is a popular destination for lottery punters from as far away places as Sibu and Bintulu who would go there to pay respects to the spirit of the rock and hopefully receive good fortune for their bets.

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Reef balls to create diving haven off Similajau park

BINTULU: A collaboration between Malaysia LNG Group of Companies and Sarawak Forestry hopes to turn the waters of Similajau National Park into a diving haven in 10 years, following the deployment of 1,500 reef balls within the next three years.

Under the Biodiversity, Environment and Conservation (Beacon) Project, a total of 250 reef balls will be dropped into the sea off the coast of the park beginning today in an effort to provide sanctuary for marine life, as well as to deter trawlers from fishing in an area identified as a ‘turtle highway’.

Sarawak Forestry’s Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation unit deputy general manager Oswald Braken Tisen told reporters that peak landing season is between May to August, but the numbers at Similajau are low.

“The landings are very few. Most are concentrated on Talang-Talang and Satang islands. We hope to set up a turtle hatchery here if the numbers increase,” he said, adding that they will have sufficient cause if there is at least one nesting per night.

The Beacon Project was launched on April 12 this year. The planning and implementation work were carried out by the Beacon Taskforce and Technical Working Committee, both made up of MLNG and Sarawak Forestry staff.

Since the implementation of reef balls in the Sematan and Telaga Air area in 1999, the number of dead adult turtles found along the beaches there decreased from 70-100 (before 1998) to 20 annually.

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Tune Hotels celebrates Bintulu opening with no admin fee

BINTULU - The pioneering limited-service hotel chain Tune Hotels is celebrating the opening of its latest property in Bintulu by permanently eliminating the administration fee for room reservations across all of its existing 12 hotels, according to a press release.

"The New Year comes with good news for our guests as Tune Hotels is removing the 10.90-ringgit admin fee across our entire chain - for good. Guests now only pay for the room and opt for our special comfort package to enjoy greater savings.

"As we open more hotels we experience better economies of scale and become more cost efficient. We eventually found the admin fee no longer relevant and are delighted to be in a position to pass on the savings to our guests," said Tune Hotels Group CEO Mark Lankester.

Commenting on the Tune Hotel Bintulu opening, Lankester said: "Tune Hotel Bintulu is testimony to our commitment to Sarawak and we hope it will further promote and develop the state's tourism and travel industry, in particular within the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).

"The opening of Tune Hotel Bintulu will not only provide more convenience and comfort to tourists and holidaymakers to the 'Gas Town' but also those on business trips there.

"As we anticipate more corporate guests from the oil and gas industry, rooms at the Tune Hotel Bintulu are designed for longer stays and more living space."

Strategically located in central Sarawak, Bintulu is connected by air to Kuala Lumpur, Kuching as well other towns. It sits on the massive Trans-Borneo highway trail that links Kuching and Kota Kinabalu, presenting enormous potentials for the tourism and travel industry. Bintulu is also an important access point to Bakun, Southeast Asia's largest hydroelectric dam.

"The Similajau National Park, which is just 30 minutes away, offers nature lovers activities like jungle trekking, canopy walk and a wealth of flora and fauna. With various tribal ethnics inhibiting the Bintulu area like the Iban, Orang Ulu and Melanau, visitors will also discover a myriad of traditional and ancient cultures that are well preserved in the many villages and longhouses.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
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Operators refute claims diving causes coral damage near Miri and Similajau

DIVING operators in Miri are not amused over a statement that “human factors” have contributed to coral-bleaching near Miri and Similajau.

“What human factors are they talking about?” asked James Wan, owner of Planet Borneo, a popular travel agent in Miri, which organises diving activities.

James was reacting to a report by a group of eco-minded divers who reported their findings to the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) after monitoring the area voluntarily for the last two years.

According to the group, coral reefs near Miri and Similajau are suffering significant coral-bleaching due to environmental and human factors.

James told StarMetro that diving was a niche market product and that divers were required to have a permit before they could pursue this underwater hobby.

“At its peak we have about 300 divers coming to Miri in a year. Otherwise, on average we have only 200 divers a year.

“If it’s true that Miri is a popular mass diving sites I will be laughing all the way to the bank by now,” he said.

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Sarawak reefs under stress due to environmental and human factors

KUCHING: The coral reefs near Miri and Similajau are suffering significant coral-bleaching due to environmental and human factors.

This was discovered by a group of eco-minded divers who have been monitoring the area voluntarily for the last two years and reported their findings to Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC).

SFC protected areas and biodiversity conservation general manager Wilfred Landong said various measures were recommended to tackle the bleaching but they could not be achieved overnight.

He believed that public awareness was crucial in any conservation effort along with enforcement and rehabilitation.

“Other than global warming, many factors contribute to coral-bleaching. It could be caused by destruction of habitats and pollution, which needs a long-term strategy to minimise the impact. Our conservation strategy is to get the public to assist us, thereby creating more awareness,” he said.

He said that several national parks in Sara­wak, namely Tanjung Datu, Talang-Satang, Similajau and Miri-Sibuti were gazetted for the purpose of marine conservation.

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