Sematan Fest to include Tanjung Datu International Open Sea Fishing Competition from next year

LUNDU: The Tanjung Datu International Open Sea Fishing Competition will be organised beginning next year to attract foreign visitors to Sematan.

Tanjung Datu assemblywoman Datuk Amar Jamilah Anu said the proposed international competition will be aggressively promoted to ensure that the plan become a reality.

“Tanjung Datu Open Sea Fishing Competition will be listed in the tourism calendar and included in the Sematan Festival programme next year.

“This year we organised the event on a moderate scale but next year if there are sponsors we will open it to international level. This will make the festival much merrier.

“The competition is to remember “Tok Nan” – the 5th Chief Minister of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem who is a fishing enthusiast himself, “she said when officiating at the Sematan Festival 2017 yesterday.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Sematan Fest to include Tanjung Datu International Open Sea Fishing Competition from next year

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CoffeeGirl77: Where Borneo Begins...

I have set foot at that very spot -- which according to historians, geographers, surveyors, cartographers, forestry experts etc -- is Where Borneo Begins.

This place is located at the remote and idyllic Tanjung Datu, accessible via Sematan in Lundu District.

A landmark in the middle of nowhere.

Apparently, according to experts, this is the westernmost tip of Sarawak.

Now to get here, one could either take a one-hour boatride from Sematan Long Jetty passing through the seasides of Kampung Telok Melano and Tanjung Datu National Park, to reach the shore of Tanjung Datu.

Or in my case - we took an alternative route which included a 45min drive via the underway Pan Borneo Highway from Sematan town to Kampung Telok Melano, then another 20min boatride from the jetty of Kampung Telok Melano to Tanjung Datu shores.

It was a worktrip, hence the roadtrip.

On a sidenote, the Pan Borneo Highway on this side of the highway is progressing rather well, in my opinion.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: CoffeeGirl77:  Where Borneo Begins...

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Rafflesia Tuan Mudae blooming at Gunung Gading National Park

LUNDU: To see a Rafflesia flower in bloom is a sight to behold. For nature enthusiasts, it is never the same for every bloom because as long as a Rafflesia flower lasts, which is usually about six days, its colour and petals are constantly changing.

At Gunung Gading National Park visitors have the opportunity to view the spectacular bloom of the Rafflesia Tuan Mudae, which is an endemic species of Sarawak.

This world’s largest flower started to bloom yesterday and is expected to continue blooming until Friday.

To experience this rare opportunity visitors have to walk for about 400 metres or 25 minutes from the National Park office before arriving at the Rafflesia patch.

Not to forego this chance Sarawak Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) reporter Noor Bakhtiar Ahmad was among the earliest visitors to view the flower blooming in its second day yesterday.

Noor Bakhtiar together with photographer Ahmad Rushdan Abdul Manan, Bernama News Channel (BNC) journalist Mohd Hazreen Mubarak and cameraman Muhamad Salim  both from Kuala Lumpur were led to the location by national park guide, Edmund Gering, 27.

“Last year I managed to see a Rafflesia flower bloom on three occasions and this time I am very fortunate to see it bloom on the second day because during this initial period its colour and petals are simply amazing,” said Noor Bakhtiar.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Rafflesia Tuan Mudae blooming at Gunung Gading National Park

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Eco-tourism master plan to make Lundu, Sematan tourism hub

LUNDU: An eco-tourism master plan has been approved for Lundu and Sematan to turn these two towns in Tanjong Datu into a tourism hub, says Lundu District officer Hamsien Atar.

He said the master plan was approved by the state government sometime last year.

“The master plan will turn Lundu and Sematan into an eco-tourism hub as we have all the elements here such as the sea, beaches, mountains, rivers, islands and flora and fauna such as the Rafflesia flowers which is found at Gunung Gading National park

“So this master plan will take advantage of what we have to attract more tourists coming here the whole year round,” Hamsien told The Borneo Post at his office here yesterday.

He said for the master plan to be successful, there must be enough facilities such as hotels and resorts to cater to the needs of the tourists.

“At the moment, we do not have enough of such facilities. So we are hoping that once the master plan is launched, we will be able to get the private sector to participate in the development of Lundu and Sematan,” he said.

Hamsien added that besides eco-tourism, plans were afoot to build more colleges for the growing needs of the people in the district.

“We also have a plan for Lundu to have light industries to provide job opportunities for the people in this district. Currently, we have some people involved in cottage industry such as handicraft and Malay traditional pastry. So, in the long run, we hope to expand these industries for the tourists,” he said.

Santubong MP Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had recently revealed that the government planned to make both Lundu and Sematan as major tourism destinations in Sarawak.

He said the master plan would be unveiled as part of the BN manifesto in the Tanjong Datu by-election.

“We will unveil our manifesto which will contain our blueprint for Lundu. This include the waterfront projects for both Lundu and Sematan and beautification projects for both towns to attract tourists to Tanjong Datu,” Wan Junaidi told a press conference at PBB headquarters in Kuching on Wednesday.

Continue reading at: Eco-tourism master plan to make Lundu, Sematan tourism hub

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