Rare parade kicks off Dayak Cultural Festival

SARIKEI: The Dayak Cultural Festival (DCF) hosted by Sarawak Iban Dayak Association (Sadia) Sarikei branch here yesterday roared off with a captivating parade.

Leading the parade around town were Armed Forces Infantry Commander Datuk Stephen Mundaw, Peter John Jaban, Sadia Sarikei branch chairman, Clement Hillary who is also the organising chairman and Meradong assembly Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing who was guest of honour.

Clement described the colourful parade, the first of such stature held in Sarikei, as very meaningful since it offered a very rare sight of Iban warriors and maidens in full regalia to the locals especially the other races.

They had expected something a tad different with the impending participation of fellow Dayaks from Pontianak in Indonesia, but unfortunately they could not make it due to a similar programme there, Clement said.

“Nevertheless, I am pleased the event received overwhelming participation from members of Dayak organisations in the state such as Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA); Orang Ulu National Association (OUNA); Sadia, Kelab Gagong and others”.

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Sarikei Powerboat race to the fore of tourism

SARIKEI: The town’s river front is ideal for holding watersport events as the promenade is wide and strategically positioned on the banks of the Rajang River.

Tanjung Manis MP Datuk Norah Tun Abdul Rahman gave the positive comment when she officially flagged off the Sarikei Powerboat GP 2016 here yesterday.

She said the wide frontage is a perfect platform to stage all types of boat races, thus attracting an encouraging number of participants.

The river front is also a perfect venue to catch a full view of all events from start to finish, hence, it was not surprising to see a huge crowd lining the 200-metre promenade front to watch the exciting races, she said.

Norah hoped the organising committee can promote Sarikei as a preferred venue for water sports.

Concurring with Sarikei District Officer Khalid Andong who is the event’s organizing committee chairman, Norah believed the event could contribute immensely to promoting Sarikei as an attractive tourist destination.

Khalid in his welcoming speech said the two-day Sarikei Powerboat GP 2016 was the second edition organized in conjunction with this year’s Sarikei Pineapple and Borneo Fruits Festival slated for Nov 18-29.

According to him, the first edition held in October 2014 was a big success and inspiration to make it an annual event.

Khalid pledged to make the event satisfactory to both the participants and spectators to determine the future of water sports like regatta, powerboat GP, waterpump boat, waterpump jetski and the like.

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Mysterious attraction to Sarikei and Sibu

SIBU:  Sarikei and Sibu are the two towns which we will try not to miss whenever we are on the current trunk road linking Kuching to Miri.  They seem to have some mysterious magic that tends to pull travellers to them, at least for a short stay.

Though about 100 km apart, Sarikei and Sibu have many similarities.  They are both Foochow settlements where each town has its own strengths.  And because both are Foochow towns, food found in both towns are rather similar.

Perhaps their biggest difference is that Sarikei and especially Jakar which is considered part of Sarikei is famous for its prawn noodle while Sibu cannot boast about the same dish.

For both Sarikei and Sibu, Foochow dishes such as kampua, preserved vegetable vermicelli rice noodle (zao cai hun gan) and red wine chicken vermicelli are commonly served.  Then there are cheap and delicious pastry and cakes like the egg cakes and kompia (the Chinese bagel) as well as “zheng dong pian”, another variety of kompia.

As for BAT6, there is one place that we will always frequent for breakfast – Lai Lai Coffee Shop. Initially it is because the coffeeshop is right below our lodging place.  However, we slowly fell in love with the food offered in the coffeeshop where there is a variety of Foochow dishes including the lesser known “fried pa kuek” which is something quite similar to kuek tiao but thicker and of a different texture.

Apart from the fact that it offers good food, what makes BAT6 like to stop by the place is that those running the coffeeshop are not only friendly but honest people.

In one of the previous trips, one of the BAT members lost her expensive dark glasses.  The coffeeshop owner kept them safely for her until she came back to look for them.

During this trip, the same BAT member lost her purse which contains all the important documents – credit card, debit card, driving licence, identity card and few hundred ringgit of cash in the coffeeshop.  The purse was returned untouched.

BAT6 was waiting at the coffeeshop for a friend to pick them up.  When the friend came, all hopped onto the car excitingly.  Upon reaching the restaurant, the BAT member found she had lost her purse.  They rushed back to the coffeeshop instantly.  On the way, the BAT member who lost the purse thought that there was very slim chance of recovering the purse because the table they were seated earlier was on the five-foot way outside the coffeeshop.

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Sarikei a bustling riverside town

SARIKEI: Sarikei is a bustling riverside town with the mighty Rajang River flowing next to it, and is not called the ‘Fruit Basket’ of Sarawak for no reason. Its iconic pineapples are something the town should be proud of for their crunchiness and sweetness are unlike other pineapple species.

But the town is not only producing its famed pineapples but also other fruits such as green oranges, bananas, mangoes, corns and watermelons.

Being a vital agricultural centre, a visit to Sarikei would be incomplete without a trip to the wet market.

Hence, the Borneo Post Adventure Team 6 (BAT6) visited the wet market to have a look.

The wet market serves as a main trading centre for the local farmers to sell their produce such as kangkung, pumpkins and chillies.

Besides fruits and vegetables, there are stalls selling fruit saplings, potted flower plants and clothes as well, making the market a one-stop centre for the local communities.

Driving around the town, we realised that it is no less vibrant than the market itself.

It is easy to find fast food outlets such as Sugar Bun, KFC, Pizza Hut and even Pezzo.

When there are many traditional Foochow foods such as kampua, mee sua and kompia available around Sarikei, most foodies would not have a second glance at these fast food.

For those visiting Sarikei for the first time, do not be surprised that a big cup of hot drink in the coffeeshop costs only RM1. Furthermore, there is no such thing as small cup of hot drink like coffee or tea because they only serve one size of beverage.

The town is definitely fast growing as it has opened its doors to international retail outlets such as ShareTea, Guardian, Watsons personal care stores, The Body Shop and Blackball-original Taiwanese tea and dessert.

We also noticed a row of Bodhi trees at the town centre. The Bodhi tree is easily distinguished by its heart-shaped leaves. It was under the tree that Buddha was said to have attained enlightenment.

Slowly leaving Sarikei town centre, we passed a few birdhouses along the way. They are hard to miss as the buildings are dull-looking without any window except for tiny holes. It is at these birdhouses that swiftlets nests are harvested and processed.

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Sarikei the pineapple town where food is cheap

THE streets of Tanjung Manis burst into life after the usual quiet night at the crack of dawn with the chirping of swiftlets rousing the BAT team from their sleep.

Despite our early wake-up call by the birds, we had to rush and had just enough time to gulp down our drinks as a speedboat was about to depart for our next destination – Sarikei.

Under Sarawak’s River Board regulations, one speed boat is only allowed to carry a maximum of 12 passengers but there were 20 of us on that trip.

Surprisingly despite carrying more than the permitted number of passengers, there was plenty of room onboard.

The boat took only 30 minutes along the mighty Rajang with its nipah palm lined banks to reach Sarikei.

Having missed our breakfast in Tanjung Manis, the first thing we did after checking into a hotel was to eat.

The food and the portion were good and Sarikei could be the town with the cheapest food in the state.

Our lunch of mixed meat with rice (large portion) for each came with a small plate of vegetable to share and four home-cooked bean drinks – barley, green bean and red bean – costing only RM24.

Earlier on, we tried the kolo wanton and meehoon soup for only RM2.50 per bowl.

The Ramadan bazaar located in the centre of town started rather early as well as the vendors began preparing for business at around 2pm.

The stretches of stalls lining the bazaar were exciting as vendors offered a delightful and colourful array of food, drinks and desserts.

We also made a stopover at the Central Market with its many fruit stalls and among the fruits on display the local pineapple took centre stage.

At the central market, we met Wong Chieng Huan, a 36-year-old grocer who sells all sorts of fruits.

Wong owns an 11-acre pineapple farm at Sungai Bukit Huang and has been planting pineapples for two generations.

Farming is hard work and it is getting harder and her farm has dwindled in size, Wong grumbled.

“We have to look out for monkeys who steal not one or two pineapples but dozens!” she said.

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Platter of Borneo Fruits can transform Sarikei

SARIKEI: The Borneo Fruits and Pineapples Festival could become the platform to launch traditional and local fruits in the state to penetrate the foreign market and fetch high demand in the long run.

Minister of Sarawak Tourism Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the speciality from the aspect of concept and uniqueness of the festival was most fitting to realise the dream of the government to develop and transform the national’s agricultural sector of related fruits products.

‘In our state, there are still many traditional and local fruits yet to be known. Thus, with the organising of this type of festival, it is a good opportunity for our local people to promote the fruits in their area to the outside world so that it could be enjoyed by every strata of society.

“This festival is a good start for this target group to introduce their fruits and products to the open market. With the opportunities available to market their products, they can become successful entrepreneurs.

“We must be smart to make full use of this opportunity, and we hope farmers, breeders and petty traders who are involved in this aspect will see the foresight of the government’s endeavour to develop the Sarikei Division in general, to become the ‘Food Basket of Sarawak’ towards the year 2030,” said Abang Johari when he opened the Borneo Fruits and Pineapples’ Festival 2015 at the main stage of Sarikei central market on Friday night.

The opening ceremony was attended by about 2,000 people within and outside Sarikei. According to Abang Johari, who is also Housing Minister, the state government is currently making efforts to develop many rural tourism products in the state.

As such, he said tourism-based projects in the rural areas were part of the plan to strengthen the state’s tourism sector.

He said that apart from having attractive tourist locations and the cultural uniqueness in the state, there were also other potential rural tourism products to be developed, including local-based food and traditional culture.

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Sarikei Pineapple and Borneo Fruits Festival to see packed programme

SARIKEI: Starting tomorrow (May 1) there will be a packed programme of daily activities for this year’s Pineapple and Borneo Fruits Festival until May 10.

Stalls selling fruits and other agriculture produce will run from 8am till 10.30pm.

For the photography exhibition at the civic centre foyer showcasing colourful agriculture-related activities from the competition organised by the Sarikei District Council, the opening hours are 9am to 5pm.

Kite-flying and exhibition by the Divisional Youth and Sports Office will run from 4pm to 11pm.

The Sarikei Kitchen run by the Community Development Department (Kemas) to promote local delicacies and pineapple-based dishes will be available from 8am to 10pm.

Tomorrow (May 1), there will be mass aerobics in the morning to mark Labour Day, while the official launching ceremony by Sarawak Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg will be held in the evening.

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Borneo Fruits Festival more than just about fruits

SARIKEI: The 13th edition of the town’s signature event has been rebranded as the Pineapple and Borneo Fruits Festival.

Despite the name change, it will not just be about fruits, just like the Pineapple Fest was not merely about pineapples during its inception 13 years ago.

“The 10-day festival to be held from May 1 to 10 will still be a platform to promote Sarikei as the state’s main food producer or Food Basket of Sarawak and agro-tourism destination,” Sarikei Resident Dahim Nadot said.

Dahim, who is also organising committee’s chairman, said they would strive to showcase the real potential of Sarikei as the state’s food hub and producer of other commercial crops like pepper, palm oil and rubber, and to ensure the festival live up to its name, they had allocated at least 10 stalls for exhibition and sales of different kinds of fruits and several stalls for other crops.

They will try to make visitors spoilt for choice on fruits and other agricultural products.

He admitted that the previous festivals were held during off fruits season, and after realising the shortcomings, they then adjusted the timing for the coming event.

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Sarikei fruit festival to feature a host of activities

SARIKEI: A host of informative and entertaining activities have been drawn up for the division’s signature annual event slated for May 1 till 10.

Formerly known as Pesta Nanas (Pineapple Fest), the event’s name for this year’s 13th edition has been changed to Pesta Nanas dan Buah-Buahan Borneo (Pineapple and Borneo Fruits Festival), said Sarikei resident Dahim Nadot at a press conference after he chaired the organising committee’s meeting at his office here yesterday afternoon.

Daim said the ten-day event is scheduled to be officially launched by Housing and Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg at the main stage beside the Central Market here on the evening of May 1.

The main feature of the event is an agricultural exhibition while others are entertainment, traditional games, cultural show, beauty contest, singing contest, concert by local recording artistes, water sports, educational seminars and talks, photography competition and many more.

In line with the change of the event’s name, the organiser has specially allocated some ten stalls for fruits exhibition, he said, adding he believed during this time of the year, pineapples and other fruits like oranges would be abundant.

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Rebranding of ‘Sarikei Pineapple Fest’ - New ‘menu’ from fruits to Sarikei Food Basket

SARIKEI: The rebranding of ‘Sarikei Pineapple Fest’ is a bold step aimed at propelling the development of the division in various aspects.

Whatever the new name it is given, including ‘Sarawak Fruits Festival’ as suggested by Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg recently, the whole idea is to widen its scope by incorporating as many sectors as possible such as economy, agriculture, education, social, etc., into its fattened ‘menu’.

Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office, Datu Len Taliff Salleh, who stated this when officiating at the closing ceremony of Pineapple Fest 2014 here on Sunday night, said the rebranded festival would be directed at promoting the division as the state’s main food producer or “Food Basket of Sarawak” and as a tourism destination.

“No doubt, this is a big challenge for various agencies in particular and the people of Sarikei in general as it requires a new ‘chemistry’ and ideas,” he pointed out.

He hoped all parties concerned would be open-minded in anticipating new challenges and ideas.

In that respect, Len concurred with Sarikei Resident Dahim Nadot in calling for the public to channel feedback on ways to improve the standard of the event from time to time.

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‘Pesta Kopitiam’, another signature festival for Sarikei

SARIKEI: The town is set to embark on another festival to complement the Pineapple Fest which had been the division’s annual signature event for the past eleven years.

If the disclosure by Sarikei Resident, Dahim Nadot, during a recent press conference on this year’s Pineapple Fest do was anything to go by, the new festival for the town in the offing was ‘Pesta Kopitiam.’

The idea was conceptualized to reflect the big number of coffee shops and eateries scattered in every nook and corner of the town.

“ Sarikei could be the only town in the world where we can find at least a coffee shop or eatery on every commercial block,” he said.

“Sarikei District Council (SDC) which mooted idea must have many interesting and exciting programmes to make the event a presentable one,” he asserted during a press conference which was also attended by SDC chairman, Chan Phan Chan.

One of the objectives of the proposed festival was to complement the Pineapple Fest in promoting Sarikei as the fruit producer and the state’s `food basket’ as well as a tourism destination, Chan said.

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Sarawak targets 4 mln domestic and foreign tourists this year

SARIKEI: The state is targeting to attract four million tourists from within the country and from abroad this year.

Assistant Minister of Sarawak Tourism Datuk Talib Zulpilip said that the target was achievable given an encouraging arrival of both domestic and foreign tourists in the first five months of this year.

“Till May this year, a total of 1,701,506 tourists had visited the state. The figure represented an increase of 4.43 per cent from 1,629,366 recorded during the corresponding period last year,” he noted after a state tourism coordinating meeting at the Resident’s Office here on Monday.

To attract tourists, Talib stressed on the importance of maintaining the cleanliness of our towns and all the tourism spots in the state.

Apart from that, special attention needed to be accorded to ensure tourists really enjoyed their stay in our exotic places spiced by our friendliness, he highlighted.

“Our clean and beautiful places; comfortable surroundings and friendliness of our people can do more than just attracting the tourists to come to the state. I believe these elements can attract the tourists to come back, recommending their friends to visit the state,” he said.

There is also a need to diversify our products to ensure sustainability of our tourism industry, he added.

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Ibans’ colourful lifestyle recipe for success — Ujang homestay

SARIKEI: The time is right for the Ibans in particular to promote their colourful longhouse lifestyle through the ‘homestay’ programme

Saying this when officiating at the closing ceremony of a seminar organised by Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DCCI) here yesterday, its deputy president Tan Sri Celestine Ujang said it was high time for the longhouse folk to earn a little bit of income from their rich heritage.

Ujang, who officiated at the closing of ‘Business Opportunities in Homestay Industry’ seminar, said that in the past, the longhouse folk would welcome tourists to their home to experience for free their lifestyle.

“In this era when we have to pay for virtually every kind of service, the longhouse folk make good of their rich and unique culture, colourful lifestyle, historical background, legends and traditional games to generate additional income for themselves.”

The many longhouses left under-occupied most of the time because the residents were working elsewhere and only returned during weekends and holidays should also be considered as a factor to encourage them (longhouse folk) to explore the potential of homestay concept.

As an organisation which strived to look after the interest of Dayak business community, Ujang said the DCCI encouraged longhouse folk to venture into homestay business due to its high economic potential.

He added that based on feedback received from the local tourism authority, all the 29 homestay businesses entities in the state were faring very well.

He said that DCCI was prepared to help the longhouse folk wanting to venture into the homestay business by providing technical assistance, advices and guidance through seminars and workshops and also enlightening them on the various forms of assistance and incentive from government for such venture.

He was pleased to note that many longhouse folk were keen to venture into the homestay business, adding that DCCI had received 20 requests to hold homestay seminars from throughout the state.

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Pineapple Fest in Sarikei catalyst for agro-tourism

SARIKEI: The Pineapple Fest is a catalyst for the development of agro-tourism here, said Sarikei Member of Parliament Ding Kuong Hiing.

He said the success of the signature event would prompt visitors to visit Sarikei even after the festival period.

“We have a lot of good things to show to the visitors during the Pineapple Fest, but the best showcase should be the various agricultural products which were not only of high quality but the prices are cheaper than elsewhere,” he said when closing this year’s festival on Sunday night.

“The cheap price of vegetables, fruits and other agricultural produce in Sarikei may not impress the locals but it certainly impresses outsiders who are used to paying more for those items in their respective towns.”

He said tourists would also be attracted by the low prices of local eateries.

Meanwhile, Sarikei Resident Michael Dawi Alli pointed out that the cost of living in Sarikei was the lowest compared to other towns in the state.

He said this year’s festival was a success both in organisation and the showcase of materials.

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Huge potential in Sarawak tourism sector

SARIKEI: The tourism industry has all the potentials to remain as one of the country’s major income earners.

Deputy Tourism Minister, Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit said that after witnessing its steady growth over the past few years, he was confident that tourism, the country’s second largest industry would thrive by leaps and bounds in the coming years.

In that respect the ministry had targeted to attract over 36 million foreign tourists to visit the country annually from year 2020 onwards, he said at a briefing on the development of Sarikei local tourism industry at the Resident’s Office yesterday morning.

If the target was achieved, the industry could generate an annual income of RM168 billion for the country, he pointed out.

In 2009, a total of 23.6 million tourists visited the country with a total of RM53.4 million being spent, he noted.

Though, the official figure for last year was yet to be released, he believed it was bigger than 2009, said Dawos who estimated around 25 million visitors and generating revenue of about RM55 million.

“The country’s tourism industry has great potentials given its rich saleable products. We have rich culture of over 50 ethnic groups; beautiful and unique flora and fauna, historical places and many attractions,” he said.

He called on tourism players to be creative and innovative to convert the potentials of tourism products into monetary value.

“In that regards we have to adopt ‘think tourism, act tourism’ motto to keep us focus when thinking of ways and means to optimise exploitation of the industry,” he said.

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Sarikei - food bowl of Sarawak

Photos courtesy of and Copyright to NYL and Brunei Press Sdn Bhd.

By NYL in Sarikei, Malaysia

In the beginning of the 19th century, Sarikei was a sleepy trading settlement located in the lower Rejang area, named after the betel leaf (sirih). The only significant community was the Segalang (Melanau) and Chinese. Other large groups comprised Malays and Ibans.

Sarikei received its status as a division in 1973 but the existence of the town goes way back even further than its first entry in the history text in 1845 with the arrival of the First Rajah, James Brooke. In fact, the town was razed in 1856, rebuilt later and has served as a hotspot for insurgency by pirates and locals in its colourful history. It has also been acknowledged that the creation of the Sarikei division was mainly to check the threats from communist rebels who were active there during the height of the Confrontation.

Today Sarikei is an emerging town of the central region and poised to benefit from the numerous developments planned for the region. It is also the 'food bowl' of Sarawak, estimated to supply about 60 per cent of the vegetables produced in the region and is the main supplier of fruits, especially pineapples and oranges.

Sarikei shares many of the characteristics of Sibu in terms of location and food choices, both being served by the Rajang River and populated mainly by the Chinese in the town area where the main business activities occur.

As the main gateway to Sibu via road from Kuching, Sarikei can confidently look forward to greater developments, especially as a rest and recreational stop over point. Its vast hinterland is an attraction for nature lovers as they can make short excursions to coastal villages and also interesting places near the town.

A typical day in Sarikei begins early down at the waterfront and adjacent market. Along the wharf, plank-ways lead to several points where cargo boats dock, while the narrow streets are packed with shops selling everything you may need for a river journey.

A four-metre giant pineapple replica stands proudly on the waterfront right in the middle of town. Sarikei is also known as the pineapple capital of Sarawak, producing the sweetest fruits, (17 per cent sugar content) with low acidity and very few thorns on its leaves.

Opposite the town's Terminal 1 Jetty lies the social heart of Sarikei, the Rejang Market and Hawker Centre, a visual feast for visitors with more than 200 hawkers selling a wide array of wet and dry goods. Main highlights are locals selling exotic fruits, jungle produce and handicrafts.

A vibrant Ramadhan Bazaar sets up every afternoon around 1pm and operates until 7pm during the fasting month. Local delicacies on sale include various types of cakes, the ever famous ikan terubok grilled with spices and chicken cooked in bamboo known as ayam pansuh.

Sarikei Merdeka Park is one of the latest additions to the local government's effort to turn Sarikei into a more aesthetic town. Built in 2004, it consists of a central courtyard framed by two gazebos and Zen balls. The park was built on what used to be the Pasar Tamu of the town.

The Lake Garden built in 1995 has become a favourite rest and recreational area. Pleasant and relaxing to the eyes, the garden's vast stretch of water and surrounding landscape naturally makes it the choice for those seeking tranquillity and calmness.

Another favourite place is Taman Rimba Sebangkoi (Sebangkoi Forest Park), just 25kilometres from the town and served by the Sebangkoi Country Resort which provides convenient hospitality facilities for visitors.

A well-known venue is the Rentap Memorial at Bukit Sibau, which is a day's journey away to Ulu Wuak, the nearest town. This small building serves as a reminder of the great Iban warrior who fought against the first White Rajah of Sarawak during the early history of the state's march towards independence.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Weekend
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Sarikei has a lot to offer to eco-tourism

SIBU: When it comes to eco-tourism, Sarikei certainly has a lot to showcase.

Take Sungai Pau waterfall for example, its natural landscape remains undisturbed by human activities.

Sungai Pau waterfall located in a hilly area is reached after a 40-minute walk from Rumah Nyuka (Nyuka longhouse).

It is a popular picnic spot among locals during weekends, said the executive of Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) Sibu Office, Rudy Anoi.

Interviewed at his office at Jalan Tukang Besi here yesterday, Anoi cited that Sungai Pau waterfall was another potential area that could be effectively developed as a tourism product in the central region of Sarawak besides Sungei Munsoh which was further away.

“The slightly smaller Sungai Pau waterfall has only two tiers of waterfall compared to Sungai Munsoh which has three.

“The water there is crystal clear and would be very ‘tempting’ for nature lovers who desire to take a swim. The highest point of the waterfall is about one-storey tall.

Continue reading at: Sarikei has a lot to offer to eco-tourism

Waterfall in Ulu Sarikei a good tourist attraction

SIBU: Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) Sibu has identified another potential tourist attraction in Ulu Sarikei - a waterfall.

Tucked away in the secondary rainforest, Sungai Munsoh waterfall was about the best one could find in Sarawak, according to STB Sibu executive, Rudy Anoi.

Easily accessible through easy jungle trekking from Rumah Nyuka longhouse at Lubuk Lemba, the waterfall should be an ideal get-away destination especially for those who like to escape from the hustle and bustle of busy town life, he added.

Incidentally, Rudy had been very busy of late trying to locate new pristine spots in the interior of central region of Sarawak which could be promoted as new tourism products to boost the tourism industry.

The discovery of Sungai Munsoh waterfall was definitely very rewarding, according to Rudy. He and his team, comprising a travel agent and staff from STB, made the discovery during a recent trip to Lubuk Lemba in Ulu Sarikei upper-river interior region in search of potential tourist destinations.

The 10-member team was led by Rudy and Ling How Ming of Greatown Travel.

“As part of our tourism product identification programme, this new discovery having the good potential as a tourist destination has been very promising, considering the perfect location and surroundings,” he said.

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Agro-tourism abound in Sibu hinterland

SIBU: SARAWAK Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer, Gracie Geikie visited some of the interesting places in the Central Region yesterday. This time Gracie came down to see for herself several places of interest in Sarikei Division.

Despite her tight schedule, such as meeting tourism stake players in Sibu, she had earlier on took the time to visit a Durin handicraft shop, Sebangkoi Forest Park, Sebangkoi Height Resort, Sebangkoi Deer Farm and Sarikei town.

Expressing her amazement, Sarikei, billed as the Food Bowl of Sarawak, had indeed so much to offer in agro-based tourism destinations. “Local tour operators should take this opportunity to organise either one day or two-day and one night tours from Sibu to Sarikei by land excursion.

“Even for those from Kuching, they too can organise such tours to Sebangkoi Park, which has many tourist spots, Sebangkoi Height Resort and Sebangkoi Dear Farm.

Continue reading (incl. pic) at: Agro-tourism abound in Sibu hinterland