Subject: Sarawak by Bike - April 00 Dear Editor, I've spend the Thai Songkran holidays cycling in Sarawak / Malaysia. My time was limited and I have by far not visited all places, still enough too compile some useful info: GENERAL STUFF The Sarawak people are - in many ways - just wonderful. They are not wild but friendly, humorous, bright, honest. This goes for all the races I've met (including police). Major languages spoken are Malay, English and Chinese. Malay is probably most useful, English coming second. Most of the Chinese speak Malay and English well. Traffic as well as public transport is not bad at all (though some vehicles are pretty much "ekspres"). Coming from Thailand, one experiences a very positive culture shock. Sarawak has a large Christian population. Churches of various confessions are everywhere and many look pretty prestigious. You can attend services every day. People, and not only the Chinese, are open to new things which makes Sarawak a rather advanced country. The land itself is fertile with fish (and crocodiles) in the rivers and all sorts of things to be found in the forest (though going less with logging proceeding - see my chapter below). What you can't find in forest and rivers, you will probably be able to find in the markets. Oh yes, food is great. Great variety, even in small towns. Indian breakfast, Chinese lunch, halal dinner, and why not fill the night with burgers and all sorts of beer. Sure they have Guinness Stout in the smallest village. Want adventure ? Try what the Dayak bring from the forest. Well, I did NOT lose any weight, neither did I catch diarrhoea. The weather in April however was a bit hostile: Hot sun and blue sky from 9am to 4pm, then getting cloudy, heavy rain after 5pm. As a cyclist, you first get sunburned, then you drown. Now here come the facts: KUCHING Accommodation: - Diocesas Resthouse (Anglican, on grounds of St.Thomas Cathedral) is the best budget place I found: Rooms (fan, shared mandi) are RM18 (single), RM 20 (double bed, larger room), .. It's a solid, old building with rooms rather clean, the location is quiet and nice, still close to most attractions. - There's a Rumah Rehat (Government Resthouse) in Kuching. It's in Jln Crookshank, not far from the Hospital (Hospital Umum Sarawak), but many locals don't know it. Refer to the GPS file. When I was there, it was locked with no caretaker to be found. Might still make sense to check, when you are there. - B&B is noisy and starts at RM24 / single. Attractions: - Fort Margarita with the Police Museum is closed for renovation until mid July 00. - The new part of the Sarawak Museum is closed for renovation until further notice. Entry to the old part is free and it's worth spending some time. - Both Wind Cave (Gua Angin) and Fairy Cave (Gua Kapor) can be visited from Kuching in one day by bicycle. The return trip totals 95km with some hills and some traffic near Kuching. The slippery stairs leading up to the Fairy Cave have been replaced by a tower with nice staircase. Cyber Cafes: Lido Cyber Centre, RM 4/h, Lot 362, Section 62, KTLD, Jln Ang Cheng Ho, Tel.082-259369, no ISDN but still rather fast Apple Net: RM 4/h, one block west of Lido, no ISDN but still rather fast Waterfront Cybercafe: RM 7/h, ISDN Note: Virtually all Sarawak cyber caves are fast, many use ISDN Shopping - Bicycles and Parts: Moh Tak, 221 Abell Road, Tel.082-246232 is most popular amongst local mountainbikers. The shop looks very much like a sewing machine shop, but they probably have the Shimano part to get you going again. Other shops can be found in Jln Carpenter, ask around if you need an odd part: Some of the shops have a lot more stuff in the back than you would expect. Outside Kuching, you may not easily find Shimano parts. The best local bikes (made in West Malaysia) are by a brand called "Le Run". They are OK but not up to the standards of the big US brands. - Souvenirs: Original pieces from a longhouse community will most likely not look too attractive. Most of the tribal artwork is rather rough. You might buy a well-done imitation, and your mother would still throw it in the bin, thinking that it's only gathering dust, while being neither special nor beautiful nor useful. China, Indonesia, Thailand make more beautiful stuff that is cheaper, too. - Maps: The bookshop in Sarawak Plaza sells Periplus maps. The Periplus Sarawak map is better (and cheaper) than what you can get from the Land and Survey Department. Having bought the map, you can visit TopPhoto (a few meters East from Sarawak Plaza). These folks have a machine big enough to laminate your map. The cost is RM20..30. Sarawak is very rainy, so it might be worth the investment. - Clothes: I found that T-shirts, imported from Indonesia, sell cheaper (half price) than equivalent Bangkok products in Thailand. Imitations can be found but aren't as omnipresent as in Thailand. Means, if you want sneakers with 3 stripes, you will probably get expensive originals. If on a budget, you'd rather buy those with 4 stripes. - Plazas: The more useful malls are Hock Lee Center and Sarawak Plaza. Both have bookshops. Food: Fruit stalls at the market nr Elektra House sell good-quality fruits, including imported oranges. All sorts of Chinese, Indian and Malay food is easily available from restaurants and food stalls. American fast food plus some local rice dishes are sold thru McDonalds, KFC, ... In the evening, small hamburger stands sell burgers that outdo Mac Donalds tastewise and pricewise. Drinking water costs RM 1.5 .. 2.5 for a 1.5 l bottle. You could also boil tap water at your guesthouse. SERIAN Accommodation: K.C. Inn has aircon singles and doubles. The price is highly negotiatable, so I cannot tell you a real price. Note: No reason to stay in Serian, you'd better stay at the Ranchan Pools, just outside town on the road to Sri Aman. Shopping: There's an Everrise Departmental Store RANCHAN POOLS A series of small waterfalls with a large, man-made pool at the bottom. It's getting very scenic if you walk upstream into the forest. Accommodation: Newly built near the waterfalls (if on schedule, they should now be open for 3 weeks, already): Bungalow (2 rooms, each 1 bed, bathroom): Aircon RM65, fan RM45 Longhouse (Dorm): RM10 / bed Food: There's a restaurant nr the falls SRI AMAN Accommodation: The best value-for-money you get at the Rumah Rehat (Government Resthouse). It's somewhere between the river, the public swimming pool and the market. Refer to GPS file. - Dorm: RM 1 (! Yes, the cheapest place I ever stayed, not counting the free places) It's a very clean long room, with sleeping areas on the side, seperated by walls and curtains, a thin mattress supplied, bring your own sheet / blanket. You will receive a RM1 bill from the Sarawak Government. - Separate room with 3 beds and shared bathroom: RM10 - If they ONLY offer you this room, simply ask if you could not stay at the dormitory. Note: It is perfectly OK for a foreigner to stay at the Rumah Rehat. Road Transport: Bus from Sri Aman to Sarikei (or the other way round) is RM 13.50 KANOWIT Accommodation: The Kanowit Rumah Rehat is rather dirty and expensive, for what you get: Downstairs: RM2 (no mat, sleep on the floor, dirty, "have hantu") Upstairs: RM5 (also no mat, also sleep on the floor, slightly less dirty, "not have hantu" = ghost-free) All lights in the shared bathroom are broken, though there are 2 families to take care. Overstaffed. This Rumah Rehat is lousy. Stay away, unless you are really short of money. Some churches maintain resthouses. Ask around. Kanowit Hotel: All rooms aircon and TV, RM40 (bargained down to RM30), so-so clean. Hardcore sex movie (involved a lady and a pony) on the in-house TV channel. Harbour View Inn: A bit nicer than Kanowit Hotel, asking RM40 and bargaining a bit harder, no idea about in-house movies. River Transport (Ekspres): Kanowit -> Kapit: RM15 (no extra charge for bicycle) Read below chapter about buying a boat in Sarawak ! KAPIT Accommodation: - Dragon Inn: Single, fan, shared bath: RM20. This is one of the places popular with budget travellers. Staff is friendly, place is clean. - Rumah Rehat: On the eastern end of town, right there where the road climbs a hill, there are 2 Government Resthouses: Coming from the town center, you first reach the one for Malay, Chinese,.... (everyone who's non-Iban), after that the one for Ibans. As a foreigner, you can actually stay where you like it most. There is no charge. Bring your own mat and blanket. If you want to meet Iban folks without contributing to longhouse tourism, just go there. If you happen to bring some tuak, beer, anything, someone would surely help you consume it. Sights: Sebabai Waterfalls are 11km from town. Count on cycling 50 minutes / one way, there are some rather steep hills. The area of the falls and access path is rather large. It's scenic, cool, relaxing, accessible with plankwalks and steps. The falls themselves are not outstanding in size or hight. No food stalls near the falls. River Transport (Ekspres): Kapit -> Sibu (or Sibu -> Kapit): RM20 (no extra charge for bicycle) Road Transport: There is NO road, even not a logging road, to connect Kapit to Kanowit (or any other place in the outside world). However, from Kapit, a number of roads lead into the country, the most extensive network of roads are the logging roads. The Land and Survey office in Kapit knows not much about the logging roads. Read below chapter about the logging roads that I cycled. Permits: The permit for upriver travel is issued by the Pejabat Am. Takes half an hour, very smooth. SIBU River Transport (Ekspres): Bahagian Ekspres leaves Sibu for Kuching at 11:30 am. It is the only trip. Concorde Marine is no more. The office has vanished and people told me that the boat has been sold. Food: In contradiction with the LP (99) map, KFC is on Jln Kp Nyabor between McDonalds and Sugar Bun. SARIKEI By no means is Sarikei a forgotten fisher village. It has Hotels, nightlife, cybercitizens, ... There's a promenade along the waterfront, bit smaller than Kuching, though. Cute sunset. Accommodation: Southern Hotel: Aircon, attached bathroom RM28, RM36. Fan, shared bathroom RM 14 Hotel Rajang: Single/double with attached bathroom: Fan RM 18..20, Aircon & TV RM28..30 Welcome Inn: Aircon, attached bathroom: Single RM35, Double RM40 More upmarket: Puri Hotel: Aircon, attached bathroom. Riverside RM 44.85, Backside RM 37.95 (incl.Tax) Dragon Inn: Aircon, attached bathroom, TV: Double RM55..80, Triple RM100..140, Quad RM 150..270 The Malaysian Airlines office is attached to the Dragon Inn / accessible from the foyer of the hotel. Food: Sarikei has several Chinese Coffeeshops, KFC, Sugar Bun, plus a lot of small burger stands. Cyber Cafes: AcerTech Computer & Surfing Centre, 76 G/F Jln Masjid Lama (near Sugar Bun), Tel.084-657939. ISDN and very fast. Excellent value at RM 2 / h. Road Transport: There's a bus station for local busses at the waterfront. The Borneo Highway Express office is around the corner. To go to Kuching with Borneo Highway Express, best wait in front of the office where the busses from Sibu stop and pick up passengers. The last bus to Kuching passes through at 10pm. The ticketing office is open until then. The 10pm bus arrives in Kuching as early as 3am at the Regional Bus Station. River Transport (Ekspres): Bahagian Ekspres from Sibu to Kuching comes through and picks up passengers. Exact time not given. If you are at the dedicated jetty at 11:30 am, you can't miss it. BAKO NATIONAL PARK The distance from Kuching to Kg Bako is 25km (road). You can cycle it easily. Cost: Entry RM3, Camera RM5, Boat RM30 per trip (this is very high, fixed by the government), hostel bed RM10.50 (it's OK / clean), a can of beer at the restaurant > RM5, food quite reasonable. At the member's kitchen, you can boil tap water. The park has some nice beaches and easy walks. Ladders, steps and plankwalks make life easier. Telok Pandan Kecil and Air Terjun Tajor are popular destinations. The sand beach at Telok Tajor is completely flooded during high tide. Sunburn can become a problem on several of the trails. Bring some protection. Mosquito spray, too. Walks can be done in half the time indicated on signs and maps. The park is clean and not crowded, worth spending some days. Financially, a longer stay makes sense, too. Staff at the park HQ is friendly, but the monkeys not. I yet don't understand why all the things that they steal do not become an environmental problem. Carrying a slingshot keeps monkeys at distance. Don't smile at monkeys (don't show your teeth). It is not allowed to take a mountainbike into the park, it would be rather difficult to cycle it there and to keep it safe from the monkeys. Note: It's best if you arrange pickup for your return with the boatman who brings you. Alternatively, you can hope that there is space in someone else's return boat. If all fails, staff at the HQ can call you a boat by phone. Not sure about the extra cost involved. GUNUNG GADING NATIONAL PARK - LUNDU - PANTAI PANDAN This park is not too popular amongst locals, because: 1) There are no restaurants. All food needs to be brought from outside. 2) Just before Lundu, all traffic has to cross the Kayan river. 2 ferries operate on one landing and it's pretty chaotic. Can easily cause half hour waiting time. Locals are fighting for a bridge and expect to get it next year. 3) No public transport goes from Lundu to the NP. Most visitors drive their own car / motorcycle. Cost: Entry RM3, Camera RM5, Hostel bed RM10. The hostel has shared kittchen, sitting areas and TV. Pretty nice, too. It's safe to drink the tap water. Park staff is always happy to help, but if you ask for the exact location of a Rafflesia, you may be sent the wrong way as the clerk who tells you may never actually have visited the spot. She will say sorry, once you come back and complain. The park is well equipped with clear streams and waterfalls, is heavily forested (looks very "jungle-ish") and well-shaded from the sun. Perfect for hot weather. Lots of plantlife can be seen. The trails are easy to walk / climb with ladders where needed. I consider Gg Gading NP an excellent place to recover from travel stress and other injury. Note: Don't walk on the water pipe, in some spots it's a lot more slippery than it looks.* *The Lundu Hospital is open only in the morning. Pay a RM2 registration fee and queue. In my case they've wheeled me through the hospital in a wheelchair, done 2 X-rays, found nothing broken, gave me a bag full of pills and said my leg would feel better soon. The hospital kantin serves nothing special but is OK and cheap. Lundu's only pharmacy is in the hospital but the most popular medical supplies can also be bought at grocery shops. I was surprised that the RM2 I had paid on registering covered everything: Doctor fee, x-ray, medication. Courtesy of the Malaysian government ! Pantai Pandan is a bit over 10km from the NP. Slightly hilly and easy to cycle. It's a nice and clean beach with no facilities. OK for a swim. Seen hardly any flotsam, unlike mentioned in the 99 LP. Last express bus from Lundu to Kuching is at 4pm (cost is RM 7.30). After that you may still find a local (STC) bus to Bau, from there another one to Kuching. Jooee Cafe (across from the Lundu bus station) is a pretty good Chinese restaurant that has some variety in food plus ASTRO satellite TV. They collect any newspaper article about today's ferries and the bridge that yet has to be built. PERMITS FOR NATIONAL PARKS Many National Parks do not require you to bring a permit. You can get the permit at the park HQ. The purpose of getting permits beforehand is to reserve accommodation, which makes sense on weekends. ------ end of facts, start of related thoughts ------ YOUR OWN BOAT IN SARAWAK !? Sarawak is perfect to explore by river, whereas you suffer major detours and get stuck easily if you are restricted to roads. My preference for individual transport (bicycle) turned to be very exhaustive for both my body and bike. Well, I did some research on alternative transport: No license is required to operate a personal boat in Sarawak. A small outboard engine (5 hp) costs from RM 2000 (new). As engines don't last as long as boats, there will always be someone to buy your engine, should you later decide to sell it. No major service is normally necessary within the first 2 years. To replace a broken propeller will cost around RM 200, but normally, this doesn't happen. The engine (2-stroke) runs on gasoline and oil, both easily available. Should one run out of fuel, one can always drift downstream, where fuel will become available. A second hand wooden perahu can be bought for around RM 1500, renting one for a month or two would be cheaper. You might be lucky and even find one for free, with a spoiled engine, of course. Check at the logging camps, I saw several such boats there. These days, there seem to be extra boats around, with lots of longhouse communities aquiring vans and switching from river to road transport. Travelling by your own boat brings you into contact with the less touristic side of Sarawak and probably you'll meet lots of wonderful people. Carry all sorts of stuff with you, never worry about bus and boat schedules again, go rivers where there is just one weekly boat, overcharge tourists. If you get caught in the night, just sleep in your own boat. For not getting lost, you will need a GPS and you will need to speak some Malay, but that's not a big deal. Getting lost on a river is not so easy either, as most of the time it's only 1-dimensional. You're lucky, crocodiles (which there are in abundance) don't attack boats, so go ahead ! ----- TRAVELLING THE LOGGING ROADS EAST OF KAPIT Suggesting a tour on the logging road, return by boat via Belaga Leave Kapit to the East, over the hill near the 2 Rumah Rehat. Follow the mainroad and eventually reach Rumah Tuan (Longhouse) on the Batang Rajang. Find the jetty (walk over the wooden bridge). Take a boat to Kurina Lubung Company a bit upriver on the other side (fare is RM3). Sit down in the canteen of Kurina Lubung, eat something, make your plans, ask people. It will not be difficult to find a logging truck or Landcruiser to take you along, often at no charge. Kurina Lubung Co., Camp 19 km Junction Xlog01 (turn right) - the name "Xlog01" refers to attached GPS file approx. 20 km Mujong Camp (spartan, sleep in the Methodist chapel) 18 km Junction Xlog02 (turn left) 24 km Garu Camp (pretty nice camp, has guest rooms. I turned back at this point, info below is from the camp Mgr) 17 km Junction (turn left) 16 km Tiau River, Bridge (cross), Junction (go straight) 17 km 2B Camp 30 km Lanjak Camp 10 km Batang Balui River, Bridge, Village / Longhouse (stop here). A Landcruiser from Kurina Lubung takes about 5..6 hours to reach this spot. Logging trucks are almost as fast in this direction (up) - they go empty. Now you need to find a boat to take you downstream on Batang Balui. ? km (probably private boat from Longhouse) Bakun Rapids / Bakun Dam ? km (public ekspres boat) - alternatively, there is an OK government dirtroad out to Bintulu (via Sebauh). Belaga ? km (public ekspres boat) - alternatively, there is a hilly logging dirtroad out to Bintulu. Kapit (you are back !) CYCLING ON LOGGING ROADS - Logging roads have their own traffic rules: 1) Vehicles that go in (= up) are empty and drive on the outer side of a mountain road. This is the side towards a valley. 2) Vehicles that come out (= down) are heavily loaden and drive on the inner side of a mountain road. This is the side towards the mountain wall. - The logging companies built and own the roads. Roads are made for massive logging trucks to go as fast as they can (50..60km/h). They may not be able to stop quickly and accidents definitely happen. - Logging roads are not on government maps. It's an extensive network though, maintained by several private companies and reaching (almost ?) into Indonesia. - Normally, there is no police on a logging road. Only in case of a fatal accident, police will go there. - There is no road maintenance for unused parts of the road. The road deteriorates quickly. - There are no road signs. It's crucial that you ask at the camps where you have to turn. - Logging roads almost always run thru logged areas. There is no shade and the sun gets rather hot. On the positive side, you will encounter few mosquitos. - There are lots of steep hills, 10% slope is pretty normal. - Logging roads can have a smooth surface, but just as well they can be muddy or stony. If a road gets muddy and trucks have difficulties going, a maintenance team will soon empty a truckload of rocks over that stretch of road. - Cycling the logging roads is a challenge (or call it exhaustive). Steep, rocky, muddy or dusty plus one needs to let trucks pass. You might cover only 50% of your normal distance and the bike could break. However, if you decide to give up, there will be lots of transport to carry both you and your bike out. - You can spend the nights at logging camps or longhouses. TIMBER CAMPS (LOGGING CAMPS), PEOPLE, ENVIRONMENT - In Kapit area, you will most likely be confronted with Rimbunan Hijau Group. They celebrate their 25th anniversary, are Chinese-managed and understand their business. - According to the market value of the logs, these are either sold and carried out immediately, stored on site in hope of a better price, or processed in a plywood plant. - Logging is most profitable, when one area is completely cleared. This leaves behind a naked hill, subject to erosion. Most wildlife there is lost and environmentalists may scream. On the other hand, timber industry faces fierce competition from abroad and one is happy to be in business, so put these concerns last. - Not just a few Iban people are environmentally aware. Still they don't oppose logging too much, as they benefit from it. The money can buy them a better life. If they don't join, the Chinese take it all. - Is the timber industry sustainable ? Well, logging in Kapit area is restricted to certain claims and companies work on one area while another one grows back. In the real world, it's not quite like this. Trees don't grow back with the original quality and restrictions have some flexibility. To me it appeared that whatever can be accessed, has been systematically logged. Whatever cannot be accessed, has been selectively logged by helicopter (one crashed in April). - There are floating and sinking logs. Floating ones can go down the river, sinking ones require a truck. Often it is more economical to put all of them on trucks. - Being a practical traveller, you don't spend too much of your time discussing environmental issues with people who live on ignoring them. Particularly not, if you rely on them for transport and accommodation. - When visiting a camp, best look for the camp manager. He is to know what's going on, he is usually speaking English well, he has all the resources to help you. Probably he will enjoy a chat with you, just to get some distraction from monotonous camp life. - Men at the camps work a tough 7 days / week (daylight shift) and have little enterntainment. Their families are often far away and they can visit them maximum 1 time per month. There's a shortage of women at the camps. I suggest you be not a woman, if you visit. - Salary of a worker is around RM1500 / month. Logging truck drivers earn a bit more in their high-risk jobs (RM2000). - Logging camps have a canteen and a (slightly expensive) shop. This is the place where you want to go first, this is the social center of the camp where people eat, watch TV, relax. Management of the canteen has a direct impact on the happiness of the camp members. - If you want to do them folks something good, you could bring a few fresh VCDs from town. - Races / nationalities found at the camps are Chinese, Iban, Malay, Indonesian. Most workes prefer to speak Malay. - Don't take it for granted, but it happened to me that I was treated to meals and my own room for the night. - Heavy vehicles operate around the camps. Be careful when walking around. ---- end of timber talk ----- IBAN PEOPLE and their LONGHOUSES When in rural areas I approached longhouses to ask for the way, people turned their back, looked away, ignored me. Those who then could not avoid me, they spoke absolutely zero English. Asked in Malay, however, these folks were surprisingly helpful and friendly. When I appeared to be a cyclist lost in the night, Iban people were most helpful in finding me hotels, guesthouses, logging camps, but never ever they invited me to stay in their home. Very much unlike Chinese, Malay, Indians and West Malaysia's Orang Asli. If away from their longhouses, let's say in cyber cafes, restaurants, on the road, at resthouses, Ibans were a lot more accessible. What is going on ? Are they so sick of being a tourist attraction ? Is there an agreement that Ibans ignore all tourists who approach a longhouse outside an official longhouse tour ? Given these circumstances, I declared the Borneo-longhouse-headhunter idea antiquated and characterised Ibans as normal people, shy but friendly and of strong character. More about LONGHOUSES A longhouse is pretty close to what they call a row house project in the West. Traditional longhouses are best approached from the river. From behind / from the road, they can look like ghettos: Each family adds extensions to their part of the house, according to need. Today, old wooden longhouses along the rivers are abandoned / used as barns, while people build new stone longhouses that face the road. Some of these now have a shop-front. On the roadside of a longhouse, parking lots / car ports become more and more common. Some communities maintain a car pool of several vans. You can flag their vans down, they take passengers. Longhouse transport is not free. ------- So far Sarawak - I have to be back and bring some more time. Check out my waypoint file for Oziexplorer GPS software, it should be somewhere on this website. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My contact with the Sarawak Tourist Board: ----- Original Message ----- From: Sabrina Iba Wong To: Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2000 08:45 Subject: How to tie a loincloth? Dear Martin, Glad to read that you still have your head on & hope you had a good trip in Sarawak. The local name for the loincloth is "sirat". We, the younger generation tend to call it "Sarawak's Levi's 501" , why? 5 times round the waist 0 underwear 1 piece of cloth Personally I have never tied one before. All the best to you. Sincerely Sabrina Iba Wong Corporate Affairs Officer Sarawak Tourism Board E-Mail sarawak@po.jaring.my !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! eof