Contents
- 1. History
- 2. Physical Geography
- 3. Introduction
- 4. Economy
- 5. Getting to Sarawak
- 6. Culture
- 7. Places Of Interest
- 8. Kuching
- 9. Kuching North
- 10. The Astana
- 11. Fort Margherita
- 12. The Kuching City Garden
- 13. The State Mosque
- 14. Kuching South
- 15. The Square Tower
- 16. The Tua Pek Kong
- 17. The Court House
- 18. The Round Tower
- 19. The Pavillion
- 20. The General Post Office
- 21. The Sarawak Museum
- 22. The Old State Mosque
- 23. The Civic Centre
- 24. The Sarawak Cultural Village
- 25. Semenggoh Orang Utan Pottery Factory
- 26. Annah Rais Longhouse
- 27. Crocodile Farm and Pottery Shoph
- 28. Natural Attractions
- 29. Gua Niah (Niah cave)
- 30. Gunung Mulu National Park
- 31. Loagan Bunut National Park
- 32. Beaches
- 33. Santubong
- 34. Teluk Bandung
- 35. Pulau Satang
- 36. Pantai Siar
- 37. Pantai Sematan
- 38. Pantai Penyok and Pantai Bandung
- 39. Shopping
- 40. Golf Club
- 41. Hotels
- 42. Sarawak Tourism Information Centre
- 43. Travel Bureaus
History
The history of modern Sarawak is closely related to the adventures
of an Englishman, James Brooke after his advent to Sarawak in 1839.
With a boundary extending from Tanjung Datu to Batang Samarahan,
Sarawak then was one of Brunei’s territories and was ruled by its
Governor, Pengiran Mahkota. Politically, the country was in a state of
turmoil with the natives constantly in rebellion against Brunie’s
authority. To restore order, the Raja Muda of Brunei was sent but
failed in his mission until Brooke returned the following year and
offered his assistance. As a reward for his success in pacifying the
revolts, Brooke was installed as first Rajah if Sarawak in 1841. Thus
began the reign of the White Rajahs under the the Brooke family which
was to last more than a century.
During the first few decades of his first rule, Brooke’s hold over the century was greatly challenged not only by problems like piracy, but also by the armed resistance by his subjects, particularly the natives. Some measure of law and order was achieved and administrative changes were introduced. By 1861, Sarawak has been further enlarged with the Sultan’s cession of all the rivers and lands from Sadong River to Kidurong Point. By 1864, it has been recognized as an independent State by both the United States and Britain. Further cession of territory occurred in 1868 with the reign of the second Rajah, Charles Brooke, so that by 1885 Sarawak’s frontier extended to the valley of the Trusan River. In 1890, the Limbang region was added and in 1905, the Lawas River area was purchased from the British North Borneo Company.
Foreign protection was sought as early as the reign if the first Rajah to ensure Sarawak’s political and economic survival and independence but it was only in 1880 that Sarawak was accorded British protection. With the decline in piracy and in a situation of relative political stability economic development gained momentum, This continued during the reign of the third Rajah, Charles Vyner Brooke, who succeeded Charles Brooke in 1917.
In 1941, a new constitution was granted by the Rajah which paved the way for self-governance by the people. Among others, the constitution specified the composition of the Supreme Council and Council Negeri. Before the enactment could be effected, however, the Japanese invaded and occupied Borneo. When Sarawak was liberated in 1946, the third Rajah declared his intention to cede Sarawak to Great Britain, a decision which was opposed by many especially the natives who formed what was known as the Anti-Cession Movement. However, the Council Negeri voted 19 to 16 in favour of cession and Sarawak became a British Crown Colony on July the 1st, 1946. Dissatisfaction mounted, resulting in mass resignation of the of 388 Malay civil servants and the assassination of the Second British Governor of the colony of Sarawak in 1949. The British reaction to this attack was swift and the protest movement virtually died by 1950. A number of the anti-cessionists continued their involvement in politics and won for the State its "second independence" by supporting the formation of Malaysia mooted by Tunku Abdul Rahman, the then Chief Minister of Independent Malaya. In 1963, Sarawak achieved its independence within Malaysia.
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Physical Geography
Sarawak District
The state of Sarawak is situated near to the state of Sabah and Kalimantan, Indonesia. The width of this state is 124,000 sq. km. Sarawak is divided into 6 divisions that are Kuching, Samarahan, Sibu, Bintulu, Sri Aman and Kapit. The population in this state is about 1.7 million. The temperature in the state of Sarawak is about 23° Celsius till 32° Celsius.
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Introduction
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Economy
Sarawak economic base is built on three major products, namely oil, timber and natural gas. Major exports from Sarawak are petroleum and petroleum products, forestry and agricultural products. Petroleum accounts for 54% of the total export earnings for the state while timber accounts for 27% of export earnings, followed by pepper as the third largest export earner. With increased diversification in the agricultural base, other crops such as rubber, sago and coconut have emerged as new additions to the list of exportable items.Back to Content ↑
Getting to Sarawak
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Culture
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Places Of Interest
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Kuching
White Rajahs heritage 1870 |
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Kuching North
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The Astana
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Fort Margherita Back to Content ↑
The Kuching City Garden
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The State Mosque
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Kuching South
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The Square Tower
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The Tua Pek Kong
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The Court House
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The Round Tower
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The Pavillion
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The General Post Office
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The Sarawak Museum
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The Old State Mosque
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The Civic Centre
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The Sarawak Cultural Village
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Semenggoh Orang Utan Pottery Factory
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Annah Rais Longhouse
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Crocodile Farm & Pottery Shop
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Natural Attractions
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Gua Niah (Niah cave)
Niah is one of Sarawak’s smaller national
parks, but it is certainly one of the most important, and has some of the most
unusual visitor attractions. The park’s main claim to fame is its role as one
of the birthplaces of civilisation. The oldest modern human remains discovered
in Southeast Asia were found at Niah, making the park one of the most important
archaeological sites in the world. Yet there is much more to Niah than
archaeology. A vast cave swarming with bats and swiftlets; the thriving local
economy based on birds-nests and guano; ancient cave paintings; a majestic
rainforest criss-crossed with walking trails; abundant plant and animal life -
all these and more make up the geological, historical and environmental
kaleidoscope that is Niah.
What is most interesting about Niah,
however, is the continued human presence over tens of thousands of years, and
the sophistication of the societies that gradually developed there. A large
burial site further into the mouth of the cave had clearly been used from
Palaeolithic times right up to the modern era, as late as 1400 AD. The earliest
graves, found in the deepest levels, were simple shallow graves without
adornment. Yet moving up through the layers, coffins and urns appeared, along
with grave goods such as pottery, textiles and ornaments, and even glass and
metal items, which came comparatively late to Borneo. The Great Cave is not the
only important archaeological site. The Painted Cave, as its name suggests,
houses detailed wall-paintings depicting the boat journey of the dead into the
afterlife. The meaning of the paintings was explained by the discovery of a
number of “death-ships” on the cave floor - boat-shaped coffins containing the
remains of the deceased and a selection of grave-goods considered useful in the
afterlife, such as Chinese ceramics, ornaments and glass beads. The death-ships
have been dated as ranging between 1 AD and 780 AD, although local Penan
folklore tells of the use of death-ship burials as late as the 19th century.
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Gunung Mulu National Park
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Loagan Bunut National Park
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Beaches
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Santubong
Approximately 35km from the capital of Kuching lay the picturesque fishing village of Santubong boasting some of the finest beaches in Sarawak. Lapped by aquamarine waters of the South China Sea and surrounded by a backdrop of forested hills, Santubong has a number of excellent resort beaches to choose from. One of these is Damai Beach. Set against Mt. Santubong, this picturesque beach offers three popular retreats for its guests. This include the Holiday Inn Damai Beach Resort, all of which provide a wide range of facilities for both land and sea activities.Back to Content ↑
Teluk Bandung
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Pulau Satang
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Pantai Siar
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Pantai Sematan
Further to the west, 115 km from Kuching lay the beaches of Pantai Penyok and Pantai Bandung. Each is a perfect place for swimming, snorkelling and other water activities.
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Shopping
The visitor to Sarawak should take home more than just a tee shirt that says Sarawak. Look for handicrafts such as hats, mats and baskets fashioned from the climbing rattan, the leaves of the nipah, the pandanus and the bemban. Almost all the tribes have a handicraft that is uniquely their own as seen from the types of patterns, motifs and weaving techniques. For instance, there is the Penan ajat basket, the Melanau terendak hats, and the Punan mats. Another popular handicraft is the Pua Kumbu, which is hand-woven on handlooms. Pua Kumbu can be bought as a piece or one can get a purse or handbag that is made from the cloth that is woven in cotton and dyed using the tied (ikat) method. Woodcarvings range from small statuettes to shields and masks. Traditional Kenyah carvings of figurines have bulging eyes, while the Iban enjoy carving hornbills. Sarawak is famous for her intricate beadwork. There are necklaces, bangles, earrings of a variety of designs and colours to choose from. In the old days, beads used to be a symbol of social status and wealth. Along the side of the road heading towards the airport are a number of factories, now with show rooms, that sell pottery items ranging from small vases and ashtrays to large jars, cooking pots and flower vases. These items can be sought in the city, particularly facing the waterfront, along Main Bazaar, Wayang Street and Temple Street. One could also get them at the Sunday tamu along Jalan Satok and also at Sarakraf, a semi-government agency, which runs souvenir shops at Kuching Airport, Miri Airport, the Holiday Inn Kuching and the Sarawak Cultural Village.
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Golf Club
There are 18 holes golfing at the Damai Golf and Country Club.Back to Content ↑
Hotels
Crowne Plaza Riverside
Tel: 082-247777
Fax: 082-425858
Holiday Inn Kuching
Tel: 082-423111
Fax: 082-426169
Grand Continental
Tel: 082-230399
Fax: 082-230339
Holiday Inn
Tel: 085-422679
Fax: 085-419999
Kingwood Inn Kuching
Tel: 082-330888
Fax: 082-332888
Hilton Kuching
Tel: 082-248200
Fax: 082-428984
Merdeka Palace
Fax: 082-425858
Holiday Inn Kuching
Tel: 082-423111
Fax: 082-426169
Grand Continental
Tel: 082-230399
Fax: 082-230339
Holiday Inn
Tel: 085-422679
Fax: 085-419999
Kingwood Inn Kuching
Tel: 082-330888
Fax: 082-332888
Hilton Kuching
Tel: 082-248200
Fax: 082-428984
Merdeka Palace
Tel: 082-258000
Fax: 082-425400
Royal Mulu Resort
Tel: 085-790100
Fax: 085-790101
Hilton Batang Ai
Tel: 083-584388
Fax: 083-584399
Fax: 082-425400
Royal Mulu Resort
Tel: 085-790100
Fax: 085-790101
Hilton Batang Ai
Tel: 083-584388
Fax: 083-584399
Regalis Court
Tel: 082-412211
Fax: 082-413211
Telang Usan
Tel: 082-415588
Fax: 082-425316
Rihga Royal
Tel: 085-421121
Fax: 085-421099
Holiday Inn Damai Beach
Tel: 082-846999
Fax: 082-846777
Holiday Inn Damai Lagoon
Tel: 082-846900
Fax: 082-846901
Santubong Resort
Tel: 082-846888
Fax: 082-846666
Harbour View
Tel: 082-274666
Fax: 082-274777
Tel: 082-412211
Fax: 082-413211
Telang Usan
Tel: 082-415588
Fax: 082-425316
Rihga Royal
Tel: 085-421121
Fax: 085-421099
Holiday Inn Damai Beach
Tel: 082-846999
Fax: 082-846777
Holiday Inn Damai Lagoon
Tel: 082-846900
Fax: 082-846901
Santubong Resort
Tel: 082-846888
Fax: 082-846666
Harbour View
Tel: 082-274666
Fax: 082-274777
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Sarawak Tourism Information Centre
Sarawak Tourism Information CentreJalan Main Bazaar, Kuching
Tel: 082-410942
Sarawak TDC
Tingkat 2, Bukit Mata Kuching
Jalan song Thian Cheok,
93100 Kuching
Tel: 082-246575 / 246775
Sarawak Cultural Village
Pantai Damai Santubong
P.O.Box 2632, 93752 Kuching, Sarawak
Tel: 082-422411
Fax: 082-428988
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Travel Bureaus
Amibo Travel Service
Tel: 085—755150
Bel-Air Travel & Tours
Tel: 082-414419
Bintulu Deluxe Travel Service
Tel: 086-335311
Borneo Esteem Star Tours
Tel: 085-432908
Borneo Interland Travel
Tel: 082-413595
Borneo Jungle Safari
Tel: 085-436566
Borneo Tours
Tel: 082-248537
Borneo Transverse Tours & Travel
Tel: 082-257882
CPH Travel Agency
Tel: 082-426025
East West Agencies & Holidays
Tel: 082-428193
Equatorial Tours & Travel Centre
Tel: 084-331599
Golden Horse Travel & Tours
Tel: 084-324625
Hapyholiday Travel
Tel: 084-339039
Harrisons Travel
Tel: 085-410339
Hong Tai Travel Agency
Tel: 082-241257
Hunda Travel
Tel: 086-331339
IK Chin Travel Service
Tel: 082-411325
Inter-Continental Travel
Tel: 082-256155
Interworld Travel Service
Tel: 082-252544
Journey Travel Agengy
Tel: 082-421603
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