Places to go and things to do in Bintulu Sarawak
PLACES TO GO AND THINGS TO DO IN BINTULU SARAWAK
6:48 AM
When I first arrived in Bintulu, my aunt picked me up from the airport. Bintulu Airport is very far from the city, located approximately around 20km which takes around 20 minutes. All the way to the airport, you will see trees and road (supposedly Bintulu - Kuching highway) without traffic lights on main junction. It is like road to hell as when I first came, the logging activities are still active and you can see logging trucks on the road at daytime with their overload logs to be transported to plywood factories nearby. Just before you reach the city area. you can see many factories and industrial buildings around you. The road condition is not as good as in other cities in Sarawak due to all this industrial activities, trucks with heavy load and poor maintenance from the local authority. It is an oil town and industrial town anyway. Bare the pollution.
Bintulu is situated in between Sibu and Miri (another Oil and Gas city). Three hours drive from Bintulu to both cities respectively. No public transportation like bus, except for taxi and private driver (not UBER but individual "uncle driver"). (updated 28/6/2017) We have GRABCAR and I just registered myself as a GRABDRIVER. I am the 29th Driver who had registered in Bintulu. Long distance bus is available at all time. I usually take a ride on MTC (Miri Transportation Company) to go to Miri (that cost me RM25) and my friends usually take this bus to go to Kuching from Bintulu (RM65-68). The coaches time schedule is very reliable, clean, they have speed limit and safety is the most important thing in choosing your coaches to travel in East Malaysia (not all buses installed seat belts for passengers). The coaches also have single seat if you have to travel alone and afraid to sit near unfriendly local or 'very friendly' local. I always have the concern of Tuberculosis whenever I travel along Bintulu- Miri. Along the way, you can see all around you are oil palm plantation estates which means many foreign workers from TB endemic countries such as Myanmar and Indonesia. I usually wear N95 mask or any 3M mask.
Actually, there is not many things to do and places to go in Bintulu but I will share with you, all the places I had been (and places that I still go and keep coming back) and things I do in Bintulu (It can be something you want to do as well when you come to visit Bintulu Oil Town of Sarawak).
First place I am going to introduce is Pantai Temasya Tanjung Batu (Tanjung Batu Beach Bintulu). This place is famous for its street foods stalls and at the same time you can enjoy sunset scenery. The beach is dangerous for swimming or any water activities because of its strong current. Drowning cases happened at this beach almost every year. So it is not allowed to swim here and I would never recommend anyone to swim even if you are a swimmer.
There are many food stalls doing barbecue of chicken wings, chicken tails (buntut ayam in Malay language), hot dogs and etc. Different stalls have different taste and flavours. The price is more expensive than normal price at the night market maybe because its operating hour is until 7pm. Some stalls open in the afternoon selling cendol, ABC/ Ais Kacang (ABC is acronym for Air Batu Campur it means a bowl of mixed ice and syrup/ brown sugar, sweet corns, lychee fruit, grass jelly) and creamer) add on with ice cream topping. Recommended to try and you can enjoy the sea breeze. As for foreigners, please please ask the price first because I am afraid they will charge more if you look white/ Caucasian. Always order from stall that is clean and has menu so you basically know what you are going to pay. I just want to remind you that this place is full with mosquitoes and rats. They will be very active when it is getting darker. Come early to avoid full parking spaces, it is very limited. There is not a day this place is not busy and crowded with people jogging and just walking around.
At weekends, many people will have barbecue and picnic at this beach with their friends and family. The local authority do provide places for BBQ. Shame to see that people in this country are not responsible enough to bring back rubbish or throw their rubbish and waste properly. They just do not have the concern to keep environment and nature clean. I don't understand these people. It attracts rats and flies! I love the view and the scenery. They have this little islet where you can walk across at low tide and take pictures with a great view of sunset! The beach is dirty! the water is not clean and smells 'industry'. Just my views of this beach. Anyway, it still becomes a place I visit regularly with my friends in the evening for a jog, brief walk, or when I am craving for some BBQ.
Remember, DO NOT SWIM here.
This park has beaches. My second time to this place, I went to Turtle Beach 2 which took me 2 hours and 30 minutes then another round back again to the park HQ. Almost giving up at Turtle beach 1. It was a long journey and yet nothing to see at the beach. Full of rubbish washed ashore. Beautiful view along the trail and you can see squirrels, lizards, monkeys and birds. Trail is a bit challenging and tiring. Up and down slopes.
My third time coming here, I decided to do it with few friends. We all love nature and trekking the jungle. This time we went to Golden Beach (10KM and took us 6 hours to and fro) Worth the long journey! You shoudl try it! I would suggest you to stay overnight if you want to trek this trail. Do check my story on the Trekking to Golden Beach. As someone who has been staying in Bintulu for 2 years at that time, I am proud to tell people from Bintulu that I have conquered Golden Beach! It is an achievement for someone like me. So I am just telling you briefly about this National Park. For more information on this park, you can visit this link: Sarawak Forestry.
PANTAI TEMASYA TANJUNG BATU
There are many food stalls doing barbecue of chicken wings, chicken tails (buntut ayam in Malay language), hot dogs and etc. Different stalls have different taste and flavours. The price is more expensive than normal price at the night market maybe because its operating hour is until 7pm. Some stalls open in the afternoon selling cendol, ABC/ Ais Kacang (ABC is acronym for Air Batu Campur it means a bowl of mixed ice and syrup/ brown sugar, sweet corns, lychee fruit, grass jelly) and creamer) add on with ice cream topping. Recommended to try and you can enjoy the sea breeze. As for foreigners, please please ask the price first because I am afraid they will charge more if you look white/ Caucasian. Always order from stall that is clean and has menu so you basically know what you are going to pay. I just want to remind you that this place is full with mosquitoes and rats. They will be very active when it is getting darker. Come early to avoid full parking spaces, it is very limited. There is not a day this place is not busy and crowded with people jogging and just walking around.
At weekends, many people will have barbecue and picnic at this beach with their friends and family. The local authority do provide places for BBQ. Shame to see that people in this country are not responsible enough to bring back rubbish or throw their rubbish and waste properly. They just do not have the concern to keep environment and nature clean. I don't understand these people. It attracts rats and flies! I love the view and the scenery. They have this little islet where you can walk across at low tide and take pictures with a great view of sunset! The beach is dirty! the water is not clean and smells 'industry'. Just my views of this beach. Anyway, it still becomes a place I visit regularly with my friends in the evening for a jog, brief walk, or when I am craving for some BBQ.
Remember, DO NOT SWIM here.
SIMILAJAU NATIONAL PARK (TAMAN NEGARA SIMILAJAU)
This is definitely the place to visit if you like nature and jungle trekking. Similajau National Park is located 30 kilometres north-east of the town of Bintulu. As usual, there is no bus going to this place. So you have to book a taxi and don't forget to get the taxi driver's number for your return ride to town or if you read about Similajau National Park from my blog, I am very please to take you there for RM50 for a return trip. Hahahaha... The first time I came to Bintulu, I did not have the chance to visit this place until few months later and I feel lucky as I've got free entrance to the park. Well, actually I should have paid but because I went there alone and I told him I am not doing any trekking or swimming I just want to go to the view point, the park guide (or someone at the ticket counter at the HQ entrance let me in for free. I think he paid for me as I wrote my name and phone number in the guest book. I love this place. It is very quiet and not many people come to visit this place partly because it is not easy to access as there is no public transportation going here. I went there driving my friend's car. Not very far so if you go here by taking a taxi it would cost RM60 one way (very expensive for a return trip to town).This park has beaches. My second time to this place, I went to Turtle Beach 2 which took me 2 hours and 30 minutes then another round back again to the park HQ. Almost giving up at Turtle beach 1. It was a long journey and yet nothing to see at the beach. Full of rubbish washed ashore. Beautiful view along the trail and you can see squirrels, lizards, monkeys and birds. Trail is a bit challenging and tiring. Up and down slopes.
My third time coming here, I decided to do it with few friends. We all love nature and trekking the jungle. This time we went to Golden Beach (10KM and took us 6 hours to and fro) Worth the long journey! You shoudl try it! I would suggest you to stay overnight if you want to trek this trail. Do check my story on the Trekking to Golden Beach. As someone who has been staying in Bintulu for 2 years at that time, I am proud to tell people from Bintulu that I have conquered Golden Beach! It is an achievement for someone like me. So I am just telling you briefly about this National Park. For more information on this park, you can visit this link: Sarawak Forestry.
TAMAN TUMBINA BINTULU
(PLANTS AND ANIMALS PARK)
Taman Tumbina is one of my favourite place in Bintulu. I went there many times bringing new visitors/ new comer to Bintulu. My first time coming here, I took a taxi sharing with few friends (during the time when taxi is the only reliable ride for us before we have no car). This park is located on a hill and is spread wide that you will get tired walking around and up the hill. Actually beside the park, there's a trek for everyone to do jungle trekking just outside the Tumbina Park fence. The name of Tumbina originally from the combination of the word Tumbuhan and Binatang (Plants and animals). What do we have here in this park?
1. ANIMALS
2. PLANTS.
2. PLANTS.
Well actually they have many animals here. I guess we can assume that this park is like a mini zoo in Bintulu. We have tiger, bears, deer, ostrich and the most famous icon of Sarawak, Borneo the Horbills Birds. They accommodate different species of other birds as well.
What makes me fall in love with this place?
I like the view and the environment, it is very peaceful and quiet. Less people, less touristy (maybe this is not a good idea) but anyway in 2017, they are closing this park for a full renovation and i really hope to see great changes to this park which has been operating since 1991. Hoping to bring back visitors to this park. Surprisingly, when I asked around especially to the local Bintulu people, when was the last time they have visited this park. Some of them say when they were still a kid and now they are 30 years old! YES! that was a long long time ago. They even questioned me back about the skinny tiger. Is the tiger still alive. Yes! the tiger is still alive. Many cages are now empty because the birds getting older and die of nature. Sad to think of that. I was wondering how do they feed all this animals when they have no visitors. Think about that. The local authority should do something about this. Reach out to community and NGOs to help maintaining and running this place. most important of all, the welfare of the animals.
I love the butterfly conservatory. NO BUTTERFLY! I just love the feeling to be inside the conservatory as it gave me the impression of being in JURASSIC WORLD! What's that supposed to mean? The place is frozen in time! You can even see a sign of "STILL UNDER RENOVATION" but that sign also looks old.
They have orchid garden, cactus etc.
What do you need to know before coming here:-
- Entrance fee: RM2/ Adult.
- Bring water bottle. Please bring extra if you need to go to toilet. There's no water in the toilet.
- There is no place for you to buy food here. Why not bring your own food and have a picnic and spend all afternoon here reading books. Serenity.
- They used to have vending machine for water. I do not know if they still have it or not. just bring your own water as it is a long way up the hill to see the whole park.
- bring umbrella.
- wear proper attire/shoes. It feels like hiking but on a paved trails.
- You may come early in the morning, it is on top of the hill so it will get very hot during midday. Then maybe from there, you can walk up to the beach (Pantai Temasya Tanjung Batu) when the day gets colder.
I love animals. As I have never been to a real zoo in my whole life. Tumbina Park has really becomes a place that attract me to come back for more and now they are doing some renovation work. This time for real renovation because I believe that the new General manager for the Local development authority is really making changes to Bintulu to see its progress alongside other developments.
for more information on Tumbina, please visit this very old website: Taman Tumbina
BORNEO INTERNATIONAL KITE FESTIVAL
BIKF is an international event. Bintulu has become the home for this festival since its first event in 2005 and the event takes place at the old airport runway. The main objectives is to gather all kite enthusiast from all over the world to join in this beautiful event. Local kite flyers will also get to meet participants from overseas. I came to live in Bintulu since 2014 but my first time at this Kite Festival was in 2015. This festival has become one of the annual event organised by Bintulu Development Authority with collaboration from other organisations.
According to the local reports, this event has become a great success as many improvements have been made to make this event more happening and lively every year. Participation are from local kite flyers to international kite flyers from different countries. The festival is usually held in the month of September or October where the winds are good. You can check their website for latest news.
What makes this event very special and good festival for you to attend is because of the foods and the sky shows. You can see hundreds of kites flying in the sky with different colours, designs and sizes. It makes the sky look beautiful during the daytime. The event goes on at night with stalls and vendors selling merchandise and foods.
What I love about this festival other than the foods is the culture and tradition of kite flying in our community that can be introduced to all generations to come. In the evening they usually have concerts for local artist and there were many food stalls, vendors and exhibition booths. This festival has its benefit of introducing local products to the outside world.
What makes this event very special and good festival for you to attend is because of the foods and the sky shows. You can see hundreds of kites flying in the sky with different colours, designs and sizes. It makes the sky look beautiful during the daytime. The event goes on at night with stalls and vendors selling merchandise and foods.
What I love about this festival other than the foods is the culture and tradition of kite flying in our community that can be introduced to all generations to come. In the evening they usually have concerts for local artist and there were many food stalls, vendors and exhibition booths. This festival has its benefit of introducing local products to the outside world.
