Bintulu Borneo Malaysia Sarawak
8
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Frequently Asked Questions
In the Bintulu port complex at the mouth of the Kemena river, on the north coast of Borneo. It is Sarawak's largest port and the region's economic engine: the immediate surroundings are industrial, not touristic.
That the town was still a fishing village two generations ago and has no historic old quarter. The call surprises you first with that contrast between gas pipelines and fishing boats, then reveals its real trump card: a protected stretch of wild coast, half an hour's drive from the quays.
It is the main outing of the call, about thirty kilometres from town, roughly thirty minutes by taxi. It protects a long coastal ribbon alternating golden beaches, rocky headlands and streams emerging from dense forest to reach the South China Sea.
Only at the marked spots, and following the rangers' instructions. Saltwater crocodiles frequent the park's estuaries: this is not a theoretical precaution. That untamed edge, so close to a major industrial complex, sums up Sarawak rather well.
Marked trails follow the shoreline. The most ambitious leads in several hours to Golden Beach, an isolated stretch of sand; a shorter route reaches Turtle Beach, where sea turtles sometimes come to nest. If time is short, the first sections accessible from the park headquarters already give fine views along the shore.
Water, a hat and good shoes. Borneo's air does not forgive improvisation: heat and humidity combine, and the coastal trails offer little continuous shade.
The shopping streets, mixing Chinese shops, Malay food stalls and recent malls, and the markets where forest produce sits alongside the morning's catch. The Chinese temple Kuan Ying Tong, with its ornate roofs, ceramic dragons and incense smoke, remains the most striking place of worship.
Sarawak pepper, prized by cooks, and dried fish: these are the easiest souvenirs to find in the town's markets, and the most representative of the region.
The Malaysian ringgit and Malay, though Bintulu is a multiethnic town where Malay, Chinese, Iban and Melanau communities have long lived side by side: shop signs appear in several alphabets. English is widely spoken. Cards work in modern businesses, but keep ringgits for the markets.
It is the Borneo International Kite Festival, held in the town each year, filling the sky with shapes and colours from many countries. If your call coincides with the event, the sight of giant kites dancing in the sea breeze is worth the outing on its own. The rest of the year, enthusiasts are often seen practising by the shore.
