Bintulu Borneo Malaysia Sarawak
Malaysia

8 Cruises availables At departure or passage at this port

Ponant (8 Cruises)

At the mouth of the Kemena River, fishing boats cross merchant vessels. Bintulu, on the northern coast of Borneo, in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, was still a fishing village two generations ago; it has become the state's largest port complex, the economic engine of the entire region. The port-call surprises first by this contrast, then reveals its true trump card: a wild coast preserved, within half an hour's drive of the docks.

Taking the City's Pulse

Bintulu's centre reveals itself without a studied itinerary. Shopping streets mix Chinese shops, Malay food stalls and recent shopping centres, a sign of newfound prosperity. At the markets, forest products neighbour fish landed this morning, and the fruit stalls change with the seasons; dried fish and Sarawak pepper, renowned among cooks, make easy souvenirs to take home. Strolling here is to observe a multiethnic city where Malays, Chinese, Iban and Melanau have long lived side by side; signs are written in multiple alphabets, and kitchen scents change from street to street.

The Kuan Ying Tong Temple

Among the places of worship that translate this diversity, the Chinese temple Kuan Ying Tong remains the most striking. Ornate roofs, pottery dragons, incense smoke: the whole composes an island of colour and reverence in the middle of urban activity. You stop a moment there, long enough to watch the faithful place their sticks, before heading again toward the coast.

Similajau: The Preserved Coast

Similajau National Park constitutes the port-call's great excursion. About thirty kilometres from the city, roughly thirty minutes by taxi, it protects a long coastal ribbon where golden beaches, rocky capes and streams flowing from dense forest to the South China Sea alternate. Marked trails follow the shore: the most ambitious leads in several hours to Golden Beach, an isolated expanse of sand, while a shorter route reaches Turtle Beach, where sea turtles sometimes come to lay. Lacking time, the first sections accessible from the park office already offer fine views over the shore; bring water, a hat and good shoes, as Borneo's air does not forgive improvisation.

A Discreet but Very Present Fauna

Similajau shelters animal life that must be earned: Irrawaddy dolphins offshore, forest and shore birds, macaques in the canopy. Saltwater crocodiles frequent the park's estuaries, which is why you swim only in designated places and follow the rangers' instructions. This wildness, at such short distance from a great industrial complex, sums up Sarawak well.

A Sky of Kites

Bintulu has also made a name for itself in a lighter register: the city hosts each year the International Borneo Kite Festival, which fills the sky with shapes and colours from many countries. If the port-call coincides with the event, the spectacle of giant sails dancing in the sea breeze is worth the outing alone; the rest of the year, it is not uncommon to see enthusiasts practising facing the sea.

Return to the Estuary

As evening falls, the fishing boats ascend the Kemena laden with their catch, as they have long before the gas pipelines and gantries. It is perhaps the right image of Bintulu: a city that has changed in scale without turning its back on its river or its forest. You depart thinking that Borneo keeps, even beside its most active ports, shores where nature still decides.

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.