Sarawak Specials at MATTA Fair 2014 | Kayo- Kayo Packages

The interesting packages ranges from Sarawak Malay Heritage to Sibu Melanau Heritage tour. For the cyclists, there are the Heritage and Culture Ride and the Classic City Ride package. 

Sarawak is about adventure. Immerse in the unique Lost World Adventure experience in the Padawan Highlands or combine scuba diving with caving adventure. One package is called Oil Town Underwater World and Caving Adventure with Homestay Experience whilst another is simply called Caves, Caves and More Caves.You can purchase these and more at the Sarawak Tourism Booth from our nine (9) consortium partners. 

They are:

1. Borneo Exploration Tours and Travel Sdn Bhd, 
2. Brighton Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, 
3. Ecogreen Holidays Sdn Bhd, 
4. Gotravel Holiday Sdn Bhd, 
5. Greatown Travel Sdn Bhd, 
6. Ibanika Tours & Travel Sdn Bhd, 
7. Kuching Holidays & Car Rental Sdn Bhd, 
8. Planet Borneo Tours & Travel Services Sdn Bhd and 
9. Journey Travel Agencies Sdn Bhd

To extend the value of your purchase, you will stand a chance to win tickets to Rainforest World Music Festival, Borneo Jazz or Asia Music Festival. Naturally, this offer is only given during the fair.

Here are some samples of the Kayo-Kayo Sarawak packages.

2014 is Visit Malaysia Year campaign. Incidentally it is also Visit Sarawak Year, proclaimed to celebrate the state's 50th Anniversary of Independence with Malaysia. 'Kayo Kayo'  means 'wandering' in the Malay language. Sarawak wants to welcome you. But first wander over to see us at MATTA Fair March 2014, Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Booth No. 3014 - 3018 from the 14th to 16th March 10am - 9pm

Sarawak Malaysia Borneo... where adventure lives

Sarawak's Lun Bawang Festival - IRAU ACO LUN BAWANG

This festival is the largest gathering of the Lun Bawang community at any one place in Sarawak. It is traditionally a celebration of the rice harvest but now it showcases a variety of Lun Bawang (an Orang Ulu sub-group) culture in Lawas; the northern most town of Sarawak.

This event takes place end of May every year.  Their counterparts; the Lun Dayeh from Sabah are also invited to the festival.

You will be entertained with the the community's cultural dances, 'nguip suling' (bamboo flute band), 'angklung' performance, and also modern day band performance. There are handicrafts and traditional Lun Bawang cuisines for sale and telematches; traditional and modern.

Lun Bawang Bamboo flute band (nguip suling)

The iconic emblem of Lawas, the last town in north-eastern Sarawak before crossing the border into Sabah.

The beauty pageant is a crowd puller at the festival.

The men are not to be left out, donning their splendid Lun Bawang costume

The Merarap HotSpring Lodge by the Trusan River, located 70-km from Lawas

Other tourist attractions in Lawas include Merarap Hot Spring, Bakelalan Apple Farm and the coastal region of Kuala Lawas, Punang and Tagang 'Fish Spa'.

Sarawak... where adventure lives

Top 5 things to do in Kuching, Sarawak with your family

RaisingExplorers.net gives you the run down of the top 5 things to do in Kuching city itself.

These are all within the city itself. 

1. Relax by the riverside - Shady pedestrian pathways, overhung by trees, and decorated with flowerbeds, become fairyland at night, the colourful lights reflected in the river below.

2. Check out Kuching’s Cat Statues - It’s coincidence that in Malay ‘kucing’ means ‘cat’, there are three main cat statues around town.

3. Take a stroll through Chinatown - Kuching has an old Chinatown, centred around Jalan Carpenter, and a new Chinatown, which is a busy commercial area, along Jalan Padungan, which is worth a visit for its markets.

4. Take a river cruise - Whether you get on board the tiny, putting sampans that ferry people to and fro across the river, take a fast boat out to the mangroves downriver, or do one of the many touristy sunset cruises on offer, it’s worthwhile to get out on the water.

5. Kuching’s museums - covering all things natural, historical, artistic, anthropological and ethnological.

The Kuching Waterfront with Mt.Serapi in the distance.
photo credit: raisingexplorers.net

 
Read and view the complete interesting article and photos at Raising Explorers.

Sarawak... where adventure lives

Ben Fogle's Sarawak Adventure - A longhouse experience at Annah Rais

In this three minute video we see adventurer and explorer Ben Fogle spend some time at an authentic longhouse about 40-min drive from Kuching.

Escorted by his amazingly knowledgeable guide, Rose, he savours the local brew -- a rice wine called 'Tuak' which is particularly potent, enjoys a delicious chicken meal cooked for him in 20 minutes in bamboo, tries his hand at being a blacksmith's apprentice, discovers the secrets to the blowpipes and how to make the arrows and also listens to some local musicians.They play him some music using bamboo instruments that have been used for hundreds of years, having been passed down through the generations and played by striking, plucking and drumming. Its called 'pratuokng' (pra-tua-k-ng)

Overall it is clear,  as Ben points out at the end, that Longhouse living is a wonderfully communal existence where all the families live together in peaceful harmony.

Ben sampling the 'tuak', rice wine usually served to welcome visitors

Sarawak... where adventure lives

Ben Fogle's Sarawak Adventure - Fairy Cave and Seafood

Ben's adventure video took him to a 3-million year old cave and an unexpected seafood haven for a place.

The rock in Fairy cave was formed during the Jurassic period and one has to climb a 4-storey high staircase tower to get to the entrance of the cave. The cave area, located 42-km from the city of Kuching near a town called Bau is also a popular rock climbing venue.

After the day is done, Ben walks up a flight of stairs, 6-level up (rest assured that lifts are available) to arrive at a seafood haven appropriately known as 'Top Spot Seafood'. Fresh local catches and vegetables are generously displayed for cooking of your choice.

This is the fourth in a video series of Ben Fogle's Sarawak adventure.

For more of Sarawak, please visit Sarawak Tourism Board's official website

An Urban Adventure in Kuching

Join adventurer and explorer Ben Fogle as he explores the waterfront of Sarawak's capital city, Kuching. Ben discusses some of Sarawak's more romantic history, meets local residents and shops for feline fruit in the market. Then join Ben for dinner at Kuching's Junk Restaurant when he meets the owner and finds out the story behind the name. Visiting the waterfront, the markets and the fun restaurants are all "must do" activities when in Sarawak which offers unforgettable travel experiences. Visitors can see amazing wildlife, trek through the rainforest, swim and dive in crystal clear waters as well as enjoying superb local cuisine and accommodation. Visit www.sarawaktourism.com to learn more and see why, when it comes to Sarawak, "Adventure Lives Here!"

Screen grab shows Ben Fogle presenting the rich and romantic history of Sarawak's white rajah's (king) legacies as he sat at the Kuching Waterfront with the iconic Astana in the background.

Watch Ben's urban adventure here!

Ben Fogle's Heart 2 Heart experience with orphaned orangutans

Join adventurer and explorer Ben Fogle as he visits orangutans at the Matang Wildlife Centre in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Matang is located close to Sarawak’s capital city, Kuching, and is “one of the most beautiful rainforest regions on the planet” according to Ben. It is fascinating to watch Ben being taught how to look after young orangutans – the Centre has a tiered system of teaching the orangutans the skills they need to live back in the wild, one day at a time.  The Heart To Heart Foundation runs several different eco-tourism programmes which involve members of the public and our film shows Ben helping feed the orangutans.  At the end of his visit, Ben receives his certificate and T-shirt for all his efforts.  Visiting Matang is definitely a “must do” activity when visiting Sarawak.

Behind the scene with Ben and staff of the Sarawak Forestry Corporation

Articles that appear in 'Hello Magazine' (L) and 'The Telegraph Travel' section

Sarawak video series launched

Sarawak Tourism has launched the first in a series of videos by adventurer Ben Fogle who is traveling through Sarawak. The first video to air on YouTube features Ben visiting one of Sarawak's natural wonders, the Gunung Gading National Park. You can see Ben's travel tips in this video, including how to catch a glimpse of the rare and giant Rafflesia flower and how to navigate the waterfalls in the park. The Sarawak Travel YouTube channel will be updated over the coming weeks with follow-up reports from Ben as he makes his way around more of Sarawak's attractions.

The next in the series of films will premiere in a few days and will see Ben visiting with the orangutans at the Matang Wildlife Sanctuary.

Ben is a presenter, writer and adventurer. His achievements include racing 160 miles across the Sahara desert, rowing the Atlantic Ocean in 49 days and crossing Antarctica in a foot race to the South Pole. He is an ambassador for WWF, Medecins Sans Frontier and Tusk, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the President of the Campaign for National Parks.

Located in Malaysian Borneo, Sarawak offers unforgettable travel experiences. Visitors can see amazing wildlife, trek through the rainforest, swim and dive in crystal clear waters as well as enjoy superb local cuisine and accommodation.

Sarawak Tourism will be showing all eight of "Ben Fogle's Sarawak Adventures" so please check back at  www.sarawaktourism.com regularly to catch them all and see why, when it comes to Sarawak, "Adventure Lives Here!"

Tripping in Borneo: It’s a rumble through the jungle

Nanga Sumpa has long been a popular destination for that authentic Iban culture (longhouse) experience. Located 1 1/2 hours longboat ride from the Batang Ai Longhouse Resort managed by Hilton, Sri Aman, this isolated village offers wild orang utans spotting and adventure treks. 

 

Here LOUISE MURRAY talks about surviving a rainforest trek, backpack et all.