Harvesting edible bird's nests at Niah National Park, Miri Sarawak

The Niah National Park's caves is important for the local communities, with edible bird's nest and guano collection providing valuable employment and income. Archaeologically, it was a major centre of human settlement as early as 40,000 years ago, and features one of the world’s largest cave entrances. Palaeolithic and Neolithic burial sites, and iron-age cave paintings.

The cavernous entrance of Niah Cave at Niah National Park

Recently, a Gala TV Taiwan crew with their well-known host, Lin Chia Pei visited 'Gua Perintah' a swiftlet breeding cave located within the Niah Cave system. The trip was part of Sarawak Tourism Board's visiting journalist programme (VJP).

Lin Chia Pei, the TV host pointing the way to 'Gua Perintah'

The trail to Gua Perintah

The steep step to Gua Perintah entrance  

The trekking leads to 'gua perintah' (takes about 20 mins – 30 mins) passes through beautiful primary rainforest before moving into at the foot of the hill. The step is steep but once you reach the top, it will be worth the effort for it offers a sweeping panorama of the rainforest canopy.

'Gua Perintah' is a project managed by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation to showcase, create awareness and enhance knowledge on the importance of sustainable swiftlet conservation n Sarawak.

Edible bird's nest collecting is a skilled and dangerous work, done high up at the ceilings of the caves which abound in Niah National Park. The intrepid collector shins barefooted up bamboo scaffolding, often without harnesses, tapping his way up to make sure the bamboo is sound. He lights his way in the black caves with a torch light and uses a special bamboo tool to harvest the nests. 

How to climb a bamboo pole; explained and shown (below) - by the TV host

Wrapping a strap round both feet increases the foot grip

A unprocessed edible nest

The nests themselves are tiny translucent cups about the size of a small egg. They are made by the male swiftlet from glutinous threads of its own saliva, which it weaves into a cup that dries to become thin and translucent like fine porcelain.  Recent research has indeed shown that the nests, which taste rather like noodles, contain a water-soluble glycoprotein that may promote cell division in the immune system.

Edible bird's nest are prepared for consumption by just stewing the processed nest with water and rock sugar; preferably in a double-boiler

At the park one can also visit the Niah National Park museum where the replica of the oldest human skull in South East Asia (40,000 years old), found in the Great Cave, can be seen.

Getting To Niah National Park
Taxi
The most convenient way to get to Niah National Park is by taxi which takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to reach from Miri city. Cost of a one-way fare is about RM150.00

Bus
Take Bus No.33A from city centre  to Pujut Corner Bus Terminal. From here, one can take any bus that goes to either Bintulu, Sibu or Kuching. Get off at the Niah Rest Stop. Bus fare is RM15.00 per person. From the here, take private taxi (about RM30 one-way) to reach Niah National Park HQ.

Sarawak, Malaysia, Borneo, where adventure lives

What to expect at Borneo Jazz Festival 2013

Borneo Jazz this year is a bit of a geographical fruit trifle. 

The 2013 edition will be a blend of eastern spice, western punch, smooth northern cream and southern sunshine.The jazz festival is now in its 8th year.

The dates are 10th and 11th May. As usual, a Friday and Saturday of starlit music,  and then the Sunday to recover.

It’s going to be, as Borneo Jazz usually is, Jazz Plus Plus . Always jazz, but with tangents into the periphery relatives of perhaps funk, perhaps ethno, perhaps latin, perhaps blues. And hopefully, something quirky and unexpected.

This year, we are top heavy on Northern America. We have two bands from USA – one from the East Coast and one from the West; and one from Canada.

The Nylons – a legendary band with 7 gold and platinum recordings  was formed in Toronto in the 1970s, changed members along the way, and still going strong with their newest CD “Skin Tight” nominated as Best Jazz Vocal Album for a JUNO Award. Claude Morrison is the only original member left and he might very possibly be still the perkiest singer in the band. Think beautiful vocal harmonies, think wonderful humour, and think feel-good songs that are going to put a smile on your face.

Based in California, Scott Martin is bringing his 6 piece Latin Soul Band.  Scott spent many years playing with Poncho Sanchez where they won a Grammy in the year 2000. The list of names that he has played with is like the Who’s Who of Jazz. They have played all the major jazz festivals in the world, been featured on TV talk shows. Scott’s band is still touring furiously and they have launched 7 albums.  And who really can resist the hip swinging pull of exuberant latin jazz?

Then right across the continent, New Yorkers Hazmat Modine presents a completely different dimension with their dirty New Orleans blues, edgy vocals, pungent brass, colours of the Carribean, Africa and Klezmer cooked together, and leader Wade Schuman will knock your socks off with his jaw-dropping virtuosity on the harmonica. Their CD “Cicada” was top of the world music charts in Europe in 2011 and also won the Charles Cros Grand Prize in France.

Wade himself is an enigma – not just an incredible musician, he is also a Fine Arts lecturer, a philosopher, a painter, an ardent nature lover and an amateur zoologist.

From Asia, we have the crème de la crème of musicians from Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and the Philippines.

Jeremy Monteiro is a household name in Asia music industry and since his debut into the west at the Montreux Jazz Festival, he has been performing all over the world. He is Singapore’s King of Swing, Artistic Director for several jazz festivals, has a long list of accolades and achievements, and he comes to Borneo Jazz with the Asian Jazz All-Stars Power Quartet with amazing guitarist Eugene Pao, Tots Tolentino on saxophone and Chanutr Techatana-nan on drums.

Between the four of them, they have played alongside big names like James Moody, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Ernie Watts, Cassandra Wilson, Terumasa Hino, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner and many many more.

Representing Borneo is West Jazz Band founded by keyboardist Eugene Clifford and saxophonist Safri bin Mustapha. They will be playing a mix of fusion funk with vocalist Lisa Chong.

All 7 members of the band are from Sarawak where they perform often and are recognizable faces around town.

From northern Europe come two bands, both quartets, of different temperament but of similar irrepressible energy.

Mo’Blow from Germany is calling their show at Borneo Jazz the “Gimme The Boots” Release Concert. Their music is sheer hard funk. They were the winners at the 2008 Berliner Jazz & Blues Award, have an album produced by Nils Landgren, and described as the hottest club band around.

Their founder Felix Falk leads them into unconventional explorations in their music. Listen for spicy harmonies and quirky turns of phrases.

And from Sweden, Jump4Joy brings popular and vigorous energy with their dancey entertaining high octane shows. Two of the musicians, Bo Gunnar Gustafsson and Ulf Gustaf Sandstrom have been nominated for their contributions to Swedish blues by the Scandinavian Blues Association, and Gusfatsson won the Janne Rosenqvist Memorial Prize in 2008.

From Down Under comes the creative and lovely Lisa Young. She fuses and improvises with the South Indian vocal technique called konnakol.  The result is unusual and extremely appealing compositions. Lisa and her Quartet won the Bells Awards for Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album and they are bringing their song cycle The Eternal Pulse to Borneo Jazz, after having premiered It to a standing ovation in 2011 at the Melbourne Jazz Festival.

So there you have it. 

Lots and lots of ingredients piled into the programme – complementing, contrasting and, I’m hoping, will pull you into a vortex of intoxicating dimensions.

Jun Lin

Artistic Director

Borneo Jazz 2013

FRIDAY 10th MAY
7.30 – 8.30 pm                  WEST JAZZ BAND (Sarawak)
8.45 – 9.45 pm                  LISA YOUNG QUARTET (Australia)
10.00 -11. 00 pm               SCOTT MARTIN LATIN SOUL BAND (West Coast USA)
11.15 – 12.15 pm              THE NYLONS  (Canada)

SATURDAY 11th MAY
7.30 – 8.30 pm                  THE ASIAN JAZZ ALLSTARS POWER QUARTET
                                         (Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan)                                                      
8.45 – 9.45 pm                  HAZMAT MODINE (East Coast USA)
10.00 -11. 00 pm               MO’BLOW – “GIMME THE BOOTS” RELEASE CONCERT
                                        (Germany)
11.15 – 12.15 pm              JUMP 4 JOY  (Sweden)

Borneo Jazz festival is held in the cosmopolitan seaside town of Miri, north-east of Sarawak; about two hour and fifteen minutes flight time from the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

Tickets can be purchased here 

Our People - Orang Ulu

The northern region of Sarawak is home to the 'Orang Ulu' tribe; a collective name to represent the various ethnic sub-groups. They include the Kelabits, the Lun Bawans, the Berawans and the shy and semi-nomadic Penans. In the region above Kapit and the Pelagus Rapids, the Orang Ulu people literally known as "upriver people", consists of the Kayans, Kenyahs, Kajangs, Lahanans and the Punans. The Kayan sub-group forms the largest among them.

Bottom left: Kayan lady with arm tattoo. Bottom right: Lun Bawang bamboo band

The majority of the Kelabit tribe are found in the Kelabit Highlands.  The highland is a series of beautiful mountain valleys lying slightly over 1,000m above sea level and flanked by jungle-covered peaks rising to more than 2,400m. The climate is probably the most pleasant in Sarawak, although it can become quite chilly in the evenings. The Kelabits and the neighbouring and closely-related Lun Bawangs produce the fragrant and much sought-after Bario (Adnan) rice. Both groups are branches of the Orang Ulu, and live in a combination of longhouses and individual units that are widely dispersed throughout the area. They are friendly, hospitable people and enjoy receiving visitors.

Bario - the Kelabit Highlands

Bakelalan (formerly Ba’ Kelalan) is a remote settlement, home of the Lun Bawang ethnic group. The village is famous for its apples and organic vegetables, and their musical 'bamboo band'. The village is connected to Lawas and Miri by air, and it is also possible to travel there via a combination of existing and old logging roads. There is a hot spring with resort accommodation at Merarap, about 68 km from Lawas town where a pleasant beach, 7-km away at Punang can be found.

Bakelalan - home of the Lun Bawang

The Batang (river) Baram, Malaysia’s (and Sarawak’s) second longest river, drains much of the northern region, and also is home to many of the Orang Ulu sub-groups. Much of the Baram region is inaccessible, but there are some fascinating attractions in the region. There is the famous Gunung Mulu National Park and the lesser-known Loagan Bunut National Park known for its disappearing lake. Other places of interest to visitors include the small riverside town of Marudi, the bustling Kenyah community at Long San and the delightful Kayan longhouse community of Long Bedian; the amazing Tenyok Rimba waterfall is nearby.

Some Kayans in the Sungai Asap Resettlement programme, Belaga (3-hour drive from Bintulu) are involved in homestay programme. They also organise game fishing trips in the Bakun lake; an area the size of Singapore.

Gunung Mulu National Park - A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE

Like the Ibans, the Orang Ulu are also former head-hunters but they live in even more imposing longhouses than the former. Also, their arts and crafts are very different. The Orang Ulu especially the Kayans and Kenyahs are known for their woodcarving, beadwork, spectacular 'keliring' or totem poles and the music of the hauntingly beautiful lute instrument - the 'sape'. Tattooing and body ornamentation are prominent; older ladies can be recognised by the brass rings hanging from their extended earlobes and from the dense dark tattoos on their arms and legs, a practice that is disappearing from the younger generation.

Top right: Kelabit lady stringing beads

Sarawak... Where Adventure Lives

Author: Erivina 

Spend a day at Lambir Hills National Park, Miri, Sarawak

Imagine yourself, an adventurer who wish to spend a day on jungle trekking, dipping in waterfalls, sighting of insects, wildlife and plants; but not having enough time to do so! How frustrated that can be, right?!  For that, Lambir Hills National Park, located in the northern region of Sarawak, is the ideal place for you - a nature lover dream-come-true experience.

Listed below are the highlights of the park:

• Walk to the longest and toughest (within LNP) trail to the top of Bukit Lambir (465 metres) with a superb view of the rainforest.
• A 22-metres high tree tower gives you a close-up view of the life of the rainforest canopy, especially its birds.
• The famous 'Latak' waterfall cascades from the Lambir Hills, forming a large pool that are pleasant to swim after a hot trek.
• There are a series of smaller waterfalls such as the Pantu and Nibong waterfall along the Pantu trail and Pancur, Tengkorong and the Dinding waterfall along the Bakam trail.
• Recognized as the world’s most ecologically diverse area where in just 52 hectares of the park’s 7.000 hectares, 1,050 different species of tree, each supporting 1,200 species of insect life were recorded.
• More than half of the park is covered with rich mixed dipterocarp forest where huge, tall dipterocarp trees such as Kapur, Meranti, Kempas and Selangan Batu can be marveled at.  Other forest types found are kerangas forest with smaller and shorter tress like rhu bukit and selunsur bukit, lower shrub, pitcher plants and orchids.
• The four primary trails are Main, Pantu, Lepoh-Ridan and Bakam trail
• The seven secondary trails are Latak, Nibong, Bukit Pantu, Pantu Waterfall, Summit, Tengkorong and Pancur Dinding

For those who are interested to stay overnight,  listed below are the types of accommodation offered at the park:

Hilltop  lodge (1 unit) – RM80. Per house, RM40 per room

2 rooms, fan  and shared bathroom and toilet

Forest lodge type 6 (2 unit) – RM 75 per house, RM50 per room

2 rooms, fan and attached bathroom

Forest lodge type 5 (2 unit) – RM 150 per house, RM 100 per room

2 rooms air-condition, shared bathrooms and toilet                                                         

New Chalet (4 unit) – RM 150 per house, RM100 per room

2 rooms, air-condition and attached bathroom

For reservation, please contact            

Lambir Hills National Park

Tel No: 085-471630

Fax No: 085-408030

Entrance fees:

Malaysian                                         Non-Malaysian

(Adult): RM10 per person                 RM20 per person

(Child): RM5 per person                   RM10 per person

How to get there?

Being only 30-km (about 30-40mins drive) away from Miri City, connected by the sealed Miri-Bintulu road, the Park is easily accessible by public transport. From Pujut Corner bus terminal, visitors can get onto the commercial bus that head for (Miri-Bintulu road).

4 units-New Chale

The existing Chalet

Public restroom

One of the many trails in the park - 4 primary and 7 secondary trails

The plank walk - Trails are clearly marked with 'red' bands painted on tree trunks

Latak waterfall

Latak waterfall - The biggest and the nearest from park headquarter

The park is a favourite weekend getaway for the locals

Sarawak... Where Adventure Lives

Authors & Photos: Yusup Labo & Mohd Amirul Bong

Getting to Niah National Park, Miri Sarawak Borneo

Some of the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ (FAQs) at our Visitor Information Centre Miri about Niah National Park are:

~ How to get there? 

~ How long do we need to visit this park? 

~ Do we need a tour guide to visit the caves?

Here are some basic info about Niah National Park:

Niah National Park is about a 2-hour drive from either Miri City or Bintulu town.  The cave itself was a major centre of human settlement as early as 40,000 years ago, and features one of the world’s largest cave entrances, Paleolithic and Neolithic burial sites, and iron-age cave paintings.  The surrounding area is covered in dense primary rainforest and is home to many species of plants and wildlife.  The caves remain important for local communities, with birds nest and guano collection providing valuable employment and income. 

Q’s no. 1:  How to get there?

Step 1:  From Miri bus station, use bus route no.28 (fare RM2.00 per person) to Pujut Corner Bus Terminal (the out station bus terminal).

Step 2:  Suggest to take the 7.30am or 8am express bus (fare RM10.00 per person) and the journey takes approximately 1hr30mins to Ngu rest-stop. 

Step 3:  Hire a ‘private taxi’ to the Niah National Park headquarters which is approximately 30mins drive from Ngu rest-stop.  Fare is from RM30.00 up to RM50.00 per transport, depends on the number of the group. 

For the return trip, just reverse step 3, 2 & 1.

Q’s no. 2:  How long do we need to visit this park?

The return overland journey requires at least a 4-hr journey and you need another 4-5hrs to explore the park; total of 8-9hrs needed.  If you wish to do it as a day trip, it would be a good idea to start your journey from Miri latest by 8am and you should back in Miri by 6pm.  Overnight? No problem, the park has chalets for rent from RM42.00 - RM157.50 per room per night.

Q’s no. 3:  Do we need a tour guide to visit the caves?

There are 2 ways we can look at this situation:

1)      You may not need a guided tour for this trip, just that you need to do a lot of reading from the information leaflet, visit the museum (take note the museum closes on Monday & public holidays) and besides that, the park has place some mini information board along the trail and at the cave entrance. 

2)      However a guided tour (package tour or hiring a private tour guide) will be an additional bonus because the tour guide can explain and give more information to you.  Meaning to so say, less time spending on reading, and more time to see & experience the park itself.  Our local tour operators sell Niah Caves package and if you wish to hire a private guide, contact the park for arrangement but you need to inform them at least 2 days in advance.

For more info on the park, visit www.sarawakforestry.com or call the park direct at +6085 737454.

 

 

Sarawak... Where Adventure Lives

by Visitor Infor Centre Miri