If there is a paradise for tourists in Asia, the Malaysian province of Sarawak may be it. Tropical jungle treks, beaches, some of the world`s most exotic wildlife, golf, cultural diversity, scuba diving, river rafting - Sarawak has it all. And more...
Sarawak is probably best known for the variety of cultural experiences it offers and for its the richness of its natural environment.
Have you ever wanted to learn to hunt with a blow gun? Or experience the hospitality of a former headhunter? Or spend a little time with a real environmentalist? Sarawak offers those experiences.
The Penan, a nomadic tribal group living in the hilly regions near Sarawak`s border with Indonesia, are perhaps the world`s first true environmentalists. The 10,000 or so Penan practice a way of life which has changed little in the last ten thousand years, hunting with blowpipes and darts laced with the poisonous sap of the Ipoh tree. They also harvest wild roots. They were the stewards of the rain forest before conservationists even knew it was there. Few Penan are entirely nomadic today, but a handful still exist.
The Iban, or Sea Dayaks as they are sometimes called, are the most well known of Sarawak`s ethnic groups. They make up about a third of Sarawak`s population and are found throughout the province. The Wildman from Borneo, if he ever really existed, was probably an Iban: fierce warriors who practiced head hunting in the past. Today they practice hospitality instead of head hunting: spending the night in an Iban longhouse is a difficult experience to forget.
The tribal experiences are not the only ones available in Sarawak. Ethnic Chinese and Malays form about half the province`s population. The towns and cities of Sarawak offer ample opportunity to taste both these cultures in full. Cultural festivals and holidays are often characterized by and open house practice whereby complete strangers (like you, the tourist) are invited into people`s homes in lavish fashion. Whether it is Christmas or Chinese New Year, Hari Raya (which marks the end of the Islamic month of fasting) or Gawai Dayak (a local festival celebrating the rice harvest), holidays are good times to be in Sarawak.
Maybe culture isn`t what you`re looking for. Nature is what makes Sarawak more than just another cultural experience in Asia.
Bako National Park is among Southeast Asia`s smallest national parks, but it is also among the most interesting and easily accessible. The park gives an excellent introduction to Sarawak`s forests. Just 37 kilometers from Kuching, Bako also offers a glimpse of unspoiled nature and rare wildlife. The park covers the end of the Muara Tebas peninsula; there is a huge variety of plant life: from mangrove forest to fragile cliff vegetation.
Bako is Sarawak`s oldest national park, protected area since 1957. So the park`s animals are more used to people. Visitors can count on seeing a range of wildlife from long-tailed macaques and silvered leaf monkeys to monitor lizards and bearded pigs. The park offers about 150 species of birds.
Two-thirds of the Sarawak`s land area is rainforest - much of it preserved in national parks.
Batang Ai National Park is another area attraction. That park is home to the orangutan and the Borneo gibbon, among other rare animals. The orangutan (Malay for "wood men") inhabits only the lowland rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. Of all the world`s primates, only the gorilla is larger. The number of orangutan has decreased a great deal this century. The best place to see orangutans in Sarawak is Semenggok Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre; that park serves as home for animals that have been orphaned or illegally kept as pets.
Sarawak is the home of several species of monkeys: the pig-tailed macaque, the proboscis monkey, silvered leaf monkey, and the long-tailed macaque are a just few. Both species of macaque live in large troops and it is fascinating to observe the ongoing battle for dominance within the troop. The proboscis monkey is found only in Borneo. It is difficult to decide whether the proboscis monkey`s large red nose and pot belly make it ugly or attractive; perhaps both. They are threatened with extinction because of human encroachment into their habitat. There may be as few as 4000 left in all of Borneo.
Sarawak`s plant life is equally fascinating. The carnivorous pitcher plants is among the most interesting. Different species of pitcher plant are scattered across Sarawak.
Whether it`s nature or adventure or cultural experience, Sarawak has a lot to offer. The province`s parks are the ideal location for jungle trekking. Jungle trails are maintained in most of the park.
But Sarawak offers a large variety of attractions. And it is that blend, that variety of attractions that make Sarawak the wonder that it is.
Sarawak is not just orangutans. It is not just tribal cultures. It is sunsets and scuba diving. Golf courses. Sarawak is the mixture of cultures and attractions, all in one place. Sarawak has it all to offer...
Source: http://goasia.about.com (26 April 2007)
