Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Sarawak

Sarawak is the largest state of Malaysia, but it is not located on the mainland Malaysia. Sarawak is stationed on the Borneo island, sharing international borders with Indonesia & Brunei; as well as state border with Sabah, another Malaysian state. There are several reasons to visit Sarawak. Among top places to visit in Sarawak are the Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak Museum, Cat Museum, Fort Margherita, Buddhist temples, parks, mosques, and nature reserves. Things to do in Sarawak range from adventure, nature exploration, beach activities, island hopping, snorkling, diving, and water sports. Sarawak is also inhabited by the famous Bornean headhunter tribe of Iban. So collection of Iban trophies, which is basically cut-off head of the enemies are also among Sarawak tourist attractions. You don’t have to worry about headhunting anymore when you visit Sarawak. There are many cultural aspects concerning tribes like Iban which you won’t be able to explore on Malaysian mainland. The Iban cuisine is among top Sarawak attractions, and for good reason. There are several restaurants among Sarawak famous places which serve these delicacies. You can also head out to the villages, where different variation of the popular Iban dishes can be tasted. Another Sarawak tourist attractions concerning the tribes are the tribal tattoos. It is not just about the design, it is about the traditional method & tools with which these tattoos are imprinted in the skin which makes it a Sarawak must see. Even if you are not getting a tattoo by yourself, the process is an interesting Sarawak sightseeing attraction. The best time to visit Sarawak if you want to see more traditions & traditional practices would be during the tribal festivals & harvest festivals. But the most popular festival taking place in Sarawak is the Rainforest Music Festival. This festival pulls many music lovers to visit Sarawak. The state capital city of Kuching is usually where tourists begin their Sarawak sightseeing. There are a few good spots among top Sarawak attractions to visit in Kuching. The places to visit in Sarawak located in Kuching includes waterfronts, museums, temples, and cultural centers. The most interesting Sarawak tourist attractions in Kuching is the Cat Museum. Gunung Gading and Bako National Park are the best place to visit in Sarawak which are close to the state capital of Kuching. The night market of Kuching is also a Sarawak attraction place for shopping, but more so for the street food. Boat ride in Bako National Park is a great way to explore the mangrove forest and is among Sarawak interesting places to visit. Sarawak has a long coastline so expect some beach fun when you visit Sarawak. There are also several islands you can visit among Sarawak tourist attractions. There are also several places to visit in Sarawak for snorkeling, diving, and water sports. Hiking trails and great camping sites are practically everywhere, as Sarawak sightseeing is primarily nature oriented. You can stay at one of many longhouses, it’s a genuine unique structure which feels like a tree house. These longhouses located in the jungles are a Sarawak must visit. But nature exploration is tough, so make you are there on best time to visit Sarawak weather wise.

The Caves are the most popular Sarawak interesting places to visit. The cave system is UNESCO listed. The Sarawak Chamber is the largest natural chamber in the world. These are Sarawak must visit for adventurers and tourists alike. The festival takes places in the state capital of Kuching, which itself is a Sarawak attraction place. There are many famous places in Sarawak in close proximity to the location of the festival. The Rainforest Music Festival alone is a big reason to visit Sarawak, but don’t limit your tour to just the music festival, you should easily check off top Sarawak attractions from your list. Nature has bestowed many gifts upon Sarawak and they have been well preserved. There are several national parks, nature reserves, wildlife reserves, and conservation parks in Sarawak. Each offering a different reason to visit Sarawak. There are numerous species of flare & fauna in Sarawak. To explore nature, the best time to visit Sarawak would be anytime other than monsoon. Exploration of nature can also be done on river cruises, which are popular for sighting saltwater crocodiles, birds, and monkeys. If you take the boat rides in the evening you would also get to watch a lot of fireflies. Among the birds, hornbill is a list superstar of the Sarawak state. Many ornithologists visit Sarawak to see over 50 species of hornbills residing in Sarawak. The state is nicknamed land of the hornbill and there are many Sarawak interesting places to visit to track these fascinating birds. The rhinoceros hornbill is the creme de la creme of bird sighting in Sarawak. There are also rhinoceroses, pigmy elephants, bears, monkeys, otters, civets, snakes, and variety of cats. If you are looking to see orangutans, then Semenggoh National Park is the best place to visit in Sarawak to spot the red haired monkeys. It is one thing to see the monkeys in a zoo and whole another experience to see them in their natural habitat. Among flora, the rafflesia flower is a popular species people spot & click pictures with. This large flower smells like a corpse and is among Sarawak sightseeing things. If you are going to hike or engage in any kind of outdoor activity, you should monsoon season to visit Sarawak. Your window of best time to visit Sarawak starts from April and remains open till September. If you set your visit towards September the weather is comparatively more pleasant. So we would say even in the pleasant weather window, July to September would be the best time to visit Sarawak.

Districts & Cities to visit in Sarawak

Kuching

Kuching is the state capital and as you would expect, this city has many places to visit in Sarawak. Among top Sarawak tourist attractions in Kuching are Cat Museum, Sarawak Museum, Fort Margherita, Sarawak Cultural Village, Kuching Waterfront, Chinese History Museum, and The Brooke Gallery. The Kuching city mosque is a prime highlight and is among Sarawak must visit places. You will also see a lot of street art in Kuching. The Bako National Park and Mount Santubong are great Sarawak attraction place for nature exploration & hiking. The best place to visit in Sarawak for seeing Orangoutangs is also located in Kuching. The Matang Wildlife Center is also among places to visit in Sarawak to see wildlife. For majority of tourists, the journey of Sarawak interesting places to visit starts from Kuching.

Bau

The top Sarawak sightseeing places in Bau include Mount Singai, the Wind Caves, the Fairy Caves, Bung Jagoi Heritage Center, Bung Bratak Heritage Center. Bau used to be a Gold Miniting town and still is in many ways. The two most famous places in Sarawak for Cave exploration are located in Bau: the Wind Caves & the Fairy Caves. Mount Sinai in Bau is also among top Sarawak attractions for hiking trails.

Lundu

Though Lundu is not the first place you would think of when you visit Sarawak, it is conveniently located next to the state capital and has some nice Sarawak tourist attractions. The most best place to visit in Sarawak in Lundu is the Gunung Gading National Park. You can also head to the islands from Lundu, though these can’t be called Sarawak must visit. But you do get a private island sort of feeling, because these islands near Lundu remain mostly empty. There are also some beaches you can visit in Lundu as Sarawak attraction place, but the beaches are better in Kuching and other places in Sarawak.

Sri Aman

Sarawak interesting places to visit in Sri Aman include the Alice Fort, and Maludam National Park. You can go for boat rides in the Batang Lumpar river from Sri Aman town. These rides will take you for Sarawak sightseeing of the rainforests and the National Parks.

Lubok Antu

There are not many famous places in Sarawak in Lubbock Antu. The only top Sarawak attractions in Lubbock Antu is the Batang Ai National Park and Batang Ai Dam. If you are looking for leisurely places to visit in Sarawak, you can also head to Atman Batang Ai Resort & Retreat.

Sibu

Sibu lies along the central region of the Sarawak coastline. When you visit Sarawak, you will need to get to Sibu to visit Bukit Lima Forest Reserve and Taman Jubli Bukit App Forest Park. The Eng Ann Teng Tua Pek Kong Temple located in Sibu is also among Sarawak tourist attractions.

Kanowit

Kanowit is not among Sarawak must visit places. There is only Fort Emma in Kanowit which can be considered Sarawak attraction place. Though its not a place you would want to extend yourself for.

Selangau

There is a whole lot of forest and a whole lot of nothing in Selangau for tourists. Selangau is not among Sarawak interesting places to visit. Good for hiking though.

Miri

There are several famous places in Sarawak located in Miri including Miri Crocodile Farm, Tua Peo Kong Temple, San Ching Tian Temple, Miri Marina, Petroleum Museum, Coco Cabana and several beaches. The places to visit in Sarawak in Miri also include several natural wonders like Mount Bario, Batu Lawi, Lambir Hills National Park, Loagan Bunut National Park, Long Bedian, Long Lellang, Mount Murud, Mulu National Park, and Niah National Park. There are great beaches in Miri among Sarawak tourist attractions with island hoping and water sports facilities. Shopping for handicrafts is also a great in Miri and so is the street food.

Marudi

There are several mountains and National Parks among Sarawak must visit in Murudi. The district is named after mount Murund. Sarawak attraction place in Murudi include: Gunung Mulu National Park, Mount Mulu, Gua Air Jernih Clearwater Cave, Sarawak Chamber Cave, the Pinnacles Viewpoint, Deer Cave, Gunung Api Forest, Tata Abu Mountains, and Pulong Tau National Park.

Limbang

Sarawak sightseeing in Limbang include Limbang Museum, Limpaki Wetlands, Paya Maga Highlands, and Penawan Waterfalls Eco Park. Sarawak interesting places to visit also include Merarap Hotsprings retreat and Meritam Volcano Mud bath located in Limbang.

Lawas

There is only one destination to explore in Lawas when you visit Sarawak, that is the Gunung Buda National Park & its caves. Other than that there is not much to see or do in Lawas.

Sarikei

Famous places in Sarawak located in Sarikei include Rumah Nyuka Longhouse, Lake Garden, Rajang River, and Doremon Supermarket. Boat ride in Rajang Mangrove National Park is popular among things to do in Sarawak. Sarikei is not too far from other Sarawak top attractions, but its not a place you need to bend over backwards to visit Sarawak for.

Maradong

Aside from a few hiking trails there aren’t many places to visit in Sarawak located in Maradong. If you have short time to visit Sarawak, you can skip Maradong.

Julau

Julau is same as Maradong, lots of greenery, lots of forest area, but no significant Sarawak tourist attractions. This one you can also skip when you visit Sarawak.

Pakan

On the same vein, Pakan is also not in Sarawak must visit. Yet another district you can skip in Sarawak attraction place.

Kapit

The only Sarawak interesting places to visit in Kapit are Fort Sylvia and Pancur Gelanggang Waterfall. There are also a few longhouses in Kapit, but you wouldn’t count then in Sarawak sightseeing.

Song

We are catching a theme here, Song is also not among famous places in Sarawak. There are jungles, there are hiking trails, you can go for camping, and you can ride the Rajang river. But not any top Sarawak attractions to explore in Song.

Belaga

Keeping to the theme of skippable places to visit in Sarawak, you have Belaga. The Lusong Laku Waterfall is worth a trip if you visit Sarawak & happen to pass by Belaga.

Samarahan

There are 2 places in Samaran, though not among Sarawak must visit, are Jong’s Crocodile Farm and Pitcher Plant Garden. There are also longhouses you can visit for jungle adventures in Samarahan, but these aren’t the ones you’d call Sarawak attraction place.

Serian

The KLB Garden, Ranchan Recreational Park and Gunung Ampungan are among Sarawak interesting places to visit for ecotourism. The Silabur cave is also great for Sarawak sightseeing. Kampung Mongkos is a local history museum makes for an interesting visit despite not being among top Sarawak attractions.

Simunjan

Simunjan has Pottery Center and Tusita Hermitage among cultural places to visit in Sarawak. And yet again a place you can skip when you visit Sarawak.

Asajaya

Sarawak tourist attractions in Asajaya are Beliong Chinese Temple, Kampung Semara Masjid, and Jambatan Batang Sadong bridge. Apart from these there aren’t any locations you can count as Sarawak must visit.

Bintulu

There are a few places spots you can hit in Bintulu when you visit Sarawak. Sarawak attraction place in Bintulu includes Similajau National Park, Niah National Park, Taman Tumbina Zoo and Pantai Tanjung Batu. The Tua Pek Kong Temple built in dark green color is an imposing cultural building among Sarawak interesting places to visit.

Tatau

Tatau doesn’t offer any Sarawak sightseeing places. You can do all the usual jungle & mountain exploration, but nothing else to be excited about in Tata when you visit Sarawak.

Betong

Same as Tatau, nothing to write home about in Betong. You won’t find any famous places in Sarawak worth visiting in Betong. So if you are planning to visit Sarawak, Betongs is skippable.

Saratok

Saratok is another place you can skip when you visit Sarawak. You can see that we are giving more places you can skip or avoid than top Sarawak attractions. That’s because as much as you should know where you want to go, you should also know where not to waste time.

Mukah

Much beach and Lamin Dana are the only places to visit in Sarawak located in Much district. Even these are skippable if you don’t have much time when you visit Sarawak.

Dalat

Dalat has only one historical landmark to offer known as Oya Square. Even including that, it is not one of best place to visit in Sarawak. So yes, it is skippable on Sarawak visit.

Matu

Matu is same as Dalat minus the historical landmark, so completely skippable and not among Sarawak must visit.

Daro

Aside from beaches & a few minor Sarawak attraction place, there isn’t much to see or do in Daro. So that completes the list of skippable places when you visit Sarawak.