The land of Hornbill, or preferred name as the state of Sarawak, is among the best tourism location in Malaysia. In this article we at Kongsi Lah! will share information about what is Sarawak famous for? And what do the attractions medium that amazed peoples to visit this land of hornbill.
Introduction
Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia. Located on the Borneo Island, Sarawak consists of twelve (12) administrative divisions. The capital of Sarawak is Kuching City. By distance, it takes approximately about 1 hour and 45 minutes by plane from KLIA to Kuching International Airport. Among all states in Malaysia, Sarawak was rules by the Premier of Sarawak or previously known as Chief Minister of Sarawak as the head of the state government meanwhile The Governor of Sarawak acting as the Head of State.
Population
As a state within the unique and diverse country of Malaysia, Sarawak also well known due to their ethnic diversity. The population of Sarawakian divided into two groups. These two groups are indigenous and non indigenous groups. Sarawak has a population of approximately 2.8 Million people.
Iban
Making up 30% of the state’s population, the Iban peoples are the largest ethnic by population in Sarawak. Iban peoples also known as Sea Dayaks majorities can be found in almost everywhere in Sarawak but most highest Iban peoples lives is in Kuching, Serian, Sri Aman and Kapit.
Chinese
The Chinese community constitutes about 24% of Sarawak’s population. Majority of them live in the capital of Sarawak especially in Kuching, Sibu and Miri. From an economic perspective, the Chinese people first touched the land of Borneo when they migrated from China and Singapore as entrepreneurs
Malay
Malays make up about 23% of the population in Sarawak. They can be found in Kuching City and several rural areas in Sarawak such as Betong, Bintulu, Miri and Kota Samarahan. Around the 1880s, the Sarawakian Malays inherited the position of deputy rulers during the Brunei Sultanate and the Brookes Dynasty.
Bidayuh
The Bidayuh account for around 8% of the population.
Orang Ulu
The Orang Ulu, a collective term for various indigenous groups like the Kenyah, Kayan, Lun Bawang, and Kelabit, make up about 6% of the population.
Melanau
The Melanau people constitute about 6% of the population. They are usually can be found in Mukah, Sarikei and of course in Kuching City. The development of Sarawak make the massive migration from all other division come into Kuching City for better educations, lifestyle and good facilities.
Other Indigenous Groups
The remaining 3% or so of the population consists of smaller indigenous groups such as the Penan, Kedayan, and Bisaya.
Non Indigenous Groups
A small percentage of Sarawak’s population consists of non-indigenous groups, including Indians and other minorities like Tamils, Punjabi, Javanese and Bugis peoples.
Cultural Diversity
The diversity of the population of Sarawak making this state very suitable to be one of the top tourism locations in Malaysia. Based on previous information we shared, there are more than 10 ethnics in Sarawak and each ethnic have their own sub-ethnics. On top of that, every sub ethnics might have different language to communicate among others.
Even they are belong to same ethnic, it not means that they can communicate with each other using their own language although the language is still within the same family. It is something amazing isn’t it ?
Traditional Longhouses
For the famous reasons what Sarawak famous for is they still maintain and preserve their traditional longhouses. This longhouses is the traditional house of Iban peoples (Sea Dayaks).
The Iban peoples at that time lived in tribes. For one village might be one or two longhouses for one tribe. The leader of the tribe will becomes the “Tuai Rumah”. (Leader of the Longhouse).
Orang Utans
Orang Utans is the special animals that only can be found in Borneo Island and Sumatra Indonesia. Orangutans play an important role in the ecosystem as seed dispersers, helping to maintain the health of the tropical rainforests they live in.
Orang Utans are known for their distinctive reddish-brown hair, long arms, and highly intelligent behavior. The name “Orang Utan” comes from the Malay and Indonesian words “orang” (human) and “hutan” (forest), which together mean “forest man”.
In Sarawak we can visit Semenggoh Orang Utan Center to explore more and see the real habitats of orangutans in the Borneo Rainforest.
National Parks
In Sarawak there are two National Parks you should visit once travelling in here.
- Mulu National Park: A UNESCO World Heritage site, Mulu National Park is known for its limestone karst formations, caves (including one of the world’s largest cave chambers, the Sarawak Chamber), and diverse ecosystems
- Bako National Park: It is famous for its wildlife including proboscis monkeys, as well as its beautiful beaches and also you may experience sampan/boat riding along the mangrove forests.
Culinary Delights
Many ethnics lead to many menus and dishes. Here, Laksa Sarawak is one of the local menu you should try. You may read our previous article on the Sarawak Local Cuisines You Must Try!
Adventure Tourism
The last for this article on What Is Sarawak Famous For? is their adventure tourism. If you are eager to explore natures, caving and trekking are quite popular here. In Sarawak you will found many mountains, hills and cave that well preserved by the state government for the purpose of tourism.
In addition, the camping sites also available at caving and trekking locations in Sarawak especially for the one who gazetted and preserved by the government. The facilities quite good in average during our visit to Fairy Cave, Bengoh Lake and Mulu Cave in October 2023 ago.
Conclusions
There are many interesting places you can visit in Sarawak. The government of Sarawak put all of efforts to promote Sarawak among top tourism locations in Malaysia. Hence, they are welcoming everyone to enjoy and experience travel to the Sarawak for holiday and short vacations.
If you planning to visit Sarawak for the first time we recommend you to book with travel agency for the basic accomodation such as for the hotel and transportation.
The distance from each locations might far enough and make sure you do your own research and do your own tentative.
What Is Sarawak Famous For? – I hope this article worth for you to read before your departures and we welcoming you to the Land of Hornbill, Sarawak. Please feel free to drop your suggestions and comments at the below section and we hope for the best experience for you in Sarawak.
