Where to go in Sarawak. Sarawak highlights and travel itineraries

2 min summary When to go Map & highlights Wildlife National parks Culture Batang Ai Families Kuching Brooke dynasty Tips Responsible tourism

Sarawak map & itineraries

This large Malaysian state’s highlights run on a long northeastern-southwestern axis and as a result most people are a bit stumped as to where to go in Sarawak. Which is where tours come in. Any Sarawak itinerary is guaranteed to get you to at least four of its wildlife-packed national parks with a healthy dose of culture thrown in too, and the best bit is that the travel between them – short bursts of road, river and domestic air – is hugely scenic and engaging. Most of your time will be spent doing day trips by longboat to see heaving rainforest and indigenous tribes; what’s not to love?

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Our Sarawak Vacations

1. Bako National Park
2. Batang Ai National Park
3. Sarawak Cultural Village
4. Damai Beach
5. Gunung Gading National Park
6. Gunung Mulu National Park
7. Headhunter’s Trail
8. Kuching
9. Limbang
10. Matang Wildlife Centre
11. Rajang River
12. Semenggoh Wildlife Centre

Bako National Park

1. Bako National Park

Sarawak’s oldest national park has been protected for over half a century, so its wildlife is less fearful of humans. Pendulum-faced proboscis monkeys are its most famous inhabitants, but keep an eye out too for monitor lizards, otters, bearded pigs and long-tailed macaques. Wildlife is most active at dawn and dusk, and overnight trips give you the chance to spot flying lemurs and pangolins.

Bako National Park

Batang Ai National Park

2. Batang Ai National Park

A wonderful example of community-led conservation, the Iban tribes are the custodians of this lush national park and its rare wildlife. At this remote spot, transport is via boat along the rivers and accommodation is in traditional Iban longhouses. Volunteers can work in the orangutan rehabilitation centers here, learning from the Iban – descendents of the legendary headhunters. Read more

Sarawak Cultural Village

3. Sarawak Cultural Village

Showcasing Sarawak’s incredible cultural diversity, this ‘living museum’ does local life with bells on. Sprawled across 17 acres, there are 150 village inhabitants happy to demonstrate the diverse customs of Sarawak’s ethnicities from craft making to cooking and learning local songs. Kids love it, but there’s lots for adults too – you never know, you might come away a dab hand at tribal dancing.

Sarawak Cultural Village

Damai Beach

4. Damai Beach

Less than an hour away from Kuching, Damai Beach is a pristine white-sand, palm-lined resort nestled at the foothills of Mount Santubong with sweeping views across some of the world’s most ancient rainforest. Sit and soak up the sun quite happily for hours, or get out and about hiking up the mountain, sea kayaking over the waves, or scuba diving to a nearby Japanese WWII shipwreck.

Gunung Gading National Park

5. Gunung Gading National Park

Gunung Gading sprawls across four jungle-clad mountain peaks with a dense primary rainforest that’s traversed by crystalline streams and tumbling waterfalls. The verdant park is one of the best places in the whole of Asia in which to spot the Rafflesia – the world’s largest flower whose pretty-looking petals can grow up to one metre in diameter, but sadly smell like rotting flesh.

Gunung Gading National Park

Gunung Mulu National Park

6. Gunung Mulu National Park

This park became a UNESCO Site in 2000, in recognition of its natural diversity, beauty and geology. The Mulu Caves are its most popular attraction; the Cave of the Winds was used as a burial site up to 3,000 years ago. The monumental limestone karsts are striking, with deep gorges and blade-like peaks. Longboats cruise down the Melinau River, hiking trails lead deeper into the forest.

Headhunter’s Trail

7. Headhunter’s Trail

Thankfully, headhunting, a brutal practice as literal as it sounds and a way for men to show their mettle in days gone by, isn’t common practice in Sarawak anymore, but this trail, which combines upriver travel, jungle trekking and an overnight stay in an Iban longhouse, is a chance to forge your own less gory adventure following the route formerly taken by headhunting parties.

Headhunter’s Trail

Kuching

8. Kuching

Sarawak’s capital, Kuching, is proudly multiracial, filled with many Chinese and Indian ethnicities as well as indigenous Malays and Indonesians – visit the excellent State Museum to find out more. There are Chinese temples, grand mosques, stilt houses, a handcraft bazaar and a vast Sunday food market. The flashy Waterfront is worth a visit – but beware of steep prices.

Limbang

9. Limbang

Sandwiched awkwardly between the two halves of Brunei, Limbang is remote and little visited, despite its many natural attractions. There are mud volcanoes, with mineral-rich mud baths enjoyed mostly by locals, brilliant mountain biking trails, an unusual Taoist Chinese temple with paintings of hell, and plenty of opportunities to interact with locals in the little villages along the road.

Limbang

Matang Wildlife Centre

10. Matang Wildlife Centre

Located in Kubah National Park, Matang Wildlife Centre is a refuge for rescued orangutans looked after in contained areas of rainforest as well as smaller enclosures for those awaiting release. Day visitors can observe feeding sessions; longer volunteer placements include working on the infrastructure and learning animal husbandry techniques. You can also meet the local Iban communities.

Rajang River

11. Rajang River

A trip along the churning waters of the mighty Rajang River, the longest river in Malaysia, is a cultural exploration of the small frontier towns and longhouses lived in by Sarawak’s indigenous tribes along its swampy banks. The aquatic flora and fauna in its backwater streams are among the most diverse in the country and lend a very authentic and unspoiled vibe.

Rajang River

Semenggoh Wildlife Centre

12. Semenggoh Wildlife Centre

This Sarawak highlight is a sanctuary for semi-wild orangutans that have been injured, orphaned or kept illegally as pets. Babies are taught, over several years, how to survive in the forest, learning to climb, forage and build nests. Semi-rehabilitated adults are most likely to be spotted at feeding times, when they dangle on vines, swing through trees and play with each other and the wardens.

Travel Team

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Sarawak sample itineraries

Sarawak Wildlife (14 days)
Kuching > Semenggoh Orangutan Centre > Bako National Park > Gunung Gading National Park > Batang Ai National Park > Ensulai Waterfall > Kuching > (fly) Mulu > Kota Kinabalu > Mulu

Sarawak Wildlife & Beach (10 days)
Kuching > Bako National Park > Kuching > Rajang River > Gunung Mulu National Park > Headhunter’s Trail > Limbang > Kota Kinabalu

Orangutan Conservation Vacation (13 days)
Kuching > Matang Wildlife Centre > Bako National Park > Damai Beach > Sarawak Cultural Village > Kuching > Batang Ai National Park > Semenggoh Orangutan Centre > Kuching

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Sarawak travel times

The following times give you a rough idea of the travel times between the main attractions in Sarawak.

Kuching – Semenggoh: 40 mins by road Kuching – Bako NP: 1 hr road, 20 mins by boat Bako NP – Gunung Gading NP: 2 hrs by road Gunung Gading NP – Batang Ai: 5 hrs 30 mins by road/air Kuching – Mulu: 1 hr 30 mins by air Gunung Mulu – Limbang: 1 hr 40 mins by road Limbang – Kota Kinabalu: 2 hrs by road/air

Responsible Travel would like to thank the Sarawak tourist board for their sponsorship of this guide

More about Sarawak

Best time to visit Sarawak

A quick glimpse at our temperature & rainfall chart will tell you the best time to visit Sarawak in terms of the weather however, delve a little deeper and you’ll discover a month by month guide.

Sarawak travel guide

If you’re looking to learn all about Malaysia’s largest state then our Sarawak travel guide does just the job with a brief history of Sarawak as well as a 2 minute summary to help you travel like a local on your Sarawak vacation.

Things to do in Sarawak

There's lots of things to do in Sarawak with Mulu National Park, Bako National Park and Gunung National Park all providing trekking and nature trails to help you understand everything from orangutan conservation to living like a local.

Community tourism in Sarawak

If you travel into the Central Highlands of Sarawak you'll find the Lun Bawang people living in a collection of villages known as Ba’kelalan, their culture and heritage at the core of community tourism in Sarawak.

Sarawak National Parks

There are some 30 Sarawak national parks, all different, all extraordinary although not all accessible - you have to keep a few secrets to yourself naturally, but our guide explains where to start your journey around the biodiverse beauties.

Sarawak adventure vacations

Sarawak adventure vacations release you into a truly spectacular natural landscape, one of dense rainforest and vibrant green plateaus snaked across by the toffee-coloured waters of the Sarawak River.

Rainforest World Music Festival

If the late, great Ella Fitzgerald were still singing on our mortal coil, she would almost certainly have graced the stage of the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak, one of the most celebrated of its kind in the world.

Orangutan conservation in Sarawak

Community led conservation projects are really a change in Sarawak, and these also provide some of the most fascinating and life affirming experiences for visitors keen to contribute to orangutan conservation efforts.

Bird watching in Sarawak

There are over twenty Important Bird Areas in Sarawak alone - really is birding bliss - and with a plethora of national parks too, the infrastructure allows lots of ways to go bird watching in Sarawak.

Travel to Batang Ai National Park, Sarawak

Sarawak is a truly unsurpassed destination to see the highly endangered orangutan in the wild in Batang Ai National Park, living symbiotically with the local Iban community which contributes to it's protection.

Culture in Sarawak

Exploring the culture in Sarawak is one of the key reasons to visit the Land of the Hornbills - tours here introduce you to riveting tribal customs, the heritage of the Brooke Dynasty, and many colourful festivals.

Kuching in Sarawak

Discover the picturesque riverside gateway to Sarawak and Malaysian Borneo - Kuching: a romantic, sophisticated city that's just as rich with culture heritage as it is with colourful atmosphere.

Benefits of a short tour to Sarawak

It’s easily reached from both Kuala Lumpur and Singapore by air, and there is a great deal to see in a fairly compact area, so the benefits of a short tour to Sarawak are as clear as the waters of its many dive sites.

Brooke Dynasty heritage – the White Rajahs

The illustrious Brooke dynasty heritage can be seen across Sarawak, from the historic wooden forts they built to protect their kingdom, to renowned museums and a beautiful palace by the river.

Wildlife in Sarawak

Sarawak wildlife ranges from the endangered orangutans that are found only here and Sumatra to big-nosed proboscis monkeys, rare Irrawaddy dolphins and sea turtles, found across some 30 protected areas.

Traveling in Sarawak with kids

Traveling in Sarawak with kids is all about finding things they’ll enjoy and learn from at the same time with cultural villages, Kuching Cat Museum and the Sarawak Caves in Gunung National Park all perfect activities.

Sarawak travel advice

If you’re searching for Sarawak travel advice then make sure you pay attention to the tips from our friends - we’ve published a few pearls of wisdom to help you travel safely with kids, and without.

Responsible tourism in Sarawak

Wildlife & environment issues are integral to responsible tourism in Sarawak - reforestation, volunteering responsibly and positive community tourism are just a few of the areas you’ll need to read about to travel better.

More relevant guides

Written by Polly Humphris

ABTA member P7085 so you are fully protected

Photo credits: [Page banner: charles taylor] [Top box: Peter Gronemann] [Bako NP: amrufm] [Batang Ai NP: Pavel Kirillov] [Sarawak Cultural Village: Dan K] [Damai Beach: Dustin Iskandar] [Gunung Gading NP: Steve Cornish] [Gunung Mulu NP: Paul White] [Headhunter's Trail: Juanita] [Kuching: watchsmart] [Limbang: NH53] [Matang Wildlife Centre: snowflakegirl] [Rajang River: watchsmart] [Semenggoh Wildlife Centre: Rolling Okie]

Where to go in Sarawak