STB Explains Sarawak Tourism Attractiveness That Is Typical And Unique

Director of Marketing (ASEAN & Domestic) of Sarawak Tourism Board, Barbara Benjamin Atan (left), Director of Tourism Malaysia Jakarta, Hairi Mohd Yakzan (medium), and Director of Sarawak Affairs, AirAsia, Hamdan Mohamad. (Photo: Special)

Sarawak, Malaysia, which is located on the island of Borneo, offers extraordinary tourist attraction with a combination of natural beauty, cultural diversity, and unique culinary delights almost equivalent to the Malaysian Peninsula, but only about 2.8 million people.

According to ASEAN Manager Sarawak Tourism Board (STB), Karmilla Kamaruddin said Kuching as the capital of Sarawak has a strategic position that allows tourists from West Kalimantan to access it by land travel within six to seven hours, and for tourists from Jakarta, direct flights to Kuching are available every day through AirAsia Indonesia.

"Sawak Tourism Board, we promote five pillars, namely Culture, Adventure, Nature, Food and Festival," Karmilla said during the "Gateway To Borneo" event at the Pullman Central Park Hotel, Jakarta, Tuesday, December 10.

Sarawak's advantage lies in its cultural wealth, because it has 34 ethnic groups, such as Iban, Bidayuh, Malay, and Chinese, each of which presents a distinctive tradition, art, and handicraft.

This cultural diversity even made Kuching named "World Craft City" by the World Craft Council, so that the traditions and handicrafts of various ethnicities are one of the main attractions for tourists looking for authentic cultural experiences.

Not only that, Sarawak is also known for its natural wealth with extensive tropical rainforests, tourists can enjoy various adventure activities, ranging from trekking, hiking, to exploring spectacular caves caves in Mount Mulu National Park.

The national park is one of two UNESCO world heritage sites owned by Sarawak, in addition to Niah National Park. Excitement activities such as walking through iconic caves, including the Dier Cave and Clear Water Cave, as well as climbing Pinnacles on Mount Mulu are unforgettable experiences for nature lovers.

The typical Sarawak culinary delights are also a special attraction, such as the Sarawak Laksa with thick shrimp broth, pansuh chicken cooked in bamboo, to the colorful Sarawak layered kek is some of the foods that must be tasted.

The uniqueness of taste and way of presenting culinary services makes culinary tourism an inseparable experience for visitors.

Sarawak also has a variety of annual events that attract tourists, such as the "Rainforest World Music Festival" featuring ethnic music from various parts of the world, as well as the "Borneo Jazz Festival" at Miri which captivates music lovers.

Other events, such as the celebration of Dayak Devices and the traditional boat race "Sarawak Regatta", add to the attractiveness of cultural tourism in this country.

"So, the activities that can be done at Sarawak are trekking, hiking, diving, and cycling, this is suitable for those who like interesting activities. In the future we will also have an event, to be precise next year there will be a Miri Marathon, and this is also a lot of participants from Indonesia," he said.

In the future, STB hopes that there will be a new flight route connecting Kalimantan with Sarawak, especially with the plan to move the capital city of Indonesia to the archipelago.

It is believed that better connectivity can increase the number of tourist visits from Indonesia, which is one of the markets for Sarawak tourism.

With the rich culture, nature, and culinary that is offered, Sarawak is a tourist destination that is not only beautiful, but also provides in-depth experience for travelers.