5D4N SIBU / KAPIT / BELAGA LONGHOUSE ITINERARY
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| Sibu |
Day 1
Meet upon arrival at Sibu Express Boat jetty or Sibu Airport. Meet up with your guide and transfer to Garden Hotel (1-star) for check in. Free at leisure
Later in the afternoon, meet up at hotel lobby and proceed for the Walking Tour of Sibu, visit the Sibu Gateway (the Town Square), Tua Pek Kong Chinese Temple, 7-storey Pagoda (from the top can have a nice view of Sibu town), Rejang Express Wharf where you can view the ‘floating market’ that is actually a small ship converted as a mobile shop to bring goods to people living along the river. Next is the Esplanade where the Swan Statue (the symbol for Sibu town) is located. Walk along the Esplanade and view the Hii Association Garden. Afterwards, walk to the Sibu Central Market, the largest indoor market in Malaysia where all kinds of local products, exotic fruits, vegetables and handicrafts are sold.
Proceed for dinner at a local restaurant and then proceed to visit the Night Market, which is considered the liveliest in the state and open till midnight. Various types of foods and delicalies are sold here and clothing at bargain prices. Return to hotel. Overnight at Garden Hotel.
Meals: Dinner
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| Fort Sylvia |
Early breakfast at hotel and proceed to the jetty for the express boat to to Kapit (departs 8am)
11am, arrival at Kapit and proceed for Kapit town tour and firstly visit Fort Sylvia built in 1880 which is the oldest structure in town built during the reign of the second White Rajah of Sarawak, Charles Brooke. Originally named Fort Kapit, it was later renamed Fort Sylvia in 1925 by the third white rajah, Charles Vyner Brooke after his wife Sylvia Brooke. The fort was built with the purpose of preventing the Iban from going upriver to attack the Orang Ulu. It had withstand several attacks and also allied bombing of the town during World War II. Nowadays it has been converted to a museum which housed a collections of exhibits relating to history of Kapit such as artwork, handicraft, native weapons and a big mural painting depicting the way of life of the Iban.
Afterwards, proceed to visit the Hock Leong Tien Temple, the oldest and only Chinese Temple in Kapit. Also known as Tua Pek Kong built in 1898 by the early Chinese settlers. Later visit the Teresang Native Market and see the locals selling jungle produce and also a variety of handicrafts of the Iban and Orang Ulu. A great place to buy some handicrafts at good bargain price. We recommend that you buy some gifts here for the folks of the longhouse (especially the children) that we are going to visit in the afternoon as it is a local culture to bring some gift when visiting other peoples home.
Lunch at a local restaurant
After lunch, proceed overland to visit one of the oldest Iban Longhouse (Rumah Bundong) in the area consisting of 63 bileks (doors). The travelling time is about 40 minutes. Upon arrival, proceed to visit the longhouse chief and visit his bilek. Afterwards, tour the longhouse and learn about their lifestyle and culture. Later proceed to the nearby stream and have a short trek upriver to a mini waterfall where you can have a dip in the cool clear water. Return to longhouse late afternoon for rest till dinner time.
Enjoy dinner prepared by the longhouse people where you can try out some of the local delicacies having your meal the traditional way (sitting on the mat laid out on the floor). After dinner, gather at the ruai (verandah) to meet up with the longhouse folks, have chit-chat over a glass or two of tuak (home brewed rice wine) and get to know more of the Iban's livelihood, culture and history. This is a good time to hand over the gifts bought at the native market earlier.
Overnight in the longhouse, sleeping in the ruai (verandah) with mattress and mosquito netting provided.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
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| Pelagus Rapids |
Morning, have breakfast at longhouse and then time to say good-bye to the host and overland journey back to Kapit. Drop off at Kapit express boat jetty and board the 9am express boat to Belaga. One hour into the trip, you will ENJOY THE THRILL of passing thru the PELAGUS RAPIDS (could be a bit scary for first timers). The whole journey takes about 5 hours (and due to the long journey, you are advised to buy some pack food for consumption during the trip). Upon arrival at Belaga, proceed for a short walking tour of the Belaga town and then have a short rest and drink at one of the coffee shops. Before departure, you are advised to buy some gifts such as foodstuffs and snacks to be presented to the longhouse folk.
Later, proceed by motorised longboat travelling upriver to Long Segaham, a village of the Kejaman with 5 longhouses. The upriver trip takes about an hour. Upon arrival, pay the chief a visit before tour of the longhouses around the village with your guide. The uniqueness of this village is that it still has the Salong, a burial hut supported by one wooden pillar beautifully carved with Orang Ulu motive standing more than 10 feet tall. The burial hut was where the bones of previous chiefs (kept in jar) are stored. Sadly nowadays a lot of this Salong and Kelirieng (burial pole intricately carved but without the hut on top) which is usually located in front of the longhouses have been removed and few longhouses still have these and Long Segaham is among one of these rare few that still do. In the olden days, Salong / Kelirieng can only be afforded by the chiefs or aristocrats. Afterwards, take a rest and wait for dinner time.
Dinner at the longhouse and then gather at the verandah together with the villagers to get to know them better, chit chat and exchange stories over some local coffee/tea and snacks. This is also the time to present the gifts bought earlier but remember to keep some for another longhouse visit the next day. Afterwards, can opt for either night fishing using longboats out to the river or go for a night walk in the jungle and frog hunting.
Overnight in the Long Segaham longhouse with mattress and mosquito netting provided.
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
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| Salong (Orang Ulu Burial Hut) |
Breakfast at longhouse and any catch (fish or frogs) from previous night will be cooked and served as well.
After breakfast, witness blowpipe shooting demonstration. Eventhough the native in this remote part of Sarawak now use guns for hunting, blowpipe is still widely used. You are most welcome to try it out yourself.
Afterwards bid goodbye and proceed by motorised longboat downriver to Belaga. Enroute stop for brief visit at 2 longhouses along the way, a Lahanan longhouse and a Sekapan longhouse. During the trip can see a few Salong and Kelirieng scattered around the riverbank. A brief stop will be made a Belaga to pick up some food ration and then continue journey downriver and then into one of the river tributaries and try traditional style fishing by bamboo fishing rod and by net. The guide and boatman will cook the fishes you catch together with the rations picked up at Belaga cooking in the traditional way using bamboo plus some BBQ as well. Enjoy the picnic lunch by the river. Afterwards, proceed by longboat to another tributary all the way to the Tepin Waterfall where you can have a swim in the cool clear water.
After the picnic in mid afternoon, continue journey downriver to Long Dungan, an old Kenyah village consisting of a series of 6 longhouses and home to about 500 plus people. Upon arrival, proceed to meet the village chief (if he is around). Afterwards, tour the longhouse with your guide and learn further about the lifestyle and culture of the Kenyah people. Free at leisure till dinner time.
Have dinner at the longhouse and enjoy some of the local delicacies. After dinner, gather/sit at the longhouse verandah, mix around and get to know the longhouse folk as well as the time to present the gifts. Chat with them and learn of their livelihood, history, etc and their homemade tuak (rice wine) will also be served. Also witness the graceful Orang Ulu Kanjet (traditional dance) in which you will also be invited to join in the fun and learn the dance movement.
Overnight in the Long Dungan longhouse with mattress and mosquito netting provided.
Meals: Breakfast / Picnic Lunch / Dinner
Day 5
Breakfast at the longhouse
8am, wait at the village jetty to flag down the express boat on the way to Kapit and Sibu or transfer by motorised longboat for the 30 minutes upriver journey to Belaga. Tour ends.
Meals: Breakfast
For more information & package fare, email to ulurajang@yahoo.com
" Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember and remember more than I have seen "
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