SARAWAK CULTURAL VILLAGE

Sarawak is rich in history and heritage. It is also known as Land of The Hornbills. The population comprises of local ethnic groups namely Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Melanau and other minor tribes plus the Malays, Chinese and Indians living together in harmony for more than a century.

Being the largest state in Malaysia, Sarawak covers a vast area of 124,000 sq-km of land along the northwest coast of Borneo, the third largest island in the world. Sarawak offers you a journey of relentless discovery as you travel from city to city and from village to village where you will find, remnants of colonial architectures and in a rich heritage.      

About Sarawak Cultural Village

Tucked away at the foothills of legendary Mount Santubong, 35 km from Kuching is Sarawak's fascinating cultural showcase, the award winning "Sarawak Cultural Village" which is also the venue for the World Harvest Festival and the Rainforest World Music Festival, an internationally renowned festival.

This living museum is wholly owned by the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) depicts the heritage of the major racial groups in Sarawak and conveniently portrays their respective lifestyle amidst 14 acres of tropical vegetation.

Here, it is possible to see Sarawak's ethnic diversity at a glance. The handicraft is both bewildering and tempting, including the Kain Songket (Malay cloth with gold inlay), Pua Kumbu (Iban housewives textiles), Melanau Terendak (sunhat), Bidayuh tambok (basket), Iban parang (swords), Orang Ulu wood carving and Chinese ceramics.

The 45-minute cultural performance of songs, dances and entertainment is something you will not want to miss during your visit to Sarawak.

SEMENGGOH WILDLIFE CENTRE

The Semenggoh Wildlife Centre was established in 1975 to care for wild animals which have either been found injured in the forest, orphaned, or were previously kept as illegal pets. The centre is situated within the boundaries of the Semenggoh Nature Reserve, approximately 24 km from Kuching.

When established, the three main aims of the Centre were:
-To rehabilitate wild animals who have been injured, orphaned in the wild or handicapped by
-Prolonged captivity, with the objective of subsequently releasing them back to the wild.
-To conduct research on wildlife and captive breeding programmes for endangered species.
-To educate visitors and the general public about the importance of conservation.

The Centre has been a resounding success, caring for almost 1,000 endangered mammals, birds and reptiles from dozens of different species. However it is the orang utan rehabilitation programme that has made the Centre famous. In one respect, Semenggoh has been too successful – so many orang utan have been successfully reintroduced into the surrounding forest reserve that the forest’s carrying capacity has been reached, and rehabilitation activities have been transferred to the Matang Wildlife Centre, part of Kubah National Park.
As a result of its success, Semenggoh’s role has changed and it is nowadays a centre for the study of orang utan biology and behaviour, as well as a safe and natural haven for dozens of semi-wild orang utan, graduates of the rehabilitation programme. It is also home to numerous baby orang utan, born in the wild to rehabilitated mothers, a further testament to the success of the programme.
A visit to Semenggoh is a once in a lifetime experience - a chance to see semi-wild orang utan, ranging from tiny infants and boisterous adolescents to dignified mature adults, enjoying life in a secure natural habitat.

Kuching: Kubah National Park

Kubah National Park is one of the most easily accessible park in Kuching, just under an hour drive away on the way to the Matang hills. There is no scheduled bus service to the park, and the nearest bus stops at a road junction which require an hour or so on foot to each the entrance, so the only option is by cab or hired car, but the location is not hard to find.
There is a proper car  park and an entrance kiosk where you pay RM10.00 (for Malaysians) / RM20.00 (for foreigners) per person to enter. A toilet and bathroom area is behind the kiosk if you need to wash and freshen up after the long trekking, before you leave the park.
There are several walking trails, and the Waterfall Trail is the most popular. It is a 1 1/2 hour trekking (one way) through the rainforest though the trail are well marked and many stretches are by plankwalk. The trail is easy to negotiate as there is not much gradient, where there are, steps are provided and on steep climb at the approach to the waterfalls, wooden stairs/steps are provided

The waterfall is about 20 feet high and falls into a big pool and cascade to a series of big boulders with smaller pools along the way. The water is cool and refreshing and is an excellent place for a swim and picnic. Part of the flat rock surface can be slippery during rainy season as they are moss covered, so be careful.

There are not many wildlife in the park, and for mosquito haters, good news, there is none! There are beetles, bugs centipedes and frogs and plentiful palm of all types. Sometimes leeches can also be found, especially after heavy rain. Nature lovers will find this place a nice retreat for a day trip.