Camping in Sri Aman (Simangang)

*This post is a continuation from My Failed Attempt in Border Crossing into Kalimantan with a Motorbike *

I left the border hitting the road hard not sure where I will spend the night since the U-turn at the border had mentally gave me a kick in the ass which made me go into a haze knowing what I need to do but somehow just refuse to create a clear picture in my mind of the next step or next plan.

I rode Bluey as fast as I was comfortable but still slightly over the limit that allow my brain to think clearly since I needed to focus on the road. Once I hit Serian and stopped for lunch giving my ignored butt the long awaited break, my mind started thinking clearly again after some food and a good drink.

The Road to Sri Aman - Sarawak 

Sibu was too far. Doable but not worth the push. I have more time now that 2 weeks allocation for Kalimantan has been shoved down the drain. Sri Aman had no hostels and budget hotels were going to cost me at least RM 50 and usually those are the very crappy ones that you wonder if its safer sleeping outside just to avoid all the germs.

I decided to hit Sri Aman early just to check out the place at least and somehow I was confident to find a nice safe grass patch to spend the night so long I had enough daylight to scout for a spot. By 320pm I reach Sri Aman and went straight to the Fort Alice, one of the old White Rajahs monuments scattered across Sarawak.

Fort Alice - Sri Aman

It was a lovely place, closed at 4pm but at 330pm the caretaker already started locking up the doors and was about to leave. I asked if it was opened and he hesitated to reply knowing the official opening hours were till 4pm but a small town like this with barely any tourist, it was not uncommon to pack up early on a Sunday afternoon. I spared him the dilemma and told him I’ll just look around the Fort Alice compound instead.

Fort Alice - Sri Aman Sarawak

Traditional Malay Canoe Display at Fort Alice - Sri Aman Sarawak 

Fort Alice, the best place to set up camp since the grass was trimmed on soft mount with beautiful high vantage point to overlook the Batang Lupur river. I asked if I could set up tent and he said he could not say. Night time security is someone else responsibility but after closing hours this heritage place is a restricted area. I could read the hidden meaning of the message.

No guards but if you get caught I never gave you permission.

Taman Panorama - Sri Aman Sarawak

Next to Fort Alice was a very small public park called Taman Panorama which the locals hang out every evening watching the river hoping to catch a glimpse of the occasional tidal bore. Looking at the terrain, it was a perfect place to set camp and hence I decided to set camp but only after dark when the romantic walks by couples in the evenings are done.

I went riding around Sri Aman, not very interesting for it was just like any other small town and decided to hang out at the only KFC in town. For the next few hours KFC was my day camp supplying me food, toilet, power point, WIFI, and air-conditioning,

Sri Aman - Sarawak

Sri Aman - Sarawak

By 9pm I headed out to Taman Panorama and not a soul was in sight. In the stealth of night, I pitch my tent and went to sleep. At early morning, I was woken up by someone yelling and I jumped up thinking shit maybe the police or security have found me and I was in trouble but the yelling continued YAAAAAAAAAAA ....... ALLAH HU AKBAR. 

Camping Spot at Taman Panorama - Sri Aman 

Camping Spot Overlooking Batang Lupur River - Sri Aman 

Sri Aman

Oh ... morning prayers. A quick scan and I saw the mosque and decided it was far enough that the early morning worshippers wont bother me. Back to sleep. By sunrise it was really time to run, as the early morning old folks walkers begin their routine, I packed up the tent overlook by their curious eyes and left Sri Aman for Sibu.

Traveled On: Aug 2019

 

Daytrips from Kuching – To Wildlife Reserve and Orang Asli Village

Kuching was my easing point to exploring Borneo. Climatizing myself in a sense and planning out the journey in more detail as I interact with the locals. What I realized after a while is that most people in Kuching, don't really go beyond Kuching.

There was many daytrips to be had, and tour packages and pamphlets lines the countertop of hostels and hotels giving tourist a never ending things to see and do in Kuching to somehow emulate the entire Borneo experience from a city that is no more than an hour drive away.

Still it was a good easing point and time waster for me. Tours were really expensive from my point of view for it included transport which was part of the main issue. The attraction was away from the city ... an hour drive or two hours drive, but the attraction itself was mostly free or minimal token sum. Luckily I had Bluey hence many a daytrips spent riding out of Kuching.

Santubong Rainforest Reserve – Sarawak Cultural Village

A short ride north of Kuching brings me to Santubong Rainforest Reserve. A very small nature reserve that one can hike to waterfalls, blue pool and even a Lighthouse at the tip of the peninsular. I of course was lazy as hell and these hikes were not leisure walks but full on jungle hikes that took a few hours one way and a few hours back. Naturally

I just rode Bluey to explore where there was roads and that brought me to Damai Beach and without knowing, I stumble upon Sarawak Cultural Village where all the major culture and people in Sarawak was gathered like a sample dish for the tourist to experience. Next to it was the event place for Rainforest World Music Festival.

Damai Beach - Kuching

Sarawak Cultural Center 

Sarawak Cultural Center Entrance Fee 

I stopped at the gate and did not enter when I saw the ticket fee. I felt at that time, it was like a theme park but with culture experience as a theme to enjoy. In a way I could understand the lure, these was some of the most remote places and tribes in Sarawak to get too for immersing into Borneo culture and here was a place where they gathered a pinch of each unique culture for showcase to tourist. I however was determined to see Borneo myself hence I felt there was no need to enter the cultural theme park and could skip the introductions.

Semenggoh Wildlife Centre

I think this one is a must for anyone that visit Kuching for the first time and especially if its their first time in Borneo as well. No one can resist the cute and furry attraction of the endangered Orang Utan that look so much like humans.

I knew what I was expecting, the tourist crowd, the cameras and chatter and of course maybe the magnificent four hands OrangUtan.

The park Ranger were their friends, as these OrangUtan are rescued animals, from poachers or from illness and after rehabilitation return to the wild. They come back for some favorite snacks from the Rangers but there was no leash beyond the bond shared between the Rangers and OrangUtan. This could be carefully observed as not all rangers could approach them and some of the younger rangers even note that if they were not around sometimes the OrangUtan will just peak out and head back into the forest reserve as their friend was not around.

Excited Tourist Seeing OrangUtan at Semenggoh Wildlife Park

The Friendship 

Kek Lapis Warisan & Sunny Hill Ice-Cream

Nothing is really complete in Malaysia without daytrips hunting for mundane food.

Thou sometimes the hunt is mostly accidental and become a detour which was Kek Lapis Warisan. Wooden 2 story house that sells Kek Lapis of so much variety it was impossible not to stop and buy a few back to indulge.

Kek Lapis Warisan - Kuching

Sunny Hill Ice-Cream was a local recommendation that I had to follow up. Locally home made ice cream that is soft to the lips. Its a must try if one have time in Kuching.

Sunny Hill Ice - Cream - Kuching

Kampung Annah Rais – Padawan

It was quite hard to miss this one as most tour package in Kuching will try to sell the Sarawak longhouse experience. Annah Rais is a Bidayuh Tribe Longhouse which is close enough to Kuching for a daytrip but deep enough at the fringe of a Jungle giving lots of opportunity to get into the nature treks in its virgin state.

As all Jungle treks in Malaysia, I already knew the difficulty of entering and exploring without a local orang asli guide. The jungle is not a playground despite its beauty. Its dangerous and alluring and best left alone ... unless you have a guide.

While the people I believe is of Bidayuh heritage and a few runs the guide treks once a while for tourist, like most villages the kids would have gotten jobs in big cities in Malaysia and contribute back to the village as evident of stone house building slowly replacing the traditionally wooden longhouse concept.

Kampung Annah Rais - Sarawak 

I am quite torn in this item for Kampung Annah Rais, for the tourist I could see the ingenuity of it and also I wonder if tourist understand that trying to see the rustic and jungle lifestyle is not practical. There is no reason to not embrace civilization to upgrade one lifestyle which is what is happening throughout Borneo even the remote longhouses but yet sometimes the spark comments of this is not authentic as they have solar power and brick walls give a small little pain to the experience.

Hence I could see the camo in trying to preserve the wooden front of the village for the tourist.

A living tribe ... is not a museum piece ...

Other Day Trip Attraction

There was really too much Daytrip attraction in Kuching to see them all. Expensive too if one do not have their own transport. In fact most of these Daytrips was found using just Google Maps to locate them. From Nature reserve, to small scenic Kampungs, to temples and hot springs it was endless and in a way wonderful that one can never truly explore Greater Kuching.

Traveled on: Aug 2019

To Teluk Malano – The Begining of PAN BORNEO Highway

From Pugu Permata Campsite, I did the ride all the way to Telok Malano, where the begining of PAN BORNEO highway begins. Kilometer “0”. At that point of time I had no idea that I would do the entire PAN BORNEO from one tip end to another. It was just like a nice ride to make and have a look around without much info to go about.

Roundabout at the Beginning of Pan Borneo Highway

Telok Melano - KM 0 - Pan Borneo Highway

There was basically nothing but roads and trees from Lundu to Teluk Malano and a few offshoot roads that goes towards untouched pristine beach. At Teluk Malano which was a small settlement of fisherman had houses that could be counted with one hand. I started to have a small sense of travelling in Borneo with this ride, that petrol rationing will be important before starting a spontaneous joy detour.

Teluk Melano Beach & Village 

I headed back for Kuching from Telok Malano, but this time round took the branch out small road from Jalan Lundu-Sampadi. Quite nicely paved road, but quiet without a single heavy vehicle and barely any cars. Along the way was a local 5 minute ferry crossing which one could roll on and off their vehicle. It was partially the small reason I choose the detour back to Kuching in the hopes of seeing something different instead of backtracking the same road.

Jalan Lundu-Sampadi

Rambongan Ferry Crossing 

Back to Kuching where I had to set up camp while doing a few more day trips before the long haul

Traveled on : Aug 2019

Riding Log : To Sematang, Pugu Permata Campsite & A little detour to Wind & Fairy Caves

Picked up Bluey yesterday from the Kuching Port and went shopping for a camping tent, flashlights, some portable fan and repacked everything I could think where it should go for accessibility and all that was left was the route.

The warm up route or test run was to head to Sematang, or really just Pugu Permata Campsite which was about 100km westward from Kuching. This was a backtrack in someway since I will have to return to Kuching as anything westward was a dead end but somehow I felt that I needed to go to the west tip of Borneo to really start the journey. Riding from the West tip to East tip of Borneo has a nice ring to it so I am gonna do it for the heck of it.

Ride Off From Kuching - at the outskirts of the city for Breakfast

Along the way to Wind Caves - Stop for Lunch along roadside stall by the Church

40km out of Kuching and I saw a signboard for the Wind Caves and Fairy Caves near Bau and I decided to do a 10km detour to check it out. The roads were really nice, single lane highway fully paved with barely any vehicles but this can be relative in my perspective, since going through dirt road and gravel stones in Cambodia & Laos, anything that does not need me to break a sweat was a sweet ride.

Wind Caves was the first stop with entrance fee of RM1 for the national park and it was a short walk through gangplanks going deep into the caves. No lights and torchlights is a must if one wanted to venture all the way in which would be a 30 minute caving experience.

Wind Cave Nature Reserve 

Entrance Hut to Wind Caves 

Pitch Darkness in Windcaves 

Windcaves - End of the Road for me 

I was alone naturally and even with a powerful torch light, it was scary the moment I lost daylight from the cave entrance. Bats were everywhere, flying and making so much noise that I decided caving alone was a risky business even if it was fully gangplank and only a short 30 minute walk.

Nearby Windcaves was a river retreat spot where locals could rent a hut, swim in the river and stay the night. I thought this would be a perfect place to pitch tent by the sandy riverbed until I saw the signboard saying beware of crocadiles ... gulp!

Beware - Crocodiles 

Locals enjoying the river 

Fairy Cave was next but along the way I spotted another unmarked cave that seams to be developing into a buddhist temple. Figures of Buddha was place around the entrance and the small cave once climbing up the stairs had one Buddha statue sitting tranquil inside. Onwards to Fairy caves and I found out that this one was closed, under renovation and wont be open till next year october.

The Road to Fairy Caves

Unmarked Caves between Wind Caves & Fairy Caves 

Small detour done I headed to Lundu, which was a nice quint town that seams out of time even for Malaysia. Packed up some dinner and snacks and I headed to the campsite which was 20km away. Pugu Permata Campsite was a total gem. RM 20 for me to rent a space to camp out with my own tent but if you don't have a tent, they also rent ready set up tent for RM50 or some local families may fancy the luxury RM 190 mega camp.

Small town Lundu - Thats basicly 1/3 of the whole town ... form in a U-Shape the town center is just a meager Shops no more than 20 lots. 

I chit chat abit with the recepition girl and said it was too expensive, which I initially think at most it would cost RM 10 mainly to use the toilet and charge my phone so at RM 20, I would have rather rough it out at the bushes some beach along the way to batu kawa and not return for the second night. Supprisingly she said its ok. I can come back and stay here for the second night for free.

So apparently everything is negotiable and I guess me not bargaining from the very beginning and just accepting the RM20 per night must had seam weird to them.

Campsite at Permata Pugu 

My Single Tent - Bought In Kuching (Permata Pugu Campsite)

Sunset @ Permata Pugu Campsite 

Traveled on: Aug 2019

Exploring Kuching – Meow

I had a few days to explore Kuching before the port called in to informed that Bluey was ready to be collected. It was touchdown from a local domestic flight in Kuching airport which was so weird since I realized that I had not fly domestic for a very long time.

Cat Monument in Kuching

Kuching Riverside 

Never being to Borneo before, I had no idea what to expect but image and perception still formed in my dreamy state and I tot it was going to be a metropolis like JB or Penang of sort. Kuching was a hidden Gem .... within a few days exploring I decided this was a good place to retire if only there was no weird restriction for Malaysian within Malaysia.

It was also a city like no other in Malaysia. Rustic like Malacca, modern like Putrajaya yet bustling like Selangor with all the big shopping centers scattered around the outskirts of the city center while retaining a charm that was unique such as a wide river cutting the city in half with river still having paddle taxi boats to ferry people across for RM 2.

Kim Joo Sarawak Kolo Mee

Downtown Photography Competition in Kuching

Downtown Kuching Heritage 

Little India - Kuching

By chance I happened to be there during the Kuching Food Festival which showcase all the food in Malaysia in like a big Pasar Malam (Night Market) and while it was still a normal event that we usually see everywhere in Malaysia, the people was definitely different. For once, knowing 3 languages and a few dialects was not enough for me to eavesdrop on people conversation. There was so many new colors of languages being spoken especially those vendors that come from outside Kuching to setup their stalls.

Kuching Riverfront 

Boatman Taxi 

Kuching City

Bridge across Kuching River 

I really came to enjoy Kuching, especially since I was shopping almost all my camping gear and road gear for Bluey. I was worried it would not have some of the niche gears but Kuching while retaining its rustic beauty still has enough people running through that many niche item that would only be seen in large capital cities was also available albeit requiring a bit of hunt.

Traveled on: Jul 2019