Misty jungles, buzzing cities, epic cave networks and pristine national parks make the Malaysian state of Sarawak an unbelievable location for travellers of all stripes. Whether you’re looking for a budget backpacking adventure or bougie trip into the wild, you’ll find it in Sarawak!
Famed for its abundant nature and little-explored jungles, Sarawak is the largest of the two states in Malaysian Borneo. While vast swathes of Borneo’s never-ending cloud forests have been destroyed to make way for monocultures and development projects, there are still wild adventures to be found in Sarawak’s 30 national parks!
After visiting Sarawak for the first time in 2024, I fell in love with the state. It’s home to amazing people, beautiful landscapes and abundant wildlife – I even loved its cities!
So, let’s break down everything you need to know about visiting Sarawak!
Sarawak, Malaysia – Backpacking Guide
Sarawak Map & Resources
MORE INFO: (links open in a new tab)
- 🇲🇾 Malaysia Travel Guide
- 🐊 A Guide to Malaysian Borneo
- 💰 Cost of Travel in Malaysia
- 🦧 Borneo Itinerary
- 🚌 Nearby Places: Kuching | Miri | Sibu
- 🐒 Must Do Activity: Trekking in Bako National Park
Best Time to Visit Sarawak 🌦️
Sarawak has defined wet and dry seasons but there is slight variation across the state. March to September is considered the best time to visit. This is when Sarawak is at its driest – but don’t be fooled into thinking you won’t see precipitation. It can rain any time of year!
If you’re hoping to experience jungle trekking, plan your Sarawak itinerary to avoid the rainy season (November to February), when many trails and roads become impassable. The temperature across Sarawak fluctuates very little. On average, it’s 27-32ºC year round.
READ 🌧️ When Should I Visit Borneo?
Where to Stay in Sarawak, Malaysia 🛏️
Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. We always write our articles before checking if affiliate links are available.
Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia, so choosing where to stay can feel a tad overwhelming – especially if you’re on a shorter trip! We recommend splitting your Sarawak adventure to cover at least a couple of locations, so you get a broader insight into this amazing state! Below are some recommended accommodation options in the most popular areas.
There aren’t many hostels in Sarawak. Outside of Kuching, accommodation in the state is mainly hotels. But don’t worry if you’re on a budget, they won’t break the bank!
Best Accommodation in Miri
Amigo Hotel – This modern hotel is just a short walk to the nearest beach and various eateries. Set in a colonial-style building, rooms are simple with some thoughtful additions like filtered drinking water – a must when trying to cope with the high temperatures in Borneo! If you want to be close to the beach without having to drop a lot of money, Amigo Hotel is the place for you!
Walk Inn – Clean, comfortable and located just a few minutes from the Bintang Mega Mall, Walk Inn Miri has all the basics covered. The staff are super friendly and knowledgeable about their city, offering information to all travellers who come through their doors. The location of Walk Inn feels a little odd as it’s seemingly built over a car park but all in all, it’s a convenient and comfortable place to base yourself when visiting Miri!
Pullman Miri Waterfront – If you’re looking for a more luxurious stay in Miri, Pullman Miri Waterfront is the hotel for you. The hotel includes an infinity pool, excellent sea or city views and a range of eateries within the premises. Breakfast is included with some rooms. The best thing about Pullman Miri Waterfront isn’t the exceptional quality or amazing staff but the value for money! You get much more than you pay for!
Best Accommodation in Bintulu
Star Moon Hotel – This budget hotel in Bintulu is close to the bus station, making it an excellent option for those breaking the epic bus journey from Miri to Kuching or vice versa. The hotel’s exterior leaves a little to be desired but inside, the minimalist aesthetic is well-designed and cared for. There are plenty of restaurants and shops within easy walking distance too!
Sentral View Hotel Bintulu – Looking for a 4-star hotel at hostel prices? We’ve got you covered with Sentral View Hotel Bintulu. Rooms are spacious, clean and tastefully decorated. There’s an onsite bar and fitness centre, so whether you’re looking to work out or wind down, there’s an option for you!
New World Suites – For a dose of luxury, look no further than the incredible New World Suites. Based inside Parkcity Mall, a stay here means you’re surrounded by shops and restaurants. Breakfast is included and Bintulu Old Town is just a short Grab ride away!
Best Accommodation in Sibu
Starlink Hotel – One of the best and cheapest accommodation options in Sibu, Starlink Hotel is a short car journey from the centre of the city but within walking distance of Star Mega Mall. This modern hotel offers a range of rooms including disabled access amenities!
Texas Inn – Located close to the heart of Sibu, Texas Inn is simple but comfortable and offers a pleasant stay. It’s within easy walking distance of many of the city’s attractions – the reception staff can help you with hints and tips for exploring the city! There’s a café on the ground floor which serves a range of Western food.
De House Hotel – Located just a short journey from the city centre, near the confluence of the Igan and Rajang rivers, De House Hotel is a mixed bag. Some rooms are very spacious, while others feel a little cramped. The decor varies between rooms too. Some seem a bit spartan while others feature amazing decorations. However, even the less exciting rooms offer great value for money!
Best Accommodation in Kuching
Kuching Riverine Resort – A short Grab ride from Kuching’s waterfront area, Riverine Resort is the place to stay for privacy. With separate apartments, you can prepare meals or just lounge about in your pants if that’s your thing! There’s an onsite grocery store and swimming pool too!
Check In Lodge – Another budget offering in Kuching, you can opt for dorms or private rooms at Check Inn Lodge. Both ensuite and shared bathroom options are available. Comfortable communal spaces make it easy to meet other travellers and the staff are super knowledgeable about their city!
Marco Polo Guesthouse – More of a hostel than a guesthouse, Marco Polo offers private rooms and dorms – all with shared bathrooms. It’s well located in Padungan, there are plenty of shops and restaurants close by. Breakfast is provided and Marco Polo can store your luggage if you’re heading off to visit Bako National Park overnight!
Things to Do in Sarawak, Malaysia
1. Visit Bako National Park 🐒
One of Malaysia’s most popular national parks, Bako is a short journey from Kuching. Most travellers visit Bako National Park on a day trip but to get the most out of your visit, consider staying for at least one night. Accommodation in the park can only be booked through the Sarawak Forestry e-booking website but is surprisingly affordable. It’s around 50MYR (approx. $10USD) for a private ensuite room and just 15MYR (approx. $3USD) for a night in a dorm!
“Bako is beautiful…accommodation is very basic but definitely worth going!!”
Colette, South East Asia Backpacker Community Member
Covering an area of 27 square kilometres, Bako isn’t huge but its isolation means many endemic species still thrive here. Thanks to its varied terrain and elevation, the park comprises seven distinct ecosystems and is home to almost every species of plant found in Borneo!
Several marked hiking trails make navigating the park a breeze – although some of them are quite physically demanding! While it’s not an island, the only way to reach the Bako National Park peninsular is via boat – there are no roads!
To get there, you’ll need to hop on a bus from Kuching, then take a boat from the Bako office and pier. You also need to book the return boat before you leave for the park. Remember, if you share the boat (this will be cheaper), you must get the return boat with the same people – use the bus as an opportunity to meet people and make sure you check when they are returning!
Other National Parks Near Kuching:
If Bako doesn’t deliver enough national park goodness for your liking, consider visiting other parks near Kuching too!
- Kubah National Park 🌴 – Just half an hour from Kuching, Kubah National Park is popular among locals who come to enjoy the varied walking trails and incredible plant life. Kubah is especially well known for its palm trees!
- Santubong National Park ⛰️ – On a clear day, you can see the jagged peaks of Santubong from Kuching. The park makes for an adventurous day trip – the trail up to the summit of Mt. Santubong itself is challenging but rewards you with amazing views of the surrounding coastline!
- Kuching Wetlands National Park 🐊 – 45 minutes from Kuching, the fascinating Wetlands National Park allows you to get in and about the amazing mangrove forest. Everything from saltwater crocs and river dolphins to proboscis monkeys and hornbills call this park home!
- Gunung Gading National Park 🌺 – A little further afield than the other national parks Gunung Gading takes around two hours to reach. It’s prime Rafflesia habitat and the world’s largest flowers are often in bloom here. Park rangers will lead you on a guided tour to find the flowers!
- Talang Satang National Park 🥚 – Talang Satang National Park is a collection of islands off the coast of Kuching, many of which are so protected, you can’t visit at all. However, guided day trips can be arranged to see the turtle hatcheries that make these islands so special!
2. See Orangutans at Semenggoh Wildlife Centre 🦧
Located less than an hour from Kuching, Semenggoh Wildlife Centre is an institution in Sarawak. Sure, it can be a busy spot but you don’t get the chance to see the ‘man of the forest’ very often! Those that live here are semi-wild, spending their days roaming the protected forest area and only returning to the HQ at feeding time. Most don’t return every day, instead feeding themselves in the jungle – especially during fruiting season when food is abundant in the trees!
As well as orangutans, Semenggoh is home to giant and pygmy squirrels, gibbons and a vast array of birds – keep your eyes peeled!
“There’s something indescribable about seeing a creature so human-like, so expressive and acrobatic, swing through the trees, interacting with each other and cracking open coconuts. When we watched, a mother orangutan give her adult son a hug – there was a collective ‘awwwww’ from everyone at the viewing platform.”
Kate, South East Asia Backpacker Contributor
3. Take a Day Trip to Brunei 🇧🇳
The smallest country in Borneo and the second smallest in Southeast Asia, Brunei is often skipped over by travellers. The Sultanate offers a very different experience to the rest of the island. Most of the country’s rainforest is still intact and the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan is like a miniature Singapore!
I’d recommend spending more than a day getting to know the place but if you’re short on time, day trips can easily be arranged from Miri!
4. Explore Some of Southeast Asia’s Best Caves 🦇
Located between Miri and Bintulu – just a two-hour drive from either, Niah National Park offers a veritable feast of Indiana Jones-esque adventures. There are various caves within the park, the most impressive being the Great Cave Complex and the Painted Cave.
Inside the Great Cave Complex, there’s evidence of ancient human habitation, dating back almost 40,000 years! This includes bones (both human and animal), tools, pottery and jewellery. Painted Cave features artwork dating back over a millennium as well as evidence of burial practices.
The caves are also famous for housing swiftlets, the nests of which are harvested for bird’s nest soup.
Niah Caves aren’t the only exceptional caverns in Sarawak. Just half an hour from Kuching, you’ll find Fairy and Wind Caves. Both of these have excellent boardwalks, allowing you to follow a safe route and experience the incredible limestone formations! Bring a torch – the caves are not well-lit!
5. Get off the Beaten Track in Gunung Mulu National Park ⛰️
If you’ve not had your fill of caves just yet, Gunung Mulu National Park is the place for you. Limestone caverns litter the park, making up one of the largest cave complexes in the world! But it’s not all dark underground adventures in Mulu. The national park is also home to an array of self-guided hiking trails – as well as plenty of challenging routes that require a guide. Some are short jaunts while others are multi-day adventures!
“Hiking in Mulu National Park was amazing! I did the Pinnacles hike and you can do Mt Mulu as well. Also, the caves in Mulu NP were amazing to explore, either by walking or scrambling with a guide. The guides are all local, some descendents of the headhunters tribe and have many great stories to tell about their ancestors. Plus the whole park is full of wildlife and is very beautiful on the river and in the forest. Everything is very well organised and easy, you can book by e-mail, directly with the park office and plan your activities before you arrive. I spent 10 days there and it was a real highlight of my trip.”
Fee, South East Asia Backpacker Community Member
The simplest way to get to Mulu National Park is to fly from Miri, Kuching or even Kota Kinabalu. There are no roads connecting Mulu to the rest of Sarawak, so the only other option aside from flying is using a combination of boats and taxis – however, this is a logistically challenging route that will take 12-24 hours and cost significantly more than flying.
I’d recommend spending at least five days in Mulu to really make the most of this astounding national park!
“Our guide in Mulu, who we had to run at times to catch up with, actually took out a machete from his backpack as though it were as innocuous as a water bottle, and started slashing leaves from the path ahead. It was all very Indiana Jones.”
Kate, South East Asia Backpacker Contributor
6. Get Lost in One of Southeast Asia’s Best Museums 🏛️
The Borneo Cultures Museum in Kuching is one of the finest museums I’ve visited in Southeast Asia. Spread over five impressive floors, the museum shows off the history, ecology and culture of Sarawak and wider Borneo. Everything is well laid out with a range of interactive exhibits and plenty of space.
7. Explore Lambir Hills National Park 🥾
A short journey from Miri, Lambir Hills National Park is a nice reminder that the city isn’t purely about oil and resource extraction. With at least ten marked trails, varying in length from 15 minutes to 5 hours, Lambir Hills gives you the chance to get up close to Sarawak’s amazing flora and fauna!
8. Get off the Beaten Track in the Kelabit Highlands 🛖
Fly in a 16-seater otter plane from Miri – or brave the 16-hour 4×4 ride – to Bario.
“You don’t ‘end up’ in Bario. There’s no ‘finding yourself here’. You’ll only come if that was your intention in the first place. Not only is it hard to get to, it’s not even on the way anywhere else.”
Karen, South East Asia Backpacker Contributor
There are trekking opportunities aplenty amidst the rolling hills of this beautiful region: you can trek from village to village through jungle and virgin rainforest, staying in homestays or longhouses as you go – or opt for shorter adventures that include the two-hour trek from Bario up Prayer Mountain (particularly good for sunrise and sunset) and the hike up to the Bario Gap.
Visit during July for the annual Bario Food Festival if you can. One important nugget of advice though – book your seats on that plane early. They sell out quickly.
Read More: The Kelabit Highlands, Borneo: Where Tradition and Globalization Meet
Food and Drink in Sarawak 🍜
Sarawak is chock-full of mouthwatering treats just waiting to meet your tastebuds! From locally grown whole grains to raw fish dishes, you’ll find a vast array of delicious grub to try during your time in the state!
World-renowned Bario Rice is a quintessential part of Sarawak culture. Grown in the Kelabit Highlands, this whole grain rice has exploded in global popularity thanks to its distinct sweet, nutty flavour. It goes great with chicken!
Umai is another Sarawak classic you can’t miss. This raw fish dish is very similar to Peruvian ceviche with thin slices of raw fish served with slices of onion, chillies, salt and lime juice. It’s delicious!
“If you ask me, umai is like ceviche, only better. Very similar in taste but often without the coriander (cilantro haters rejoice!), I couldn’t stop eating this in Sarawak! Make sure you check the coriander thing though, sometimes it’ll be included as standard.”
Sheree, Editor at South East Asia Backpacker
If raw fish doesn’t take your fancy, Sarawak Laksa surely will. Laksa is a popular noodle soup across Malaysia and almost every region has its own take on the dish. In Sarawak, the laksa contains special rice vermicelli noodles, which are often described as chewy, although that doesn’t do their interesting texture justice. The soupy broth has an almost Thai flavour to it, sweet with a bit of kick and well-balanced with coconut milk.
Linut is Sarawak’s answer to Bruneian Ambuyat. And by answer, I mean exactly the same but with a different name. Made from the interior of the sago palm, this bland starchy substance is very similar to tapioca. On its own, linut isn’t an appealing meal – it tastes of nothing and has the texture of wallpaper paste. Where linut gets interesting is with the collection of delicious dipping options. Grab some linut using the special chopstick-esque tools and dive into what takes your fancy – spicy sauces, dried fish and various cuts of meat are commonly served alongside.
After your main meal, it’s time to sample tea and cake! Specifically the rainbow-layered sponge cake Kuih Lapis and Teh C Peng, Malaysia’s famous three-layer tea! And if that’s not enough, Kuching’s Ais Krim (ice cream) scene offers frozen dairy goodness for all those who seek it!
Getting Around Sarawak ✈️
Sarawak is huge. It’s roughly the same size as Greece and is the largest state in Malaysia. Due to its size, many travellers fly between cities but if you’ve got the time, buses make for a cheaper (and more environmentally friendly) way of getting around.
Bus 🚌
Buses run regularly between most cities across the state. If you’re travelling a long way, like the Miri to Kuching route, don’t expect to be too comfortable. The roads aren’t great and the buses are kept at a classically Southeast Asian level of cold – take a jumper! Despite this, they’re popular with travellers on a budget thanks to their low prices.
Plane 🛩️
In some cases, flying in Sarawak is unavoidable. Places like Miri or Bario are impossible or excruciatingly difficult to reach any other way. It’s also possible to fly between more accessible cities if you’re short on time.
Taxis 🚕
Taxis are all over the place in Sarawak. Use Grab, one of Malaysia’s most popular ride-hailing apps, to arrange short-distance transport. It’s cheaper than trying to hail a cab on the street!
Boat 🚤
Whether it’s islands off the coast or remote jungle lodges, some parts of Sarawak can only be reached by boat! You’ll rarely need to organise this yourself though – if you’re heading to a jungle lodge, they’ll arrange your waterborne transport and the same is true for tours to the islands!
Car Hire 🚙
Hiring a car in Borneo gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace and get to some more logistically challenging locations. Many of Sarawak’s national parks can be very difficult to reach on public transport!
“Driving standards are pretty good in Borneo – better than in other parts of Southeast Asia! The roads are usually okay and fuel is cheap! I really enjoyed driving in Borneo as it gave me so much freedom!”
Tim Ashdown, Writer at South East Asia Backpacker
How to Get to Sarawak 🛬
Unless you’re already in Borneo, the only way to get to Sarawak is by flying. You’ll need to go through Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. Most flights go to Kuching but you can also fly into Miri and Sibu.
From Sabah, you can get a bus into Sarawak but you’ll need to pass through Brunei to do so. Due to the geography of Brunei, you’ll pass in and out of the sultanate a few times on your journey, so you’re going to need a lot of pages free in your passport!
Where to Go Next: 🛫
Sabah: The northernmost state in Malaysian Borneo, Sabah is more frequented by tourists and has slightly better infrastructure than Sarawak. Don’t miss cruising on the epic Kinabatangan River, climbing Mt. Kinabalu or trekking in Kinabalu National Park!
Kuala Lumpur: Head to Peninsular Malaysia and the cosmopolitan capital of Kuala Lumpur where skyscrapers proudly stand next to tiny family-run food stalls. Climb the epic Petronas Towers for a bird’s eye view of the city and visit the sacred Batu Caves.
Singapore: Another metropolitan city and a true cultural melting pot, Singapore is a fascinating place for travellers. Often considered an expensive place to travel, some of the best attractions in Singapore are actually free!
Contributors:
South East Asia Backpacker is a ‘travel diary for everyone’. This article has been written with the help of backpackers and local experts. We would like to thank…
🙏 Kate | Contributor at South East Asia Backpacker
🙏 Sheree | Editor at South East Asia Backpacker
🙏 Karen | Contributor at South East Asia Backpacker
🙏 Nikki | Founder of South East Asia Backpacker
🙏 Colette | South East Asia Backpacker Community Member
🙏 Fee | South East Asia Backpacker Community Member
Tim Ashdown | Gear Specialist
After a life-changing motorcycle accident, Tim decided life was too short to stay cooped up in his home county of Norfolk, UK. Since then, he has travelled Southeast Asia, walked the Camino de Santiago and backpacked South America. His first book, From Paralysis to Santiago, chronicles his struggle to recover from the motorcycle accident and will be released later this year.