Finding Clues in Sibu for the next Great Adventure

My original plans for Sibu was just to rest up for two nights, go to a bar maybe but none of that happened even thou I chance upon all the watering holes during the day, night time was somehow stuck in the hotel just seeing TV and lepaking.

Sibu Gateway

Sibu has no Hostels so I was holed up in a budget hotel for RM47 a night. Higher side of my budget for sure. Sibu had a small charm different than Kuching in a way but nothing to keep someone here more than two days. Actually one day if you are fast enough but I was seriously tired from the fast pace traveling since Kuching and it was time for a break.

Sibu Tua Pek Kong Temple 

Must visit would be the Sibu Heritage Center which has a museum at the second floor of the many different cultures and traditions of Sarawak, It was good since the Kuching Museum was close at the time so this was a good information introduction to Sarawak.

Other than that it was just walking around downtown Sibu which was so small it was done in one Hour as well seeing the Iconic Gateway, the old temple by the river, river docks for express boat to many places up and downriver, wharf, old shop houses and night time was visiting the famous Sibu Night market which was utterly disappointing.

Sibu Museum

Sibu Museum

Sibu Cultural Heritage Museum

There are things to see in Sibu just that Sibu was more down to earth, with the people going about their daily life earning a living more than depending on tourism. Factories, supply warehouse, wholesale of jungle produce, container port shipping, logging, it was a bustling city compared to Kuching and one could see that this was a city where a variety of work was everywhere.

Tourist Information Center was downtown and looking at some Sibu Brochure, most of the recommendation was to take the boat up the longest river in Sarawak, the Rajang River to see the river village life all the way to Kapit where there was Fort Sylvia built during the Rajah Brooke era which held significant historical value.

Sibu

The passenger boat was RM 25 and it took about 4 hours to get to Kapit up river and this was a express speedboat. I could just do a daytrip since Kapit was small enough on the map to explore in one hour and then head back or maybe stay the nights in one of the budget hotels and break my budget again. I jokingly asked if the passenger boat took motorbike as well since I was reluctant to leave Bluey behind for a day.

Surprisingly they said sure, just get someone at the dock to carry your bike onto the boat and negotiate with the express boat on the fare of for bringing the boat. There was no fix fare system for bringing the bike apparently but it was a common for the locals who transported their bikes.

Express Boat up the Rajang River - Sibu

Tourist Information Center: Or you can just ride to Kapit also.

Me: Huh, wait ... say that again ....

So my good friend google, said there was no roads to Kapit from Sibu. In fact there was a lost of broken road between Kanowit and Song and Kapit.

Tourist Information Center: There is a road, under construction but you can use already. Last week one of my friend used a Kancil and he reached Kapit also. I also sometimes go by those 110 cc Kapchai bike and reach Kapit also. Now is dry season, the roads should be ok, not wet so not slippery.

I got the information center guy to show me on the map roughly where the unmarked roads were and drilled his memory of the distance, time, petrol station location, food, conditions of road, steepness of the terrain, etc, etc. He thought I was too worried, and nonchalantly said its doable and lots of locals do it.

The fact was, the moment he said a Kancil can go, I knew Bluey could go as well but it does not hurt to be prepared.

Sibu Central Market Complex 

Sibu Central Market Complex 

Sunset at Sibu Waterfront.

To be continue .... " The Road to Kapit"

Traveled on : Aug 2019