The Road To Kapit

The road to Kapit started nice and easy from Sibu to Kanowit with google maps still working and guiding me all the way. To get to Kapit one will need to pass through two towns which is Kanowit and Song.

I went for a spin in Kanowit with Bluey, a short 5 minutes around the small village/town and notice that the Brooke monument/fort was under repairs. I decided to have breakfast in Kanowit seeing all the bustling morning life of a small town. Malaysia seam to be the same anywhere, the heart of the town is always in the morning coffeeshop.

Road from Sibu - Kanowit 

Farms & Nursery along the road from Sibu to Kanowit 

Brand new Road to Kanowit 

Township of Kanowit - Sarawak

Speedboat Arriving at Kanowit from Sibu along the Rejang River

From Kanowit, the road was great, fully paved and brand newly laid tarmac. Signboard to Song or Kapit was missing and I could see the signboard pointing back to Sibu and an empty space pointing to no man land.

You could guess which route I followed. In the beginning I thought this would be an amazing ride since the road was perfect and maybe, just maybe the road has been completed so recently that no one knew about it hence I would be riding pretty easily all the way to Kapit.

Unmarked New Road to Song / Kapit

My hopes were soon flushed down the toilet when I saw the fork leaving the pristine tarmac to go off-road onto a yellowish sandy and what seamed like a very slippery slope. Lucky thing was it was dry season so the road was firm albeit a little dusty. A cardboard marked with Kapit/Song and a small arrow confirmed the direction was correct and I would have to navigate the dirt road or as the locals call it, kelapa sawit road. (Palm Oil road)

Right Turn to Kelapa Sawit Road - Kanowit - Song - 2019
The new road on left to Song was not completed at the time. 

In the beginning it was ok, and it was thrilling as well going up and down the corners slowly reminding me back on the adventure rides I had in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. Then the dirt road became steeper, longer, sharper turns and crazy downhill. I started to sweat and my hand and legs were shaking from gripping the bike too hard. It was not an easy road to go through and all the people seam to use only Hiluk or 4x4 vehicles and even then you can see the amount of control they have over their own vehicle is very thin.

I went as slow as I could but also had to do runs where going up hill needed some initial speed. There were many instants where I lost control of Bluey for a moment, sliding a little when going downhill pressing the brakes too hard, using two legs for additional boost going uphill as Bluey almost gave up the climb and I almost went tumbling downhill backwards. I would not have survived this journey if not for the experience riding and falling the last few months in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.

The beginning of Kelapa Sawit Road to Song 

The Winding Road up and down towards Song. 
This was the last Photo before the hard stretch started

Around 30km of f*cking kelapa sawit road, and I hit the tarmac again just before Song town. I reach Song and immediately found a place to get a drink and rest for an hour. It was a grueling ride physically but mentally I was exhausted.

The rest of the road from Song to Kapit was beautifully paved. Just 30 km of thrilling 4x4 dirt track adventure done using a 125cc bike. Most people in Kapit whom talked to me said I was crazy but one young chap said it was an adventure, a thrill like no other.

Back on the tarmac road - Song to Kapit 

I decided one time was enough and the journey back to Sibu was money well spend putting Bluey on the express boat. It cost me RM 80 for the Bluey’s boat ride from Sibu to Kapit, RM80 to hire some boys to pick up and carry Bluey down the stairs and load up to the boat at Kapit, RM20 tips to get the Bluey down from the boat and to the port landing in Sibu and finally RM 25 for my passenger ticket on the boat itself. Total cost back from Kapit – Sibu, RM 205 compared to going from Sibu to Kapit which only cost me fuel less than RM 15

Paying money for the journey back was a little painful but it is still a sight to see someone carrying a bike on his shoulders and any non-standard boat ride with Bluey is always a welcomed adventure. Also, mentally I felt if I were to ride back the same road, I was bound to get into a fall just from the shear fear and stress now that I know what I had to go through.

RM 80 for the boys Carrying Blue down Stairs

Just one boy Carrying Bluey down the steps ... 
The other 4 is for loading and unloading Bluey from that one strong Boy shoulder. 

Bluey Carried onto the speedboat in Kapit 

Paid RM 80 to the boatman to strap Bluey to the rails at the tail end of the Speedboat

Post Note: I heard the new road is fully open now ... so its a easy drive from Sibu to the township of Kapit ... or as the locals call it ... the last outpost before going in to the great virgin Borneo forest.

Traveled on: Aug 2019