As one of the most visited states in Malaysia, tourists to Sarawak will surely like to find a place to stay which is affordable, value-for-money and convenient. Around the major towns and cities, there are many options available while budget hotels in Sarawak are mostly congregated around the major towns like the state capital Kuching, Miri and Sibu.
Hotels in Miri
In Miri, you can enjoy an affordable stay at the Miri hotel which is locate close by to the commercial areas of the city. You could also head out to the Treetops Lodge where there are affordable rooms that start from RM34. This is naturally an eco-friendly and homely guesthouse which will provide you with one of the most unique experiences around. Miri Hotel too is one of the common choices here with rooms starting from RM115 per night.
Kuching hotels
In Kuching, the Hotel Hung Hung Inn provides rooms that start from RM60 lcated at Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce. The Penview Hotel is another affordable choice which is located around the 3 major zones of the capital which are the Kuching Central Business District, the Pending Light Industrial Estate and Petra Jaya making it a strategic location for the business traveller. Rooms start from RM80 depending on the season. Located at Kuching’s Waterfront is Tune Hotels where rooms could go as low as RM0.99sen.
Where to stay in Sibu
Sibu, the second largest city in Sarawak also provides a wide range of budget accommodation choices that include Hotel Bahagia which is located in the heart of the city center which offers rooms that start from RM65. Apart from that, you can also enjoy a good night stay at Sarawak Hotel, Sanyong Inn, Center Inn as well as in New World Hotel, all of which provides the basic facilities at an affordable rate. The Sentosa Inn and the Travellers’ Inn too are some of the common favourites here.
Sarawak attractions and Cultural villages
Sarawak makes up the 2 states that is East Malaysia. It is the biggest state in the country located in Borneo island. the other Malaysian state here is Sabah, while Brunei and Kalimantan, which belongs to Indonesia too share the island. Sarawak, like its neighbour is famous for its tourism, oil and timber industries.
In terms of tourism, Sarawak houses islands, highlands, caves and seaside as major attractions. Its capital is in Kuching, which translated to mean Cat City is where most administration and commercial activities are focused. Other towns like Bintulu, Sibu, Sarikei and Miri are also filled with their own attractions.
The state consists of perhaps one of the most diversed ethnics in the country. The biggest group of people here are the Iban, which makes up about 30 of the population, while the Chinese and Malays make up about 26 and 23% respectively. Other groups here include the Bidayuh, the Melanau, the Kenyah, the Kayan, the Kelabits and many others. With such a diversified multi-ethnical environment, it is no surprise to see the richness in culture and traditions stemming from this state. Most of the ethnic groups here speak their own dialect although Malay is the official language, English can be heard everywhere.
Known as the ‘Land of the Hornbill’, Sarawak’s natural resources and national parks are one of their best attractions here. The Gunung Mulu National Park houses one of the biggest caves in the world, while you can see natural orangutans in places like Semengoh. Otherwise a visit to the native’s longhouses would be a great experience.
Sarawak Cultural Village
The Sarawak Cultural Village which is located not far from the capital Kuching is one of the best place to see how the various ethnic groups live. Here, you would be able to experience the daily lives of the people and can have a spectacular view of Mount Santubong.
The Rainforest World Music Festival
Annual events like the Rainforest World Music Festival is a great event held in the states that often attracts musicians and artists from all over the world to come and perform during the 3 day event.
Tourists who come to Sarawak should take note of the various handicrafts available from the state that includes wood carvings, bead handicraft and floor mats. It is known that the pepper and chilly from Sarawak are better than those found in other states.