Bintulu

Bintulu is a part coastal, part riverine town, and the capital of Bintulu District (7,220 km2) in the Bintulu Division of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is a home to about 214,000 inhabitants (2020) in the area. Bintulu is known as a place of 'making a living'. Although it is not a main tourist destination in Sarawak, the local authorities such as Sarawak Tourism Board and Bintulu Development Authority are now putting in the effort to make Bintulu a tourist heaven.

Understand
Bintulu is a major industrial centre, and soon to be a capital of energy-intensive industries in Malaysia. Its port area to the east of the main town hosts the Petronas Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Complex, which is the world's largest liquefied natural gas production facility on a single site, and also the very first Shell Middle Distillate Synthesis plant.

The town is half-way between Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. Bintulu is a central gateway to tourist spots like Bakun Resort, Niah Caves (Gua Niah in Malay), Mulu National Park, Longan Bunut National Park, Lambir National Park, Sibuti Wildlife Sanctuary, Rejang Pelagus, Belaga and the Bario Highlands.

History
Bintulu was once under the rule of the Brunei Sultanate. However, in 1841, Sarawak (now Kuching) was ceded to Sir James Brooke, an English adventurer who then became the First Rajah of Sarawak. In 1861, Bintulu, which was still part of Brunei, was also ceded to the Rajah and became part of Sarawak.

On September 8, 1867, it became the first meeting place of the State Legislative Assembly, the Council Negeri. Following other Sarawak divisional counterparts, Bintulu has also being under the rule of Rajah Brooke family, Japan, British and now Malaysia.

Bintulu began as a fishing village, with few old Chinese shophouses which have since been demolished. Following the discovery of large reserves of natural gas offshore Bintulu in 1969, a feasibility study in 1975 found a suitable site for Sarawak's first deep-water port in nearby Tanjung Kidurong. Realising the industrial potential in Bintulu, the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) was established in 1978 by the State Government to undertake infrastructure development as well as to coordinate and promote industrial investment in the area.

Bintulu has now thrived tremendously from a small fishing village with the population of mere 70,000 in the early 1970s to more than 214,000 in 2010. Bintulu has superseded Kapit and Sarikei for becoming the fourth largest urban town in Sarawak. The development in Bintulu can be seen anywhere, while changes in its town landscape can be observed significantly in 2–3 years.

Orientation
Bintulu, a capital town of Bintulu division and district, can be divided into few areas:


 * Tanjung Kidurong (10-20 km from Bintulu town). Tanjung Kidurong is an industrial zone which consists of Petronas facilities of MLNG, Shell facilities of SMDS, BCOT (Bintulu Crude Oil Terminal), Bintulu Port, ABF (Asean Bintulu Fertilizer), Sarawak Fertilizer and various shipping and hardware factories. There are also housing estates, institutional quarters, settlers (at Sg. Plan), schools (including Technical School), stadiums (both open and closed stadium) and golf course.
 * Kemena (10 km from Bintulu town). Kemena is also an industrial zone. However it is more focused on timber industries such as logging shipment docks, plywood factories and variety of wood products factories. It also housed Bintulu Port Sdn. Bhd. quarters.
 * Bintulu town centre. It is where the main trading activities were carried out. It is home to traditional shoppers of wild produce, seafood, fruits and various basic needs which can be obtained mostly at Pasar Tamu or Pasar Utama Bintulu. The Bintulu town centre has also expanded until Tanjung Batu, including Parkcity Commercial Centre (the latest and busiest commercial centre in Bintulu, and also where Parkcity Mall, New World Suites and Parkcity-Everly Hotel were situated).
 * Jepak. A fishermen village which now has become an extension to Bintulu town centre in the opposite area of Kemena river. It comprises Kg. Jepak and other government offices such as Marine Police.
 * Medan Jaya & Medan Sentral. A bustling township comes in pair, each located opposite each other at the side of busy junction of Jalan Sultan Iskandar-Jalan Tun Hussein Onn-Jalan Kidurong. It is a premier shopping centre in Bintulu where three supermarket giants; Farley Supermarket, Sing Kwong Supermarket and MDS Supermarket are located.

Get in
It is approximately 624 km away from Kuching and about 215 km from either Sibu or 205 km from Miri.

By plane
Getting there: Bintulu town is about 20 minutes away by taxi, a fixed RM35 from the taxi coupon stand just outside arrivals. There are no buses serving the airport. You can be a little bit adventurous by walking for about 1.5 km out of the airport to the airport crossing and catch Jepak bus to Bintulu town. This is an extremely rare thing to do, so just spare some cash for a taxi to Bintulu town instead.

By boat
Express boats can only link to Bintulu town from other smaller Bintulu suburban and rural areas such as Sebauh, Tubau and Labang. No express boats serving Bintulu town to other major cities and towns in Sarawak.

By bus
Bintulu is at Medan Jaya, not far from Farley Supermarket. All Sarawak major towns and cities like Kuching, Sibu, Miri, Mukah, Betong, Sri Aman, Sarikei, Batu Niah and Sungai Tujuh are well connected with Bintulu. Wide array of choices pamper travellers such as MTC Transport, Biaramas, Eva Transport etc. One can also expect towns which can only be served by Bintulu bus terminal such as Sg. Asap (a small town in Belaga area) and Bakun (a hydro-electric project). An international link bus such as to Brunei (via Sg. Tujuh) and Pontianak, Indonesia can be bought at the terminal. Estimated travelling time from Kuching to Bintulu is 9 hours, which sometimes transit to other main towns. To Miri, the bus journey takes approximately 4 hours and costs RM50.

By car
There is an extensive network of sealed roads linking Bintulu to major cities and towns. One can expect the furthest is from Pontianak (around 1050 km) or even to as far as Tawau in Sabah (more than 1000 km). Bintulu is always a transit town from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu.

By bus
Local bus in Bintulu is served by City Public Link. The bus goes to other minor parts of the town to as far as Sungai Plan, Nyalau and Tatau/Kuala Tatau. Municipal bus can be found one stop at the Pasar Tamu Bus Terminal. The fare is RM1 under RM1 Flat Rate Bus Fare Programme.

Normally, only rural people and low-income group urban and suburban people use the bus. So if you are a first-time traveler to Bintulu, be prepared to speak in a simple Bahasa Melayu, Bahasa Iban or Bahasa Melayu-Sarawak language. English is not a commonly used language by bus travellers here.

By boat
Various express boats serve Bintulu which connect Bintulu to other minor towns and rural areas such as Sebauh, Tatau, Kuala Tatau, Tubau and Labang. The fare ranges from RM2 to RM80 (depend on the destination). Travelers can also rent a 'perahu' or speed boat to other minor towns for greater adventure. However, spare a lot of cash for this purpose because the rent can shoot up to RM500 per day (excluding engine oil).

On foot
Bintulu old town is quite a pedestrian-friendly with lots of traffic lights served for pedestrians. However, walk to other parts of town might be a tiring one, especially to Parkcity Commercial area and Medan Jaya. A bus will cost you less than RM2.

Masjid Assyakirin
It was named Masjid Assyakirin, which defines "Gratefulness". It is a centre of religious activities by Muslims in Bintulu. It has once organized state-level event of "Majlis Nuzul Quran" (an event to commemorate 'birth' of Quran). As a matter of fact, it is the largest mosque in Bintulu division, and also the only mosque in Malaysia which is maintained by BDA, a local municipal authority (not religious departments). (Pictured in the article banner.)

Kuan Ying Tong Temple
Situated on Jalan Iskandar and surrounded by three churches; St. Thomas Anglican church, Methodist Church and St. Anthony Catholic church, this is the only Chinese temple in the area. It is 2 km from Bintulu town centre. Amongst the peculiar features of this unique spiritual landmark are the rock garden courtyard, man-made waterfall and dragon fencing - all of quality craftmanship. It can be easily seen on your way to the heart of Bintulu town.

Taman Tumbina
Being the only zoo in the northern region of Sarawak, Taman Tumbina is a house to various animals such as crocodiles and pythons. Most of the visitors enter the park for jungle-trekking or hill climbing. The beautiful scenery of South China Sea awaits people who dare to climb to the top of the hill!

Do

 * Golfing: The annual event of Piala TYT makes Bintulu Golf Course a must for visitors who love to play golf. It has the splendid scenery of pine trees along the rocky beach of Tanjung Batu.
 * Fishing is one of the popular hobbies in Bintulu. People can opt for fishing at the rivermouth of Kemena river, or at the sea for seafood, or if you are looking for freshwater food, you can go fishing at Tubau river, Tatau river (upriver area) or Jelalong river. However, beware of crocodiles and shallow water, your boat might hit those big trunks or rocks at the riverbed and it might spoil your mood for fishing.
 * Fishing is one of the popular hobbies in Bintulu. People can opt for fishing at the rivermouth of Kemena river, or at the sea for seafood, or if you are looking for freshwater food, you can go fishing at Tubau river, Tatau river (upriver area) or Jelalong river. However, beware of crocodiles and shallow water, your boat might hit those big trunks or rocks at the riverbed and it might spoil your mood for fishing.

Festival and celebrations
Bintulu has hosted several festivals and celebrations throughout the year. Among the most popular celebrations in Bintulu are:


 * International Borneo Kite Festival. Held annually between July to August, the festival is a one-week event which showcased the public display of kites from around the world, ranging from traditional kites of Wau to more modern flying sculpture such as Pokémon.
 * Bintulu Regatta. Held annually and back-to-back with Sebauh, the event is held to encourage people from people around Bintulu to compete for the fastest boat rowing. It is similar to Dragon Boat Festival in China and the competition offers prizes for various categories such as speed boat, motor boat and traditional boat.
 * An Evening in Bintulu. Held annually to celebrate New Year right from 1 December to the end. It includes various activities such as singing competition, trade fair, new year celebration and Christmas carolling. The brainchild of this event is the Resident of Bintulu, Dr. Razali Abon, with help from various government agencies such as JKR Bintulu and also participants from private agencies, corporate bodies and individuals.

Buy


There are some items you must buy when you are Bintulu. Here are those most essential items that you must buy when you visit Bintulu:


 * Belachan (Shrimp Paste) in Bintulu is the most popular food ingredients in Sarawak. Most Sarawakians, especially Malay, cook their traditional cuisines using Bintulu Belachan. It is made from sun-dried shrimp, mixed with salt solution. It is a main ingredient for Midin Belachan, Mee Hoon Belachan, Laksa Sarawak and Nasi Goreng Belachan.
 * Cincaluk (Fermented Shrimp Paste): this salty shrimpy 'juice' is not to be consumed by a people who hate stinky food. It was made from fermented shrimp (dipped in vinegar and salt) with some other additives. Cincaluk in Bintulu is considered to be 'pure' and original due to the fact that there was no added colouring or preservatives in the making of this cincaluk.
 * Terendak (Melanauh Headgear): if you notice in Bintulu, there are a lot of recreational parks (or even the Pasar Tamu and Wisma Bintulu roof) are in the shape of terendak, or Melanau headgear. It is normally used to protect oneself under the sun. Head on to local handicrafts store in Bintulu to get your very own Terendak.
 * Tutop (food cover), or "tudung saji" in Malay, is also in a shape of Terendak. The difference is just its purpose and the size of it. You can get your own Tutop at local market or handicrafts/souvenir shop.
 * Sagu products: Sagu is an extract of a trunk of Sagu tree. Traditionally, it was made by hard-pressing the trunk to extract its juice and the juice will be sun-dried to make a sagu flour. The sagu flour then can be made into different type of local delicacies like Tebaloi, Biji Sagu, Linut and Sagu biscuits. Most of sagu products are 'dry', so don't be afraid to take one if you are in the long journey to go home.

Eat
Be it budget or splurge, Bintulu is somehow a fine place for casual dining.

Drink
Due to the sizeable expat population here thanks to its oil & gas industry, Bintulu is not lacking in night life. There are numerous bars, pubs, clubs & karaokes here for the working class to relax and enjoy themselves after a hectic day.

The oil & gas boom era also brought prostitution into the city. It is illegal, and is allegedly controlled by triad gangs.



Work
Bintulu is not a main tourist attraction. People say, you can spend money in Singapore, but you got to earn it in Bintulu! Bintulu is the place where the biggest integrated gas processing plant in the world and the first Shell Middle Distillate Synthesis (SMDS) in the world located, and also thriving industries taking place, from fertilizers (ASEAN fertilizers plant is situated here) to shipping, petrochemicals, palm oil processing & plantations as well as timber industries. World-renowned companies like Shell and Petronas made their home in Bintulu.

Bintulu is a core development area of Sarawak corridor (SCORE). It will house bigger and more energy-intensive industries like aluminium smelting plant. It is also linked to the biggest hydroelectric dam in Malaysia, Bakun. More and more investors are interested in taking part of SCORE.

Learn
Bintulu is a home to several academic institution. It has a branch campus Malaysian-renowned universiti, Universiti Putra Malaysia. It has also Sedamai College (private institution). GGIFA (Gulf Golden International Flying Academy), an academy for aspiring pilots, is based next to Bintulu Airport. Soon to be opened in Bintulu is ADTEC (Advanced Technology College), a college offering diploma by Ministry of Human Resource Malaysia, and also IKM (Institut Kemahiran Mara), a college specifically for disadvantaged Bumiputeras who wish to undergo hard skills.

Go next
Bintulu is a gateway for various places of ecotourism and cultural attraction.

Niah National Park
The Niah National Park is located some 120 km by road to the north of Bintulu. The faeces of bats at the caves are an important source of natural fertilizer. The west mouth of the Niah Caves is one of the most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. It is significant because of the wide range of stone tools used from the old Stone Age, discovery of skulls (of earliest human in Southeast Asia). Prehistoric wall paintings also exist in one of the caves. There are chalets, hostel accommodation and an inexpensive canteen available at the park. To get here, take any Bintulu-Miri bus and get off at the Niah junction, where the bus will make a rest stop. Informal taxis should be waiting nearby and will charge 30 RM for the 15 km run to the park. From the park entrance you will be guided with wooden signages to the Niah cave trail. The journey to the Niah Caves involves a 40-metre walk along a 3-kilometre plankwalk. Niah Caves are famous for its luxurious birds' nests.

Sungai Asap & Bakun
Bintulu is also a gateway to the hinterland of Kapit Division. As a matter of fact, although Bakun and Sungai Asap are both in Kapit Division (or Belaga District), they are the only place in Kapit where it was accessible from the main trunk road of Pan Borneo Highway. Sungai Asap is a settlement where tourists can opt for a homestay with local Orang Ulu longhouses and learn their culture and lifestyles. Once in 5 years, Sungai Asap will be the place where all villagers from the surrounding area to gather and celebrate Pesta Sungai Asap. Bakun, in other hand, is a bit far from Sungai Asap. It is the site of the largest hydroelectric dam in Malaysia. The electrical supply from this dam was planned to accommodate supply demands in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and neighbouring countries, Indonesia and Brunei. To get to Bakun and Sungai Asap, you may need to drive from Bintulu with travelling time up to 2 hours.

Beware of logging trucks while using Bintulu-Bakun road to Sungai Asap and Bakun. There are lots of them using this road everyday.



Kuala Nyalau
Kuala Nyalau is a place where beach with many coral reefs leftovers scattered on its coastline. There is also beautiful waterfall not far from the beach. To get here, you need to drive using Bintulu-Miri coastal road. The travelling time is estimated around 1–2 hours. Once you arrive at the Nyalau junction (bear in mind, Nyalau, not Nyabau!), drive another 10 km to the sea using parly sealed, partly crusher run (stone) road. The road is a bit bullish at certain areas due to its hilly terrain.

The road leading to Kuala Nyalau is narrow, hilly, winding and partly bare soil road. Don't dare to drive during heavy rain. Even during sunny day, watch out for opposite vehicles especially lorries. The condition of the road might be sometimes too rough for any visitors to go in.

Tatau
Tatau is a small town, which is also a capital district of Tatau. It comprises different areas such as Kuala Tatau (using its own Bintulu-Kuala Tatau road, or using water transport from Tatau using Tatau river), Sangan (accessible by road), Ng Sangan, Nanga Tau and Kuala Muput. If you love fishing, you will love Tatau especially when you go cruising along the Tatau river for your freshwater catch or down to the rivermouth for seafood.

Sebauh
Sebauh is a small district under Bintulu division. However, it is a centre of trading for people from around Sebauh like Pandan and Ulu Sebauh, and around its area, up to the deepest upriver area of Kuala Kebulu, Tubau and Labang. Like Tatau, Sebauh is popular among fishing freak.