Pesta Benak 2010 Sri Aman-Part One.

Sri Aman is famous for its Benak　or tidal bore. The tidal bore comes in from the river mouth and roils and churns and fills up the river very rapidly in the course of about 10 minutes. The wave crest is typically from 2 to 3 meters high. This is one of the few places in the world where this phenomenon happens on such a large scale. There is a timetable at the river which has the time and dates for when the tidal bore will occur, but the really big ones occur only a couple of times a year
The above video is the tidak bore phenomenon happens two year ago.And after two years lapes Pesta Benak or tidal bore fiesta is back again.
I went to Sri Aman this morning but I miss the phenomena because it's happen early at 05:00AM .Anyway,I take a few candid shot at the event (Pesta Benak Sri Aman 2010) Kindly view part two -Thanks.

Bergendang or Bermukun and Joget.

Among the Malays, Melanaus and Kedayans of Sarawak, the "Bergendang" ceremony is kept very much alive. The photos above(taken this evening) shows a "Bergendang" performance that is held at the Kuching Waterfront. Guess what? Anybody is welcomed to participate in the dancing, young and old. Visitors to Sarawak can pick up the dance steps very quickly. But the real fun begins when the ladies playing the drum ( named " Mak Gendang" = Lady Drummer) and singing the "Pantun" ( a four-line verse poetic message) gets response from the men. The men reply back in pantun-style the message or question embedded in the "Mak Gendang" pantun. Thus this answering and replying of pantuns continue for hours on end. Today the " Bergendang" is very much part of a wedding celebration activity and held mainly during the night in many villages through out Sarawak.

My World Tuesday-A Day Trip to Annah Rais Village.

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Annah Rais belong to the Bidayuh tribe with over 80 families living in the long house.My research is that it had a written history of 175 years and unwritten of 500 years with 8 generation of Bidayuh who lived here.

Annah Rais Village is not far from the Sarawak/Kalimatan Indonesia border as I can see our Malaysian Immigration & Custom office is located there.

A Bidayuh maiden will serve  you a welcome drink  with  their local rice wine "TUAK".

Enter the Village & the long house.

 

Traditionally,the long house is one unit where many families occupy their own space in the divided only by manimal bamboo partition

 

The Head House.............

 

The Skull.........

Just don't miss the HEAD HOUSE...this is must visit house if you are at Annah Rais Longhouse .Perhaps 100 or more years ago head hunting was a common practice.They say the more head you collected meaning you are the most powerful person.

The villagers use traditional sugar cane crush to make sugar cane juice.

Annah Rais Village Hot Spring........

After the long house tour I went to the hot spring which is another 5 minutes drive from the village and followed by 3 to minutes walking through the jungle.

If you have chance to visit Sarawak , don't miss this little adventure ..just e mail me at uncleawang at G mail dot com.

My World Tuesday-Borneo Highland.

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During the Christmas Holiday I decided to have a one day trip to Borneo Highland.The place is about 60 kilo meter from the city and it is about an hour drive using my small compact car .It's a zig zag  and single dual road so I have to drive carefully.I reached Borneo Highland  foothill,however I am not allowed to enter because I did not made an advance booking.I did not know that a day trip to the highland  need an advance booking unless we stay over night for a room booking.The rate for day trip is Rm100 per guest including drink & food.

 

The welcome gate at the foothill of the Borneo Highland.

The guard told me I have to make my booking at the city office in Kuching then they will arrange a 4WD lorry to guide us to tour the Borneo Highland.

By the way this is the powerful 4WD lorry or bus that they use to ferry their guest to tour the Highland.

This photo courtesy of Tourism Malaysia-Thank You.

Borneo Highlands is one of the most exciting and unique environmentally friendly resort.   Cocooned in a lush jungle and snuggled within the hills, it is a retreat one of its kind, offering an exclusive membership club and truly unique residential development by creating a sanctuary for you to retreat to in this region.

Located just an hour's drive (60km) southwest of Kuching city, the capital of Sarawak, the resort stands at the height of 1,000 metres above sea level on the Sarawak-Kalimantan border and is nestled amongst the oldest and second largest tropical rainforest in the world.

A resort created with emphasis to blend with nature, the resort offers boundless opportunities to experience numerous outdoors activities all year round in stylish comfort.

Take pleasure in the finest natural wonders and find luxury in the bare basics. At Borneo Highlands Resort, it all about getting “Back to Nature, Back to Basics”

Since my trip to Borneo Highland is failed,why not I go further about 10 minutes drive to go to another tourist attraction  the Annah Rais Village.The attraction is the oldest long house and the hot spring.Anyway I will do the posting about the village on my next My World Tuesday that is next year 2010.

My World Tuesday-Cat Museum.

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This week let us go to Cat Museum in Kuching Sarawak.

It's Christmas holiday this weekend,the festive season of giving & forgiving.Kuching is my hometown and Kuching is CAT in Malay.The World’s first Cat Museum, devoted to all things feline, is in Petra Jaya in the Kuching City North Hall. Cat lovers will find all range of exhibits, photos, feline art and cat souvenirs.

Many cats sculptures can be seen at various corner of the city.During festive season even the cat is celebrating.This cat here wearing Santa Claus costume,a red hat and a red vest.

I see a cat woman & the cat celebrating x'mas in the museum.

There are cat clock,umbrellas,mugs,brooches,plates,cups,key-ring,teapot and t-shirt on sale here.

Welcome to Cat Museum in Kuching,Sarawak,Malaysia.

Sky Watch Friday-Just Another Village.

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Just another village I visited few days ago with her people,peaceful atmosphere,scenery of the hill,river,sky and cloud.

My view of Village is that it is more than just a group of people living in close proximity.It is much more than that,and its carries with it many value not the least one of "CARE"...Caring peoples.

My World Tuesday-Bako National Park.

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May be one day you visit Sarawak & one place that you must put on your trip list is Bako National Park.

The journey to the Bako National Park starts with a half hour boat ride from Kampung Bako,picture below.

Lying 37 kilometres northeast of Kuching City is Bako, Sarawak's oldest national park. Often underestimated by travellers, this is actually one of Asia's most perfect nature parks with a wild shoreline of mangrove swamp and a hinterland of kerangas bush bustling with proboscis monkeys and birdlife.
The journey to the national park starts with a half hour boat ride from Kampung Bako, a picturesque fishing village some 45 minutes by road from Kuching, to the park's headquarters at Telok Assam. Along the way, you will see numerous wooden houses on stilts from riverside villages and fishermen tending to their fish traps. On a clear day, you may even catch a glimpse of the majestic Mount Santubong on the distant horizon.

The boatman is ready to bring you to Bako National Park.

More information about the Park by visit this site

SARAWAK FORESTRY

Welcome to Sarawak & Thanks for the visit.

SkyWatch Friday-Kuching City.

I shoot the view of Kuching City.It was one of the sunny day and clear blue sky .

Let see what the politician comment about Kuching:

Kuching is a “liveable” city because of its people.He said while there were many other components that contributed to this, it was the friendly and neighbourly attitude of the people that had made the city a joy to live in.

“It’s good that our city is clean, green, developed and known as the garden city. But what’s interesting is ‘liveability’. This concept is not hard to implement here because Kuching has been picked before as one of the most liveable cities in the world.

So what the visitors say about Kuching ???????

For more great sky pictures go to SkyWatch LINK

My World Tuesday-Fort Margherita.

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After strolling along the Kuching waterfront,I hope on board a sampan or river taxi (Rm0.50cent) which will take you across to Fort Margherita.Named after Margaret ,wife of Charles Brooke(the second of the three "White Rajahs" who once ruled Sarawak.This 19th century fort was strategically built on a hillock  to protect the city from enemy or pirate attacks.To-day it has been converted into a Police museum exhibiting old cannon guns.

My World Tuesday-Telaga Air Fishing Village.

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Kampung Telaga Air is located 40 minutes drive (by road) from Kuching City.

Kampung Telaga Air is a Malay fishing village and the Kampung Telaga Air Waterfront is where most local visitors enjoy the scenery.

This village is famous for its Homestay Programme. Visitors are charged at a reasonable rate for this Homestay Programme. From this programme, visitors can experience the daily livelihood and traditional ways of living in this friendly Malay village.

For more information, please contact:

Lembaga Kemajuan Ikan Malaysia (LKIM) Tingkat 2, Bangunan Bank Negara, Jalan Satok, P. O. Box 2201, 93744 Kuching. Tel: 082-245481

Welcome to Telaga Air fishing village.

Telaga Air waterfront.

With typical views of river, waterfront and mangroves. Added attractions include fishing trips and river cruises exploring the mangroves.

Telaga Air will be the next tourist centre in the southern region of Sarawak especially upon the completion of the esplanade .The great advantages of staying at Telaga Air are cost and convenience. Prices are not fixed yet, but should be around RM 40 per room (RM 20 per person) including a very substantial local-style breakfast and unlimited tea and coffee. Fishing trips and other outings will be extra, but will be pegged firmly at local prices. Convenience is assured because you can book by phone through the Fisheries Development Authority in Kuching, who can also assist with transfers (40 minutes by car).

So have fun & enjoy your trip to Telaga Air fishing village in Kuching,Sarawak.