Hot Spring Panchor Dayak.

Direction to Hot Spring Pancor Dayak photo by Awang

Location – 48km away from Kuching along the Kuching-Serian Rd.  Pass The town of Tapah drive a farther 300m and make right turn (only at the second right turn).
Drive 10 minutes on bitumen road till you see ‘Hot Spring’ sign on your left .  From there on it’s gravel road for another 3 minutes.  Another signage on the right will lead you to the spring at the dead end.
Facilities – Washrooms, Changing rooms & Canteen.
Entrance Fee – RM 3 for adults and Rm1.00 for children.

The Panchor Hot Spring . photo by awang.

 Article from The Borneo Post, Sarawak.

Kpg Panchor Dayak hot spring draws visitors with its healing powers.

SERIAN: The hot spring at Kpg Panchor Dayak along Kuching- Serian road recorded 15,076 visitors in the first eight months of this year.
Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit said its key attraction was its therapeutic values, perceived or otherwise, in treating some illnesses, including skin diseases.
Yesterday, he revealed he had received feedback from at least three persons who were cleansed of heart ailments after bathing at the hot spring.
One lady from the Inland Revenue Board had also told him that she now had smooth complexion after taking a dip there.
“People from as far as Lawas and Kapit have told me that the hot spring here (Kampung Panchor) is really good in the sense that it has medical values to cure some sickness.
“For this reason, this place should be promoted intensively. I believe more people would come here if it were promoted as a prime tourist destination,” Dawos said at the launching of an improvement initiative at the hot spring yesterday.
Dawos added that the hot spring produced sulphur and after mixing with water it produces a form of anti-toxic acid which can heal some sickness, adding that the hot spring at Kampung Panchor Dayak was different from other hot springs in other states.
The Mambong MP advised the village chief to request for parking space from the local council and electricity to be connected to the area. He said his ministry was willing to help.
Improvements to the hot spring, which cost about RM450,000, was completed in May this year under the government’s Community Based Tourism (CBT) programme.
This project, which started in December last year, was among the 52 tourism projects in the state approved under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

If you are interested to do a trip to Kampung Panchor Dayak Hot Spring  make sure you do some exercise to warm up, then slowly put your legs in, then your waist, then your upper body. Do not dip your whole body into the hot spring directly, you must let your body slowly accustomed to the temperature.
Do not stay in the water for too long, make sure you drink plenty of water after that to avoid dehydration.

 I couldn't help but tried to soak my legs into the water.Oh yes, for sure the next time I go, I am going to have a nice long hot bath there.

Panchor village is in Serian District,Serian is a small town in Sarawak and It’s about one hour drive from Kuching.To visit Kuching from Kuala Lumpur taking into example of the recent MALINDO AIR promotion where you can fly to Kuching just RM38 one way or if you prefer to go on December, flights for December is now open for sale. Log on to their website at www.malindoair.com and grab your seat now.For internal route from Kota Kinabalu,Miri,Bintulu and Sibu to Kuching you book your flight with MASwings promotional fare.

 

 

Budget or Low Cost Airline On Tourism Boom,

Kuching International Airport photo by Awang.

The popularity of budget airlines has highlighted the tre­mendous growth potential of the travel and tourism industry, not just in Malaysia but in the entire Asian region as well. Travel is no longer the preserve of the rich and elite.Travel and tourism is Malaysia’s seventh largest industry and is expec­ted to grow further after receiving a 42 per cent increase in allocation to RM358 million under Budget 2013. On top of that, tax breaks and sustained promotional campaigns are set to push the Malaysian tourism industry further into the international limelight.

The Tourist in Kuching Sarawak photo by Awang.

 Talking about low cost air fare MALINDO AIR has been the talk of the town since its started flying to Kuching on 24th March,2013. Malindo Air is a joint venture by Jakarta, Indonesia-based Lion Air and Malaysia’s National Aerospace and Defence Industries. Many questions have been posed on whether Malindo Air will be credible enough to fly with. In fact, as in new services, consumers are very much shadowed with uncertainty. Is it true you do not have to pay for 15 kilos baggage allowance for economy class? Is it true meal will be provided? How cheap the flight fares would be? Those are among the never-ending questions posed.We are very much hoping Malindo Air scheduled flights to Kuching would help boost tourism in Sarawak.I would say YES!!! any increase in flight frequency is always good. At the very least, domestic tourism will improve.” Malindo's has promised more domestic destinations, including Miri, Bintulu, Sibu and Sandakan but no start dates have been made publicly available.

Malindo Air First Flight in Kuching.

Malindo Air Boeing 737-900ER in Kuching International Airport.

Malindo Air, a new low-cost carrier owned partly by Lion Air, launched its first two flights on Friday in Malaysia.The airline’s first flight was from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu at 1:30 p.m. using a Boeing 737-800 belonging to Lion Air, who own 49 percent of the carrier. The other flight was from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching in Sarawak on Saturday 23/03/2013 (Pic above).
There was no welcoming ceremony for this maiden flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching.

Malindo Air Boeing 737-900ER in Kuching International Airport.

With the new services, Sarawak will have an improvement in air connectivity in the region. Let's hope the traveling public can continue to enjoy low fares from Malindo Air. 

Will Malindo Air be a threat to Air Asia? In my opinion, Air Asia will definitely lose some traffic if Malindo Air continues to offer low fares with added-on inflight service. 

Mukah Kaul Festival 2013.

Mukah Kaul Festival 24-28 April 2013.
Kaul is a traditional festival celebrated by the Melanau living along the coast of Sarawak. In the past, Kaul was looked upon as a religious ceremony to appease the spirits of the sea, land, forest and farm making it the most important festival in the Melanau calender. The festival is a ritual of purification and thanksgiving as well as one of the propitiation for good fortune. Its marks the beginning of the Melanau calender which begins at the end of the Northeast monsoon. Kaul takes place in third week of the month of April every year

Mukah’s signature dish is umai, a spicy salad of raw marinated fish with shallots, lime juice and chillies.

 
The Mukah Kaul Festival 24-28 April 2013, the festival site is on the right bank of the Mukah river estuary.For information just log on to MUKAH KAUL FESTIVAL.

This traditional Sarawak Snack, is a delicacy of the Melanau People of Sarawak. It is taken as a snack and served to guests with tea and coffee. The unique taste of Tebaloi is so special that it has become a very popular snack for all race in Sarawak. The main producing areas of Tebaloi are in the Mukah and Dalat Districts along the coastal region of the Mukah Division. These areas favour large plantations of sago palms which produce sago powder, the main ingredient used in the processing of Tebaloi.

 The Mukah Kaul Festival:
During a week festival, the organiser has line up many activities which include ethnic stalls selling traditional foods, entertaiment programs, traditional games and the highlight will be Serahang (decorated flat round basket made from sago leaf which raise on a bamboo pole) procession lead by local Melanaus' community leader. More Info at LAMAN RASMI KAUL MUKAH
MUKAH TOWN :Mukah, Sarawak, Malaysia, is a coastal town which serves as the administrative center of the Mukah District (2,536 square kilometers) in Mukah Division, Sarawak. It is located by the South China Sea, about 2.5 hours by road from the city of Sibu. Mukah is also accessible by air by MASwings from Kuching and Miri. The duration of both flights is about one hour. There are also express boats connecting the town of Dalat (about 30 kilometers from Mukah) to Sibu. The express boat trip takes approximately 2 hours.
Mukah is also accessible by  MASwings Virtual Fair Promotion to support MATTA FAIR is on. Discounts up to 70% off market fare & 150,000 seats up for grabs.
Book from 14 March - 31 March for this special deal at MASwings

MASwings offers up to 70 pct off prevailing market fares in Borneo

The ‘MASwings Virtual Fair Promotion’ in support of the Matta Fair this month will offer from March 14 to March 31 this year a total of 150,000 seats with one-way all-in fares from as low as RM99.
Do like MASwings facebook for promo fare.

 Book from 14 March - 31 March for this special deal at MASwings

Malindo Air Is Reday To Fly.

Malindo Air to Start Operation from 22MAR13.

Boeing 737-900ER cabin interior.

Malaysian carrier Malindo Air, a new joint venture of Lion Air and Malaysia’s NADI, is scheduled to enter operation on 22MAR13. Initially, the airline operates 2-class Boeing 737-900ER aircraft on Kuala Lumpur – Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur – Kuching route.
Kuala Lumpur – Kota Kinabalu 3 daily
IW1002 KUL0650 – 0925BKI 739 D
IW1014 KUL1310 – 1545BKI 739 D
IW1028 KUL1920 – 2155BKI 739 D
IW1001 BKI1005 – 1230KUL 739 D
IW1013 BKI1620 – 1845KUL 739 D
IW1027 BKI2230 – 0055+1KUL 739 D
Kuala Lumpur – Kuching 4 daily
IW1602 KUL0640 – 0825KCH 739 D
IW1608 KUL1125 – 1310KCH 739 D
IW1622 KUL1610 – 1755KCH 739 D
IW1630 KUL2055 – 2240KCH 739 D
IW1601 KCH0900 – 1040KUL 739 D
IW1607 KCH1350 – 1530KUL 739 D
IW1621 KCH1835 – 2015KUL 739 D
IW1629 KCH2315 – 0055+1KUL 739 D
The airline is also planning to offer service to Miri, Sandakan, Bintulu, and Sibu.
 Note all schedules listed above is taken from Sabre’s timetable listing, which currently displays Lion Air’s turboprop unit WingsAir’s “IT” code. However, the airline will be using “OD” coded flight numbers. Operational schedule listed above may vary from the airline’s website listing.

Read more from 2013, Malindo Air  

Sources from Airline Route March 2013.