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Published: November 6th 2011
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When the gates of Bakun Dam closed and water levels on Rajang River fell dramatically, panic set in up and down the river and even spread to the Sarawak Tourism Department. Was the Rajang finished as a tourism attraction, is there another river to direct tourists, will there be no more access through Pelagus Rapids, will schools need to close because students cant get to them. All this on top of the unmitigated man made disaster of the recent logjam - due to uncontrolled logging - which only served to highlight the plundering of the river
If there is an alternative river to put a tourist boat on in Sarawak other than the Rajang, it can only be the Baram, near border with Brunei. So it was to Miri I headed to check out what the Baram has to offer and whether it is possible to travel by boat up the Baram and its tributary, the Tutoh, to Mulu National Park. It is possible - woohoo. Not only that, before the airport was constructed in Mulu, traveling by river was the only way to get to the caves.
Miri is a modern, lively city that thrives on oil and
gas and its proximity to dry, dry dry, muslim Brunei. Not only that, its clean and developing fast. New hotels, a good number of westernised bars and eating places - u can get a cocktail in Miri, u are hard pressed to even get a mixer drink in Sibu. My budget hotel of choice is Cosy Inn, near Mega Hotel. Only 60 ringgit - clean, comfortable and in a good location. If you want more upmarket, the Imperial Palace near Cherrie Berries has a promotional special of only 140 ringgit ++. The offer may have finished by now though but this hotel is new and pushing 5 star so at that price was superb value.
Drinking in Miri is a delight - cocktails, mixers, cold white wine, draught beer and all can be had in smooth bars. Why cant the other large towns/cities in Sarawak learn from Miri. Even Kuching is behind Miri in the drinking stakes with most bars not opening till 4pm. Sibu and Bintulu - forget - they are still in the dark ages. There are 2 areas to hit in Miri - near Mega Hotel and near Cherrie Berries. Close to Mega is Ming Cafe
(excellent mojitos), Soho and another copycat bar that's recently opened. But for genuine nightlife, head to Cherrrie Berries and the adjacent bars - Balcony Bar upstairs, Alfresco, The Other Office - even Charlies. Pity the 2 areas are too far apart to walk between - need 2 nights out in Miri to fully explore ha
Anyway, enough of Miri, its the river I want to write about. There are a few ways to get to the river - by taxi to Kuala Baram (40 ringgit) and then catch a local express boat to Marudi (20 ringgit - departing 8am and 3pm). By 4WD to Marudi (60 ringgit) or for an upriver experience, by 4WD to Long San (7 - 8 hours via Niah junction and Belaru). I have taken a 4WD to Marudi - its an easy run, just a couple of hours and I've caught the morning expressboat from KB. If you want to see the river, catch the boat. If you want to be dismayed by excessive logging and overplanting of palm oil, go by 4WD.
Marudi is quite a pleasant laid back town with a good ambiance. Its certainly not a happening place but it
is enjoyable. Food is good, hotels not bad - check out Mayland Hotel, much better than its main competitor Mt Mulu Hotel and same price. From Marudi, there are expressboats to Long Lama and Long Terawan. For Long Lama, there are several daily; for Long Terawan it seems they run every 2nd day - but dont count on it.
The trip to Long Lama is a pleasant run and river is narrowing and getting into hillier countryside by the time you get there. You see a lot of birdlife on the way and good vegetation to waters edge. The Baram is certainly not overdeveloped like the Rajang - very few longhouses, only the occasional timber barge and no degradation of the riverbank. Long Lama itself is very small but there are a couple of basic hotels. 4WDs can be arranged from Long Lama to Long Bedian and Long San. I want to explore the river by longboat from Long Lama to Long San to see how navigable it is.
By expressboat up the Tutoh towards Mulu is different - you pass a few large longhouse settlements, the boat seemingly stopping at all as it is only means of
transport to these remote locations. The furthest it goes is Long Terawan, a largeish longhouse community 1hr below Mulu. Speedboats generally meet the expressboat to ferry private supplies into Mulu and any pax. If you are unlucky and cant get a ride - big problem as would have to stay in the longhouse and try and arrange onward trip in morning. The expressboat doesnt get to Long Terawan till around 5pm so not much time to get yourself organised. I was lucky - phew, but worries were setting in.
Its a great run into Mulu, the river is still quite navigable but dangers are sunken timber embedded in riverbed. For a fast runabout though, no problem with a good pilot. As you near Mulu, the mountain range looms ever larger with its distinctive peaks of Gunung Mulu and The Pinnacles. I arrived just on dark as we skimmed up the Melawai river to the resort hotel. Too dark and too exhausted to look for cheaper deals in the few guest houses, so lashed out (well by credit card) and stayed in the resort. Ok its just under 400 ringgit but for that you get dinner, bed and breakfast. Dinner
was a top class buffet and even included traditional dance entertainment. Rooms are large if a little dated but repairing to the bar (expensive beers unless you buy in quantity) and meeting the local freelance guides was a great evening of humorous bar talk. They were all impressed that I had come by river - very few do. Probably 99% of the visitors to Mulu fly in and out for a quick cave runaround. If they catch the morning flight, they go to Deer Cave and see the bats in the late afternoon with a trip to Wind and Clearwater Caves the next morning before catching afternoon flight - hardly time to catch breath. One of the drinking party turned up in a cowboy hat and red vest - looked totally out of place though a native Sarawakian. "where does he come from?"; "Texas" was the reply, "he doesnt use the river, he has a horse outside"
Next morning, I walked to the National Park entrance, paid my 10 ringgit fee and walked on a jungle path along the river towards Wind Cave. But as I was only one doing it - the tourists all on longboats, wearing red
safety vests, using the river; I gave up and walked back. Wanted to catch the afternoon flight out - couldnt afford another 400 ringgit, but before flight, wanted to charter a runabout to head into the gorge leading to Long Seridan. Its only a short run up the Tutoh till it becomes impassable - rapids. It may not be Pelagus but the water is clear and believe it or not i saw my first wild animal in Sarawak (after two and half years) - a long tailed leopard cat. Very few tourists go to these rapids - they are not marketed - you only learn by word of mouth. Caves are caves but seeing pristine jungle, fast flowing rapids and wildlife is more interesting to me. Flew out that afternoon and was sipping mojitos in Miri on sunset.
Go Mulu - its well worth it, but if you have time - take the river
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