Cruise to Mukah

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Mukah is a pretty coastal town about 160 kms from Sibu. The road to Mukah though is in a deplorable condition which is a pity because once you get there, there is an excellent new coastal highway that will eventually link Mukah to Bintulu. Because of the road conditions, I decided to take a boat part way and got on the 10.30 am very un-express express boat to Igan where the Igan distributary of the Rajang reaches the sea.

There isn't much to Igan town; basically just a kampong, so I jumped on my bike and pedalled off towards Mukah abt 40-50 km away. Midpoint is the village of Oya and welcome relief from the sun under the shop awnings while I recuperated for the final leg to Mukah along the beach. Not much of a beach - no golden sands here and not a wave in sight. But at least the salt in the air gives Mukah a good seaside feel as I rode into town at sunset and able to break the day's fast. Boy did I need a beer.

There are big plans for Mukah as a centre for regional development and it is slowly changing from a quaint fishing port into a reasonable sized commercial town. There is the old quarter down near the river mouth and the well laid out commercial centre. It even has bars, a new hotel, a resort to the north and seaside cabins to the south - just no decent road connection to Sibu or Bintulu. Want to go back again but not sure my little MX5 will make it through the potholes. The bus back too Sibu took almost as long as the boat to Igan but it was a pleasant overnight stay and i recommend Mukah to anyone wandering through Sarawak

A must try in Mukah is the local raw fish delicacy - umai

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Photos

Cruising down the Igan
Have bike will travel

Igan river
Leaving Sibu

4 hours later
We made it to the sea

Oya shops
not your regular shopping mall

Mukah riverside
Colourful fishing boats

The old part of town
Dont be put off by the carpark - the river and fish market is great

Kingwood Hotel
but not for me

Highrise
Not sure what it is but maybe a sign of the future for Mukah