Sibu

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Sibu Travel Essentials

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Ideal duration: 1-2 Days

Best Time: February to August Read More

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"The Swan City"

Sibu Tourism

Sibu is an island town and the capital of Sibu district in Malaysia’s largest state of Sarawak. It is located on the Island of Borneo. Known as the gateway to Batang Rejang, Sibu is a charming town with vibrant culture and a bustling waterfront. Sibu is also popular for offering some of the best food in Sarawak. It is a popular day stop before or after venturing into the wild interiors of Borneo. One distinctive feature of Sibu is the Iban longhouses. Tourists can visit Iban longhouses and even have a stay to experience the Iban Tribal Life.

Sibu is well known for the biggest town square in Malaysia, the Sibu Town Square. It also has the Lanang Bridge which connects Sibu to Sarikei and is the longest bridge in Sarawak. Malaysia’s first and the only medical museum by the name Lau King Howe Hospital Memorial Museum is located in Sibu. The city's mascot is the swan which is an ancient chinese symbol of health and good fortune. Swan statues can be seen dotted around town.

Sibu Heritage Centre is worth visiting with all the collection of antiques and chronological history. It unveils the cultural life and heritage of the people of the central region. Tua Pek Kong Temple is one of the oldest chinese temples in the town with a 7-storey pagoda. Jade Dragon Temple also known as Yu Lung San Tien En Si is considered as the temple with the largest temple complex in South-East Asia and is a must visit. Bukit Aup Jubilee Park and Bukit Lima Nature Park are among other places to visit. Borneo Cultural Festival is one of the most famous festivals of Sibu which takes place in July and August and is the best time to visit. The festival is a week-long event which celebrates the tribal diversity of the area with dance, music and food.

Things to do in Sibu

1. Sibu Heritage Trail

Sibu Heritage Trail
An initiative of the Sibu Heritage Centre started in 2012, the Sibu Heritage Trail was launched to encourage tourism in Sibu and celebrate the cultural ethnicity of the city. The trail largely covers (Read More)nine heritage sites some of which includes the Old Muslim Cemetery, Tua Pek Kong Temple, Masjid An-nur, Rosli Dhobi Warriors Memorial and Hoover Memorial Square among the others. The trail stretches along approximately 4km covering almost all heritage sites in the town. You can avail the walking maps, brochures and more information about these sites from the tourist information centre, hotels or travel agents in the area.

2. Sibu Heritage Centre

Sibu Heritage Centre
Formerly the Sibu Municipal Council, Sibu Heritage Centre is an excellent place to celebrate the city’s cultural diversity and the history of several ethnicities. The heritage centre is a positi (Read More)vely educational place that houses a local museum which chronicles extensive information of the early Chinese settlements and other races along with the history of the local folk tribes inhabiting the town. The centre has a few shops selling beautiful local handicraft items with intricate patterns and some lovely souvenirs to take back home.

3. Bawang Assan Longhouse Village

Bawang Assan Longhouse Village
One of the oldest Iban settlements in Sibu, Bawang Assan Longhouse Village is located about 40 minutes away from Sibu main town. You can drive up here or enjoy a cruise ride along the beautiful Ranjan (Read More)g river. Bawan Assan has a series of nine longhouses ranging from fusion traditional to modern houses that visitors are allowed to stay at and experience the cultural ethnicity and traditional delicacies at this place. The houses are well-maintained and offer excellent views of the area.

4. Rejang Esplanade

Rejang Esplanade
The beautiful Rejang Esplanade along Malaysia’s largest river is a stunning riverfront promenade stretching from the Express Boat Passenger Terminal to Kingwood Hotel. It is an attractive spot a (Read More)mong locals and tourists that offers picturesque views of the flowing river and a grass occupied waterfront with fishing boats parked across the esplanade. The place has a spectacular Swan statue that also happens to be the symbol of Sibu.

5. Lau King Howe Memorial Museum

Lau King Howe Memorial Museum
Formerly a well-equipped hospital used to treat people from all ethnic tribes, the now memorial museum showcases an array of collection of antique hospital instruments and tools, uniforms of nurses an (Read More)d caretakers, etc. It offers a fun detailed explanation of the life and history of the hospital, its doctors and workers. The place was built by donations of Lau King Howe and is conveniently located close to the Rejang river. You can enter the place by knocking at the main entrance.
Timings: Tuesday to Sunday- 9AM to 5PM.
Closed on Monday

6. Lanang Bridge

Lanang Bridge
Stretching approximately 1.2kms over the Rajang river connecting the town of Sibu and Sarikei, Lanang bridge was built in 2003 to replace the ferry facilities to get across the river. Initially a toll (Read More)-bridge with expensive toll prices, the bridge started to receive criticism and the government suggested taking over and abolishing toll taxes. The bridge offers breathtaking sunset views overlooking the muddy river.

7. Sibu Old Mosque

Sibu Old Mosque
Built in the 1800s by an Indonesian king, the Masjid Al-Qadim stands in Sibu town as one of the oldest structures there. Located at Jalan Kampung Nyabor, the mosque was originally built of timber and (Read More)leaf attap and continues to develop and restore its glory. However, the main house of worship remains unchanged over the years, falling in place with the monumental architecture signifying the prosperity of the Muslim culture.

8. Jade Dragon Temple

Jade Dragon Temple
Also known as the Yu Lung San Tien En Si, the Jade Dragon Temple is a Chinese temple located about a 45 minute drive from the Sibu main town. Presently the largest temple in the country, it has a (Read More) worship place for Buddhists, Taoists and Confucianists bringing all three religions under a roof. The temple has a huge premises with red building pillars and spectacular Chinese architecture.

9. Sibu Night Market

Sibu Night Market
Sibu night market is located right in the centre of Sibu town on the market road. The stalls at this place are set up as early as 4:30 pm and offer a range of everything including toys, household (Read More) items, clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, etc. However, the main attraction of this market are the mouth-watering food stalls. The shop owners serve a variety of local food along with authentic Chinese and Malay delicacies. 
Timings: Daily 5 PM to 10 PM

10. Sibu International Dance Festival

Sibu International Dance Festival
Initiated as a private event in 2012, the Sibu International Dance Festival is hosted annually at the Sibu Civic Centre & Kutien Memorial Park to actively commemorate the art of dance. They help c (Read More)reate divine masterpieces and productions to enlighten the audiences about art education and promote economic development. The festival attracts a large number of performers and dancers from across the globe giving them the opportunity to compete in harmony and exchange cultural knowledge through dance forms.

11. Bukit Lima Forest Park

Bukit Lima Forest Park
Located about 6kms away from Sibu city centre, Bukit Lima Forest Park is a recreational park close to the Sentosa residential area. The park houses stretched out boardwalks through the tropical rainfo (Read More)rest trees with a few monkeys, squirrels and other animals in sight. The entrance is huge with arched pillars and inside is an open space playground at the start of the park. The place has two treks i.e., Bukit Lima Trek and the Ta Ann Trek.

12. Sibu Town Square

Sibu Town Square
Sibu town square, as the name suggests, is right at the centre of the town and is popular among locals and tourists all year round. Although it is commonly used as a regular area by locals, the town s (Read More)quare is famous for hosting religious events and major occasions like Sibu International Dance Festival, cultural activities, food festivals, the infamous night market, etc. The event information is usually available on the Sarawak Tourism page.

13. Bukit Aup Jubilee Park

Bukit Aup Jubilee Park
Half an hour away from the main town of Sibu, the Bukit Aup Jubilee Park is a recreational place with lush green landscapes and a crowd of hilly terrains. The entrance of the park has a wonderful pond (Read More) to enjoy feeding the fishes. You will find a park with fitness equipment at the foot of the hills from where you can begin hiking to the top. The climb to the top is exciting with a rope bridge to cross in the middle. It also houses a watch tower that offers splendid views of the nearby longhouses and Igan river. 
Timings: Daily 8AM to 6PM

More on Sibu Travel

Food in Sibu

Sibu is known for the Foochow-style Chinese cuisine. The city's signature dish is the kamppung mee, thin noodle strands soaked in pork fat and served with roast pork or mince, and kompia which are mini pork filled sesame bagels. 

Sibu's night market is well-known for local food across Sarawak. Diang Biang Hu which consists of rice grinded porridge is very popular among locals and tourists. It costs about RM 3.5 to 4.5 per bowl. Kampua Mieng basically refers to oily noodles on a dry plate which costs about RM 2.5 to RM 5. Red Wine Chicken is a popular speciality of Sibu connected with old age cultural traditions related to pregnant women. Chai Pau is people’s go to eat snack which consists of a bun with delicious vegetables and can be found in every street. Other famous delicacies include Kong Piang and Kompua.

Shopping in Sibu

Sibu is home to Malaysia's largest indoor market, Sibu Central Market. It has everything from apparels to souvenirs to local food to try. It is also one of the best places to buy local handicrafts. Sibu Night Market is another prime market which is famous among locals and tourists and is the liveliest market in Sarawak. Bargaining is common in the night market and a myriad of options are given to buy from.

Best Time to Visit Sibu

Sibu Photos

Sibu
Sibu Heritage Trail description
Sibu Heritage Centre
The famous Bawang Assan Longhouses in Sibu

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