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ABOUT
SARAWAK
TIME
Sarawak is 8 hours ahead of GMT
and 16 hours ahead of U.S. Pacific Standard Time.
CAPITAL
Kuching - the Conference City -
population: 400,000
LANGUAGE
The official language is Bahasa
Malaysia but English is widely spoken. Other languages include Chinese
dialects, Iban and a number of other native dialects.
CLIMATE
Typically equatorial with daily
temperatures in the lowland varying between 23ºC and 32ºC. Rain falls
throughout the year but the heaviest falls occur from November to February.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Visitors to Malaysia must be in
possession of a valid passport or travel document with a minimum validity of
six months beyond the intended visiting period. Most nationalities do not
require visas for social or business visits. Sarawak issues its own visit
passes upon entry into the territory, however these passes are valid for the rest
of Malaysia. For further details please check with Malaysian diplomatic
missions or Tourism offices.
CURRENCY
The local currency is the
Malaysian Ringgit (RM). Money can be exchanged at banks, hotels and licensed
money-changers. ATM machines are widely available in Kuching.
ELECTRIC CURRENT
Electric supply is on a 220 - 240
volt/50 cycles system, with three pin plugs (similar to British plugs).
WHAT TO WEAR
Visitors should bring light comfortable
casual clothes. A jacket and tie or evening dress may be required for formal
wear, but only in an air-conditioned venue.
ETIQUETTE
Sarawakian appreciate good manners
as much as anybody else. Please take care to remove shoes before entering homes,
longhouses or mosques. Dress appropriately when visiting places of worship.
Pointing with the index finger or foot should be avoided.
When refusing food or drinks, the
dish should be lightly touched with two fingers of the right hand. Never handle
or pass food with the left hand.
TIPPING
Not a local custom to tip in
restaurants. However, in hotels, bellboys and room service staff do appreciate
tips of up to RM2. A service charge is levied on food, drink and accommodation.
SAFETY
Probably one of the safest places
in the world. Crime rate is very low and there are few animals or plants in the
rainforest, which pose a serious threat to people. There are no earthquakes or
cyclones. Because Sarawak is politically stable, terrorism or religious/ethnic
internal strife is unheard of.
SHOPPING
If you are looking for gifts and
souvenirs that are different, then Sarawak is the place to shop. Thousands of
years of history and the richness of dozens of diverse cultures can be found in
the antiques and handicrafts offered for sale. In Kuching, the Main Bazaar,
once the main shopping area fronting the port, has been preserved as a
colourful reminder of the city's trading past. Now it houses dozens of arts and
crafts, curio and antique shops as well as travel agents offering up-country
adventures.
There are items to suit all
pockets, from budget priced knick-knacks with ethnic motifs to ancient carvings
and artifacts from remote longhouses.
SARAWAK: LAND OF THE HORNBILL
It has been described as Asia's
Best Kept Secret. Sarawak is the place for history, mystery, romance and exotic
adventures. The land of the fabled White Rajahs, the hornbill and the orang
utan, Sarawak is the largest State in Malaysia and by far the most exotic.
Its rainforest, the size of Austria,
houses the world's richest and most diverse ecosystem. It is also home to the
world's largest flower, the Rafflesia, the size of a coffee table, squirrels
and snakes that fly, deer the size of cats, plants that eat insects (and small
mammals) and species of flora and insects still waiting to be discovered.
More importantly, the ancient
virgin rainforest is home to 27 ethnic groups; people each with their own
distinct language, culture and lifestyle. Their ancient cultures may differ but
they have one thing in common, their warmth and hospitality. You can experience
this by spending a night in one of their longhouses listening to legends that
go back to Stone Age. Whether it's an Iban, Bidayuh, Melanau or one of the many
Orang Ulu groups you stay with, the welcome will be just as warm.
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