I have already written a few travel posts such as Discovering The Enchanting Hakone Open Air Museum and An Amazing Adventure At The Great Ocean Road. These posts are about my travels overseas. So for today, I will write about my trip to Bario Highlands which is located on the island of Borneo itself.
[//]:# (!pinmapple 3.733117 lat 115.478962 long unforgettable trip to Bario d3scr)
Introduction
The famed Bario Highland is located in the north-eastern corner of Sarawak at an elevation of around 3,500 feet above sea level. It is occupied by the Kelabit tribe, one of Sarawak's minority "Orang Ulu" tribes. In the Malay language, "Orang Ulu" means people from the interior as most of the "Orang Ulu" tribes are found in Sarawak's interior and remote regions. The name Bario in the Kelabit language means wind. As expected, the place is very windy and due to its spectacular landscape, the Bario Highlands is also known as the Eden of Borneo.
An Adventure On Board A Twin Otter
My journey to Bario is an adventure by itself. From Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, I first need to fly to Miri which is in the northern part of Sarawak. Then I boarded a Twin Otter for a 45-minute flight from Miri to Bario. The other alternative is to travel by land using a 4WD on a tough logging road across the terrains, taking about 10-14 hours. The Twin Otter is a small aircraft that can only accommodate 12 passengers. One interesting part of this flight is that both the passengers and their luggage have weighed before boarding the aircraft. It was a rather thrilling plane ride and the scenery from the plane was spectacular.
Inside the plane, each row has only 3 seats.
The door is open at certain times allowing the passengers to get a glimpse of the cockpit.
A winding river
A view of Mount Murud in the clouds.
Aerial view of the narrow landing strip and airport.
Cargo and luggage being unloaded from the plane
The airport at Bario.
Our Homestay: Bariew Backpackers Lodge
In Bario, there is no hotel and so visitors need to stay at a homestay where the host will provide both the accomodation and all the meals. Things are very expensive in Bario as almost everything has to be airflown from Miri.
A cosy lounge at the Lodge.
Accomodation at the Lodge is rather basic and there is no hot running water.
Around And About In Bario
The Bario Highlands is famous for its Bario rice which is well sought after by Sarawakians and others alike giving it a premium price. Bario rice is a native product that is grown by hand without the use of pesticides or herbicides. The Bario Rice has now been registered with the Malaysian Intellectual Property Organization as a Geographical Indication (GI) product (MyIPO). The daytime temperatures here are chilly, ranging from 19-22 degrees Celsius, which is rare for rice cultivation. Paddy fields at the base of mist-covered hills rise tall as far as the eye can see.
We also visited a pineapple farm and the owner also bred a few horses as well.
Far from the hustle and bustle of the city, the cool and crisp air of Bario made wondering around the "kampung"(village) and observing Kelabits as they attend to their daily chores such a lesiurely pleasure. Life is so simple.
The buffalo is still being used to transport some goods.
The building with the red roof is a school.
eBario is an iniative to connect Bario to the rest of the world through internet.
One of the highlights of my trip to Bario Highlands was my visit to the longhouse and my interactions with the friendly Kelabits who always have a warm smile on their face. Their lifestyle at the longhouse has hardly change and they carried on with thier traditions which they have practiced for centuries.
Inside the interior of the longhouse with the motifs of the Orang Ulu on the floor and walls.
An eldery Kelabit lady weaving a basket near a fireplace.
This is the place where meals are cooked.
Potraits of relaitves are hung on the walls.
Firewood used for cooking are stored outside the longhouse.
The Kelabit ladies splendidly dressed in their traditional costumes.
A man playing a traditional musical instrument known as a sape. The sape is normally craved from a single piece of wood.
We were entertained by a traditonal dance where the lady dancer moved her body and hands gracefully mimicking a hornbill in flight.
I spent a total of 3days and 2 nights at Bario Higlands. I am very touched by the hospitality of the Kelabits who welcomed me warmly to their homes and shared with me all that they had. I will always treaured my memories a tribe living in the mist filled mountains of Bario.
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Do check out my previous posts.
The Day I Met With The Prime Minister Of Japan And Why I Am My Memories
Discovering The Enchanting Hakone Open Air Museum
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Charles
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