I bought a Firefly ticket to Miri in early March when Firefly was promoting its Borneo routes. Subsequently though, they cancelled the KUL-MYY route and we got bumped to MAS instead. At the March MATTA fair, I looked for tour packages - I was quoted around RM240 for a trip to Niah National Park (trip + single supplement charge) - and hotels in Miri (and had even paid a deposit for a hotel and tour – only to be informed subsequently that I had to pay a single supplement, which I can assure you is not at all cheap).
Undeterred, I went online and booked a single room at Dillenia Guesthouse. The owner, Mrs Lee, was very helpful and advised me the following options to get to Niah:
Option 1: Take out a tour package with a local travel agency at RM160 per person which includes return transfer, guiding, park fees and lunch.
Option 2: Rent a car and drive yourself there. Direction to Niah is pretty clear and straightforward.
Option 3: Take public bus from Miri’s long-distance bus terminal also known as the Pujut Corner Bus terminal. Buses from this station head to other towns/cities in Sarawak namely Bintulu, Sibu and Kuching and Niah junction is along the way. Bus will only take you up to the Niah Junction and from there on there is no bus service to the Niah headquarters which is about 15 km away. Bus fare is RM12 per person. From the junction to the HQ, the only means is by private car or taxi which is limited to 4 passengers per car and may cost between RM30-50 one way depending on your negotiating skills.
To get to the long distance bus terminal from Dillenia, you can either take a taxi for RM15 one way or take public bus.
If you prefer to take the bus, walk to the bus stop (about 15 mins walk from Dillenia) at Jalan Bintang Jaya 1 near Bintang Megamall Shopping Complex (refer to the Tourist map of Miri city). Bus no. 33 A takes you directly to the terminal. If bus 33 A is not available, you can also hop on any bus going to your left (assuming you are waiting at the bus stop facing the road). Ask to be dropped off at the Boulevard Shopping Mall marked as I in the Miri tourist map. From there take the overhead bridge to cross over the road to where the Petronas gas station is. Ask the attendant for direction to the bus terminal.
Option 4: By private transfer. There is a driver who takes guests right up to the Niah HQ, waits and takes guest back for a reasonable price of RM60 per person, minimum 2 pax. The rate of RM60 also comes with a light lunch comprising a small bottle of drinking water, a bun and an apple or an orange. Dillenia can help you to book the transfer if you like.
Other info: The park has guides for hire at RM150 for 1-5 persons although it is possible to visit the cave on your own i.e., without a park guide. Park office closes at 5 pm but the boatman at the river crossing ferrying passengers stop at 7.30 pm. Park entry is RM10 per person and river crossing is RM1 per crossing. You will need to bring with you, a cap, hand gloves, powerful torch/flash (also available for hire at the park), rain coat or a change of clothes in case it rains and proper walking shoes, no flip flops or slippers. For food, there is a canteen at the park headquarters serving simple meals like fried rice or noodles. The walk from the park headquarters to and inside the cave is approximately 2 hours one way.
I told her I would consider either Option 1 or 4 and if I chose Option 4, I would pay the fare for two people (it still works out cheaper than Option 1).
My flight out was last Friday morning. We took off at 0830 and landed 2:15 hours later. There is a Visitor Information Counter at the airport after you exit the baggage area but there was no one manning it so I waited a while before the airport bus came along. The fare to the city (yes, Miri is a city) is RM2.80 (it costs more than Rapid KL but hey, still much less than a taxi) and it took us 30 minutes to get to the city with the numerous stops along the way.
At the city bus station, I waited for the bus to get to the guesthouse but after an hour of waiting, I decided to ask someone for the actual time table. Buses are not frequent in Miri and they run every two hours *gulp*. Two men at the bus station ‘office’ told me I could walk there and I did exactly that. I arrived at the guest house 15 minutes later.
Mrs Lee was already there (check-in is after 1 pm) and after checking in, I went out to search for lunch. I had Laksa Sarawak at Jasmine Café next door and feeling more energised, crossed over to Imperial Shopping Mall where I bought a head light for the trip the following day. Then I walked out, checking out Miri Handicraft Centre on the way to Bintang Megamall. I don’t know why I spend a lot when I travel to Borneo; this happened when I went to KK in April too. I left just as it started getting dark and walked back to the guesthouse.
Shortly after entering the guesthouse (which is located in a shop-house block), I heard screams and shouts which seemed never-ending. I wondered if a neighbour had gone into a hysterical fit and even went out to see. Deciding it might be anything from an owed rent to domestic dispute, I went back in. The racket persisted and when I next peeked out, I saw two women fighting off each other with one pushing another out the door (the one being pushed out had a baby in her arms). There was a guy too. Then I heard the woman moan, the guy trying to pacify/calm her down, repeated slaps... repeat for twenty minutes. I wasn’t sure if I should call the Police or just mind my own business. Finally, half an hour after it started, the noise died down and I headed back to my room to shower. Dinner was had at Jasmine Café. (I later found out on Saturday that someone did actually call the Police and they came but didn’t turn on the siren, hence I didn’t know the Police came to bring all three down to the police station).
On Saturday, I was awaken by the call for morning prayers from a nearby mosque (Suboh is at 5 am!). I woke again at 7.30, showered, had breakfast and waited for my driver to come. Joseph came at 0850 and we left for Niah.
The journey took 1:15 hours (Joseph was determined to stick to the 50-km speed limit throughout). He dropped me off at the Niah Park headquarters where I bought entrance ticket. I then walked to the jetty and joined a boat to cross the river. There was a nice trail leading all the way to the cave entrance about 3 km away.
I met up a few other tourists in the cave and chatted with a trio of auditors (two ladies and one bloke) who would be in Miri for the next three weeks (they’d just finished a week) auditing one of the petcos. I met them again at Gan Kira (Moon Cave) and we walked together to the Painted Cave. Sadly, most of the cave paintings have faded over time. We spent about a quarter of an hour there before retracing our steps. And this is when something embarrassing happened: my left shoe decided to do a ‘crocodile stunt’ and separated itself from the sole altogether. I had quite forgotten about this when I packed them (shows how long I’ve not worn them eh) and of course I didn’t want to bring my new pair of Skechers on my cave trip.
Anyway, my new friends helped patch my shoe up temporarily. The bloke came well-equipped (he hikes regularly) and after that ‘shoe job’ was done, we introduced ourselves. Heh.
We walked together until we exited the cave and I took my leave then. I walked the rest of the way back (took me 35 minutes), crossed the river and met up with the waiting Joseph. We drove back to Miri and I dozed off a couple of times. The heat and humidity really got to me.
We arrived at the guesthouse at 4 pm and after cooling down, I took a shower. I must have lost gallons of fluid in perspiration alone. Perhaps I needn’t have bothered showering this morning. Oh well...
After performing prayers, I went down to ask Mrs Lee the best place to buy Sarawak layered cakes. She advised me to check out a stall by the river about 100 metres away. There were two women there preparing the rolls and I watched them for a while before making my purchase.
I then walked a bit around the area before returning to the guesthouse to store the cakes in the freezer. Then I ventured out again for a massage at a centre just next door and emerged two hours later. Unfortunately, Jasmine Café was already closing for the day (you would have thought it’d stay open for a bit longer on weekend nights) so I had to walk to the main road to find dinner. It was unsatisfactory to say the least.
After dinner, I returned to the guesthouse to rest.
Woke up at 5 am for morning prayers on Sunday and up again at 8.30 a.m. It’s not often I get to sleep in so don’t judge me. My driver came just before 10 and drove me to the airport. Perhaps I could have taken the bus back to the airport but I wasn’t prepared for the bus – the buses there don’t really stick to schedule at the bus station. It cost me RM20 (RM22 if you take proper taxi) to get to the airport. We reached the airport in 15 minutes and I immediately checked in. Of course I had to get the very last row but no complaints.
We landed at 1.30 and I performed prayers before rushing to catch the 2 pm KLIA Express train to the city. I even took the LRT to KLCC to check out the Isetan sale but left empty-handed - which was just as well considering the amount I spent in Miri.
Until the next trip to Borneo, then.
Undeterred, I went online and booked a single room at Dillenia Guesthouse. The owner, Mrs Lee, was very helpful and advised me the following options to get to Niah:
Option 1: Take out a tour package with a local travel agency at RM160 per person which includes return transfer, guiding, park fees and lunch.
Option 2: Rent a car and drive yourself there. Direction to Niah is pretty clear and straightforward.
Option 3: Take public bus from Miri’s long-distance bus terminal also known as the Pujut Corner Bus terminal. Buses from this station head to other towns/cities in Sarawak namely Bintulu, Sibu and Kuching and Niah junction is along the way. Bus will only take you up to the Niah Junction and from there on there is no bus service to the Niah headquarters which is about 15 km away. Bus fare is RM12 per person. From the junction to the HQ, the only means is by private car or taxi which is limited to 4 passengers per car and may cost between RM30-50 one way depending on your negotiating skills.
To get to the long distance bus terminal from Dillenia, you can either take a taxi for RM15 one way or take public bus.
If you prefer to take the bus, walk to the bus stop (about 15 mins walk from Dillenia) at Jalan Bintang Jaya 1 near Bintang Megamall Shopping Complex (refer to the Tourist map of Miri city). Bus no. 33 A takes you directly to the terminal. If bus 33 A is not available, you can also hop on any bus going to your left (assuming you are waiting at the bus stop facing the road). Ask to be dropped off at the Boulevard Shopping Mall marked as I in the Miri tourist map. From there take the overhead bridge to cross over the road to where the Petronas gas station is. Ask the attendant for direction to the bus terminal.
Option 4: By private transfer. There is a driver who takes guests right up to the Niah HQ, waits and takes guest back for a reasonable price of RM60 per person, minimum 2 pax. The rate of RM60 also comes with a light lunch comprising a small bottle of drinking water, a bun and an apple or an orange. Dillenia can help you to book the transfer if you like.
Other info: The park has guides for hire at RM150 for 1-5 persons although it is possible to visit the cave on your own i.e., without a park guide. Park office closes at 5 pm but the boatman at the river crossing ferrying passengers stop at 7.30 pm. Park entry is RM10 per person and river crossing is RM1 per crossing. You will need to bring with you, a cap, hand gloves, powerful torch/flash (also available for hire at the park), rain coat or a change of clothes in case it rains and proper walking shoes, no flip flops or slippers. For food, there is a canteen at the park headquarters serving simple meals like fried rice or noodles. The walk from the park headquarters to and inside the cave is approximately 2 hours one way.
I told her I would consider either Option 1 or 4 and if I chose Option 4, I would pay the fare for two people (it still works out cheaper than Option 1).
My flight out was last Friday morning. We took off at 0830 and landed 2:15 hours later. There is a Visitor Information Counter at the airport after you exit the baggage area but there was no one manning it so I waited a while before the airport bus came along. The fare to the city (yes, Miri is a city) is RM2.80 (it costs more than Rapid KL but hey, still much less than a taxi) and it took us 30 minutes to get to the city with the numerous stops along the way.
At the city bus station, I waited for the bus to get to the guesthouse but after an hour of waiting, I decided to ask someone for the actual time table. Buses are not frequent in Miri and they run every two hours *gulp*. Two men at the bus station ‘office’ told me I could walk there and I did exactly that. I arrived at the guest house 15 minutes later.
Mrs Lee was already there (check-in is after 1 pm) and after checking in, I went out to search for lunch. I had Laksa Sarawak at Jasmine Café next door and feeling more energised, crossed over to Imperial Shopping Mall where I bought a head light for the trip the following day. Then I walked out, checking out Miri Handicraft Centre on the way to Bintang Megamall. I don’t know why I spend a lot when I travel to Borneo; this happened when I went to KK in April too. I left just as it started getting dark and walked back to the guesthouse.
Shortly after entering the guesthouse (which is located in a shop-house block), I heard screams and shouts which seemed never-ending. I wondered if a neighbour had gone into a hysterical fit and even went out to see. Deciding it might be anything from an owed rent to domestic dispute, I went back in. The racket persisted and when I next peeked out, I saw two women fighting off each other with one pushing another out the door (the one being pushed out had a baby in her arms). There was a guy too. Then I heard the woman moan, the guy trying to pacify/calm her down, repeated slaps... repeat for twenty minutes. I wasn’t sure if I should call the Police or just mind my own business. Finally, half an hour after it started, the noise died down and I headed back to my room to shower. Dinner was had at Jasmine Café. (I later found out on Saturday that someone did actually call the Police and they came but didn’t turn on the siren, hence I didn’t know the Police came to bring all three down to the police station).
On Saturday, I was awaken by the call for morning prayers from a nearby mosque (Suboh is at 5 am!). I woke again at 7.30, showered, had breakfast and waited for my driver to come. Joseph came at 0850 and we left for Niah.
The journey took 1:15 hours (Joseph was determined to stick to the 50-km speed limit throughout). He dropped me off at the Niah Park headquarters where I bought entrance ticket. I then walked to the jetty and joined a boat to cross the river. There was a nice trail leading all the way to the cave entrance about 3 km away.
I met up a few other tourists in the cave and chatted with a trio of auditors (two ladies and one bloke) who would be in Miri for the next three weeks (they’d just finished a week) auditing one of the petcos. I met them again at Gan Kira (Moon Cave) and we walked together to the Painted Cave. Sadly, most of the cave paintings have faded over time. We spent about a quarter of an hour there before retracing our steps. And this is when something embarrassing happened: my left shoe decided to do a ‘crocodile stunt’ and separated itself from the sole altogether. I had quite forgotten about this when I packed them (shows how long I’ve not worn them eh) and of course I didn’t want to bring my new pair of Skechers on my cave trip.
Anyway, my new friends helped patch my shoe up temporarily. The bloke came well-equipped (he hikes regularly) and after that ‘shoe job’ was done, we introduced ourselves. Heh.
We walked together until we exited the cave and I took my leave then. I walked the rest of the way back (took me 35 minutes), crossed the river and met up with the waiting Joseph. We drove back to Miri and I dozed off a couple of times. The heat and humidity really got to me.
We arrived at the guesthouse at 4 pm and after cooling down, I took a shower. I must have lost gallons of fluid in perspiration alone. Perhaps I needn’t have bothered showering this morning. Oh well...
After performing prayers, I went down to ask Mrs Lee the best place to buy Sarawak layered cakes. She advised me to check out a stall by the river about 100 metres away. There were two women there preparing the rolls and I watched them for a while before making my purchase.
I then walked a bit around the area before returning to the guesthouse to store the cakes in the freezer. Then I ventured out again for a massage at a centre just next door and emerged two hours later. Unfortunately, Jasmine Café was already closing for the day (you would have thought it’d stay open for a bit longer on weekend nights) so I had to walk to the main road to find dinner. It was unsatisfactory to say the least.
After dinner, I returned to the guesthouse to rest.
Woke up at 5 am for morning prayers on Sunday and up again at 8.30 a.m. It’s not often I get to sleep in so don’t judge me. My driver came just before 10 and drove me to the airport. Perhaps I could have taken the bus back to the airport but I wasn’t prepared for the bus – the buses there don’t really stick to schedule at the bus station. It cost me RM20 (RM22 if you take proper taxi) to get to the airport. We reached the airport in 15 minutes and I immediately checked in. Of course I had to get the very last row but no complaints.
We landed at 1.30 and I performed prayers before rushing to catch the 2 pm KLIA Express train to the city. I even took the LRT to KLCC to check out the Isetan sale but left empty-handed - which was just as well considering the amount I spent in Miri.
Until the next trip to Borneo, then.
|