stbnews – Page 24 – Sarawak Tourism Hornbill Trail Newsletter

Kuching Run for Autism 2017

The Kuching Run for Autism 2017 will be taking place on April 2 in conjunction with World Autism Day at the Kuching South City Council office. The 3km and 7km courses begin at 6.30am.

This will be second edition of this run, with over 2,000 participants registered in 2016.

With the theme “It’s not a disability, it’s a different ability”, the Kuching Autism Association (KAA) is organising this event seek to create understanding and acceptance of Autistic children and adults within the local communities.

The KAA provides educational programmes that help students with fine motor skills, basic academia, social skills and self-help to help them gain independence, as well as pre-vocational training in preparing them for working in the future.

For more information visit https://sarawaktourism.com/event/kuching-run-autism/

Baleh-Kapit Raft Safari

The 22^nd Baleh-Kapit Raft Safari will be taking place this April 1 and 2 along the Majau and Rejang River.

This two-day rafting competition has five main categories: Men’s Bamboo Open, Men’s Bamboo Closed (Inter-Department) and Women’s Bamboo Open, as well as the mixed Free Style and Paddle Boat.

The first flag-off point is at Rumah Ansi, Nanga Sepajie at Sungai Majau, and the second flag-off point is at Rumah Along at Nanga Majau, and each flag-off is estimated to take six to seven hours respectively.

This event is to remind people of the importance of water transport in the past of Sarawak as well as the present, particularly in places where road networks have not yet reached.

For more information and application forms, visit:
https://sarawaktourism.com/event/baleh-kapit-raft-safari/

Image shows Baleh-Kapit Raft Safari participants. Photo credit: Sarawak State Government.

Kuching’s Upside Down House

The Upside Down House at Jalan Borneo is a new uncanny attraction in Kuching, which has an entire gallery of a living room, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom, bathroom, children bedroom and a home office on the ceiling, making for strange photo opportunities.

This is phase one of the project, with phase two including optical illusion art, set to be complete in four or five months’ time.

Tickets for foreign adult and child are priced at RM20 and RM15, respectively. Meanwhile the ticket price for a Malaysian (MyKad holder) is RM15 per adult, and RM10 per child, with a promotional price of RM12 per adult and RM8 per child up until the second phase of the project is complete. The promotion runs till the second phase of the project.

For more information and updates, visit www.facebook.com/pg/upsidedownhousekuching.

Image taken at the Kuching Upside Down House. Photo Credit: Wong Tong Wei

Borneo Jazz Bands

Borneo Jazz will be taking place this May 12 t0 13 at ParkCity Everly Hotel, Miri, and is bursting at the seams with local and international bands.

Malaysian bands Michael Simon’s Asian Connection, with legendary Malaysian pianist Michael Veerapen in the band, as well as Fluoroscent Collective with band members from all over the world. From Asia, the line-up includes Idang Rasjidi Syndicate from Indonesia and Osaka Monaurail from Japan.

Cabocuba Jazz from Netherlands, Delgres from Guadoloupe and France, the Cape Jazz Band from South Africa and Laila Biali from Canada, are all signed up for the Festival.

For more information, visit: jazzborneo.com/

Borneo Jazz Festival 2017

This year, the Borneo Jazz Festival will take place on May 12 and 13 in Miri City, and is being held, as always, at the ParkCity Everly Hotel.

The festival features a wide array of Jazz-subgenres with both international and home grown musicians taking the stage.

In 2017 we celebrate the 12^th Borneo Jazz Festival and will introduce an expanded musical outreach programme, with classes on jazz percussions and keyboard for aspiring Jazz musicians and Jazz enthusiasts.

For more information, visit https://jazzborneo.com/

Samarahan Bike Challenge 2017

The Samarahan Bike Challenge 2017 will take place on March 19, at the Summer Mall at Jalan Datuk Mohd. Musa, Kota Samarahan about 25km from Kuching City Centre.

This Bike Challenge is one of the biggest bicycle racing events in Sarawak, with categories such as the Elite or ‘The Road Warrior’, Veteran or ‘All Star’, Sarawak Close, Ladies and Juniors, and routes varying from four to eight kilometers.

This annual event is jointly organised by the Divisional Tourism Task Group (DTTG), the Samarahan District Office and the Sarawak Cycling Association.

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1782598788449200/

Image shows Samarahan Bike Challenge 2016 starting line in front of Summer Mall. Photo Credit: Borneo Post.

Sibu 2017 Tower Run

The Sibu 2017 Tower Run will take place on March 11 with some 300 registered runners participating.

The contestants will be running an initial 5-kilometre route before racing up the staircase of the 28-story, 126m high Wisma Sanyan building, otherwise known as the Sibu Tower, which is the tallest building in Sarawak.

The Tower Run is one of the biggest sports attraction in Sibu, as it pushes the limit of endurance and speed of the runners, with many participants returning to beat their own records from previous years.

The Tower Run is jointly organised by DNA Sports and the Sibu Municipal Council.

For more information, visit http://www.travelsibu.com/

Image shows Sibu 2017 Tower Run’s trial run on February 11. Photo Credit: Sibu Municipal Council and DNA sports.

Kuching Heritage Trail

The Kuching Heritage Trail, showcasing the State’s historical and cultural legacy of beautiful Chinese and Malay architecture and colonial buildings from the Brookes’ era, is a testimonial to Kuching’s rich heritage dating back to the 19^th century.

At the oldest temples in Kuching along the waterfront, travellers can learn a little about the religion of the first Chinese settlers in the city whose religious beliefs are still practised to this day.

Here, history continues in the daily lives of the shop-owners, descended from the original tin craftsmen and traditional medicine vendors, and who continue to market their wares as they had generations ago.

The Museum caps the trail, with galleries displaying art and lifestyles of the local tribes, including life-sized replicas of traditional houses so travellers can truly experience what it felt like to live in the ‘olden days’ of Sarawak.

Image shows a Chinese Temple in Kuching. Photo Credit: Füzzy Mijmark

The Future of Sibu Sentral

Sibu Sentral’s concept plans have been unveiled, revealing exciting designs based on Kuching Central Bus Terminal and Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 (KLIA2).

The integrated hub is located on a 9.36-acre site at Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce Road, close to entertainment and public areas such as Farley and Sing Kong Commercial Centre, Kpg. Sentosa, Sibu General Hospital and Sibu Regional Wharf.

Sandwiched within the central region between Kuching and Miri, Sibu welcomes commuters from the rest of Sarawak as well as neighbouring countries such as Brunei and Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Sibu Sentral will include 200 units for residential apartments and a 171-roomed, 3-star hotel for those in transit, while the terminal area will also include a hypermarket, department stores, entertainment and food outlets.

Image shows concept art of Sibu Sentral. Photo Credit: Sibu City Council

Sarawak Tourism wins Adrian Award for Travel Marketing Excellence

Sarawak Tourism has won the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Silver Adrian Award for Travel Marketing Excellence in Public Relations for its internationally renowned Rainforest World Music Festival.

The HSMAI Adrian Awards Gala took place on February 21 at the New York Marriott Marquis, where Sarawak Tourism was announced as the winner in the category.

For more information on the Adrian Awards and a list of 2016 winners, visit www.AdrianAwards.com