| SELAMAT DATANG
It has been
described as Asia's Best Kept Secret. Now the secret is out. 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, this ancient virgin rain forest is home to
27 ethnic groups; people each with their own distinct language,
cultLure 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 the Stone Age. Whether it's an
lban, Bidayuh, Melllanau or one of the many Orang Ulu groups you
stay with, the welcome will be just as warm.
In
the towns you can mingle with Malays or the many different Chinese
communities that have made Sarawak their home.
Arrive in Sarawak and you step into adventure. How much
adventure is up to you. You can stroll for a morning in a national
park near your hotel, or you can trek for days through pristine
jungle, sleeping each night in a different longhouse. If walking is
not your style try mountain biking the jungle trails. Want to get
out of the sun? Spend days exploring the world's most extensive cave
system, 310 kilometers of passages with more waiting to be found.
If
history thrills you, visit caves that were inhabited 40,000 years
ago, learn how Indian and Chinese merchants traded for Sarawak's
exotic products centuries before the first Europeans came here. Hear
stories of princes and pirates, of headhunters and explorers.
But, if that is more excitement than you need, relax on our
beaches by the South China Sea, scuba dive off reefs where you will
be alone with the sea, or just enjoy a round of golf on one of our
excellent courses. Sarawak has something for everyone and a welcome
for all.
After all, "Selamat Datang", "Selamat Datai" are some of the
different ways to say welcome in the many languages of
Sarawak.
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