Exploring Sibu
Exploring Sibu Budget Travel Guide provides useful travel information about Sibu for people who are interested to plan a visit there. All the must-see sights and places of interest in the town are listed and described on this page.
Sibu is the biggest town on the Rajang River in Sarawak. It is the capital of Sibu District, a 230 sq km area in Sibu Division. The town is located at the confluence of the Rajang and the Igan Rivers, some 60 km from the South China Sea. It has a population of about 200,000. The Pan Borneo Highway links Sibu with the rest of Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah.
Sibu is a predominantly Chinese town, with Fuzhou being the majority dialect group. It also has a significant number of Melanau, Malay and Iban.
Sibu is the home to the largest town square in Malaysia as well as the tallest building in Sarawak. A new township called Sibu Jaya is also being developed about 25 km from the old town. A new airport was built near Sibu Jaya.
Sibu, Sarawak
Author: Mirilan (public domain)
History of Sibu
Sibu was established by Fuzhou immigrants from Fujian Province. Originally it was known as New Fuzhou. Rajah Brooke built a fort here in 1862, but the fort has since been demolished.
The Sibu that we see today is the product of repeated rebuilding necessitated by the many blazes that have burned down its wooden shophouses. The first big fire happened in 1889, razing the whole town to the ground. Half a century later, another big fire destroyed some three hundred shophouses on 7 March, 1928, forcing the town to rebuild itself once more.
What to see in Sibu
Sibu has many distinctive gardens sponsored by the various Chinese clan associations, each exhibiting elements of the individual clan.
Festivities
The Borneo Cultural Festival is held in Sibu in early July every year showcasing the musical performances of the various tribal groups.
Getting there
Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia fly to Sibu from Kuching and Kuala Lumpur. MASWings fly between Sibu and Bintulu, Miri, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.
Sibu Location Map
View Sibu in a larger map
Pagoda at Kutien Memorial Park, Sibu, Sarawak
Author: Mirilan (public domain)
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Places of Interest in Sibu
- Tua Pek Kong Temple
The most important temple in Sibu, located on the waterfront, with a distinctive 7-storey pagoda.
- Chiang Chuan Garden
Garden of the Chiang Chuan clan, located near the Tua Pek Kong Temple, built to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Hokkien settlement in the Rejang Basin.
- Sibu Waterfront
A place to go for a stroll in the evening and enjoy the view of the Rejang River.
- World Hii Convention Garden
Riverside park built in 2000 in conjunction with the World Hii Clan's Convention in Sibu, this park has panoramic views of the Rejang River.
- Ku Tien Memorial Garden
Public garden at Jalan Bukit Lima in Upper Lanang, built in 2003 by the Sarawak Kutien Association, with its distintive solid pagoda.
- Poh Yew Garden
An open space that was transformed into a public garden in 2004, set with wooden benches and jogging tracks.
- Sibu Town Square
32-acres town square - te largest in Sarawak - designed to accommodate leisure activities, and venue of the annual Borneo Cultural Festival.
- Yu Lun San Tien En Si Temple
Jade Dragon Temple, opened in October, 2009, is said to be the largest Chinese temple in Southeast Asia.
- Bukit Aup Jubilee Park
24-acre public park opened in the early 1990's, popular with joggers.
- Bukit Lima Forest Park
Recreational peat swamp forest within the Bukit Lima Forest Reserve, where the public can experience tropical rainforest wilderness within easy reach of the urban environment.
- Sibu Swan Statue
Mascot of Sibu built in 2005.
- Lake Garden
120-acre garden with an 11-acre lake, with footpaths and jogging tracks, picnic area and jetty.
- Mist Garden
Urban park with man-made mist recreating the atmosphere of the rainforest in town.
- Wong Nai Siong Memorial Garden
Park at Sungai Merah district, named after the Foochow leader to settle in Sibu.
- Hing Hua Garden
Garden of the Hin Hua clan completed in 2001 with jogging tracks, basketball court and children's playground.
- Taman Harmoni
Food court with performance stage and a wide range of hawker food.
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