Sibu Tourism (2024) - Malaysia > Top Places, Travel Guide

"The Swan City"

Sibu Tourism

Sibu is an island town and the capital of Sibu district in Malaysia’s largest state of Sarawak. It is located on the Island of Borneo. Known as the gateway to Batang Rejang, Sibu is a charming town with vibrant culture and a bustling waterfront. Sibu is also popular for offering some of the best food in Sarawak. It is a popular day stop before or after venturing into the wild interiors of Borneo. One distinctive feature of Sibu is the Iban longhouses. Tourists can visit Iban longhouses and even have a stay to experience the Iban Tribal Life.

Sibu is well known for the biggest town square in Malaysia, the Sibu Town Square. It also has the Lanang Bridge which connects Sibu to Sarikei and is the longest bridge in Sarawak. Malaysia’s first and the only medical museum by the name Lau King Howe Hospital Memorial Museum is located in Sibu. The city's mascot is the swan which is an ancient chinese symbol of health and good fortune. Swan statues can be seen dotted around town.

Sibu Heritage Centre is worth visiting with all the collection of antiques and chronological history. It unveils the cultural life and heritage of the people of the central region. Tua Pek Kong Temple is one of the oldest chinese temples in the town with a 7-storey pagoda. Jade Dragon Temple also known as Yu Lung San Tien En Si is considered as the temple with the largest temple complex in South-East Asia and is a must visit. Bukit Aup Jubilee Park and Bukit Lima Nature Park are among other places to visit. Borneo Cultural Festival is one of the most famous festivals of Sibu which takes place in July and August and is the best time to visit. The festival is a week-long event which celebrates the tribal diversity of the area with dance, music and food.

1. Sibu Heritage Trail

An initiative of the Sibu Heritage Centre started in 2012, the Sibu Heritage Trail was launched to encourage tourism in Sibu and celebrate the cultural ethnicity of the city. The trail largely covers (Read More)nine heritage sites some of which includes the Old Muslim Cemetery, Tua Pek Kong Temple, Masjid An-nur, Rosli Dhobi Warriors Memorial and Hoover Memorial Square among the others. The trail stretches along approximately 4km covering almost all heritage sites in the town. You can avail the walking maps, brochures and more information about these sites from the tourist information centre, hotels or travel agents in the area.

2. Sibu Heritage Centre

Formerly the Sibu Municipal Council, Sibu Heritage Centre is an excellent place to celebrate the city’s cultural diversity and the history of several ethnicities. The heritage centre is a positi (Read More)vely educational place that houses a local museum which chronicles extensive information of the early Chinese settlements and other races along with the history of the local folk tribes inhabiting the town. The centre has a few shops selling beautiful local handicraft items with intricate patterns and some lovely souvenirs to take back home.

3. Bawang Assan Longhouse Village

One of the oldest Iban settlements in Sibu, Bawang Assan Longhouse Village is located about 40 minutes away from Sibu main town. You can drive up here or enjoy a cruise ride along the beautiful Ranjan (Read More)g river. Bawan Assan has a series of nine longhouses ranging from fusion traditional to modern houses that visitors are allowed to stay at and experience the cultural ethnicity and traditional delicacies at this place. The houses are well-maintained and offer excellent views of the area.

4. Rejang Esplanade

The beautiful Rejang Esplanade along Malaysia’s largest river is a stunning riverfront promenade stretching from the Express Boat Passenger Terminal to Kingwood Hotel. It is an attractive spot a (Read More)mong locals and tourists that offers picturesque views of the flowing river and a grass occupied waterfront with fishing boats parked across the esplanade. The place has a spectacular Swan statue that also happens to be the symbol of Sibu.

5. Lau King Howe Memorial Museum

Formerly a well-equipped hospital used to treat people from all ethnic tribes, the now memorial museum showcases an array of collection of antique hospital instruments and tools, uniforms of nurses an (Read More)d caretakers, etc. It offers a fun detailed explanation of the life and history of the hospital, its doctors and workers. The place was built by donations of Lau King Howe and is conveniently located close to the Rejang river. You can enter the place by knocking at the main entrance.
Timings: Tuesday to Sunday- 9AM to 5PM.
Closed on Monday

6. Lanang Bridge

Stretching approximately 1.2kms over the Rajang river connecting the town of Sibu and Sarikei, Lanang bridge was built in 2003 to replace the ferry facilities to get across the river. Initially a toll (Read More)-bridge with expensive toll prices, the bridge started to receive criticism and the government suggested taking over and abolishing toll taxes. The bridge offers breathtaking sunset views overlooking the muddy river.

More on Sibu Travel

Food in Sibu

Sibu is known for the Foochow-style Chinese cuisine. The city's signature dish is the kamppung mee, thin noodle strands soaked in pork fat and served with roast pork or mince, and kompia which are mini pork filled sesame bagels.

Sibu's night market is well-known for local food across Sarawak. Diang Biang Hu which consists of rice grinded porridge is very popular among locals and tourists. It costs about RM 3.5 to 4.5 per bowl. Kampua Mieng basically refers to oily noodles on a dry plate which costs about RM 2.5 to RM 5. Red Wine Chicken is a popular speciality of Sibu connected with old age cultural traditions related to pregnant women. Chai Pau is people’s go to eat snack which consists of a bun with delicious vegetables and can be found in every street. Other famous delicacies include Kong Piang and Kompua.

Shopping in Sibu

Sibu is home to Malaysia's largest indoor market, Sibu Central Market. It has everything from apparels to souvenirs to local food to try. It is also one of the best places to buy local handicrafts. Sibu Night Market is another prime market which is famous among locals and tourists and is the liveliest market in Sarawak. Bargaining is common in the night market and a myriad of options are given to buy from.