Houses of the peoples
The longhouse, the Melanau tall house and more.
Tim Mansfield from sydney, australia — CC BY 2.0 · Nada El Houri — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Thomas Quine — CC BY 2.0 · Thomas Quine — CC BY 2.0
A living museum at the foot of Mount Santubong, about thirty-five kilometres north of Kuching, bringing together the traditional houses of Sarawak's main peoples around a small lake: the Iban longhouse, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu houses, the Melanau tall house raised on its stilts, a Malay house, a Chinese farmhouse and a Penan hut in the forest. In the houses, members of those peoples show their crafts in front of you: weaving, woodcarving, making blowpipes and musical instruments, and explain their customs and old way of life. The high point is the folk dance show, twice a day at half past eleven and four o'clock, lasting about forty-five minutes. The official price for non-Malaysians is about one hundred and thirty-five ringgit per adult, and about one hundred and sixty-eight with lunch. The village opens daily from nine to five, with tickets sold on the official ticketing site or at the gate. Plan to arrive before one of the two shows and allow three hours for the houses and the performance. The village is close to Damai beach and its resorts, so you can spend the whole day out here. In summer it hosts a world music festival of the rainforest that draws visitors from around the globe.
The longhouse, the Melanau tall house and more.
Weaving, carving and blowpipes before your eyes.
Twice daily, about forty-five minutes.
Damai, at the foot of Mount Santubong, about 35 km north of Kuching
For understanding the variety of Sarawak's peoples in one day, yes, especially with the show. Make it a full day with Damai beach to justify the distance.