Off to Bintulu a week after Surabaya Trip and a week before Ramadhan. Long story short, I'm taking Air Asia flight to and fro cause the airfares were slightly cheaper than MAS. the airfare I managed to grab only cost me RM99/way. for going flight, I booked the 1st flight departing at 6:25am from KLIA2 (that would be my 3rd time departing from this new airport, and my 2nd time travel to Sarawak). spending 2hours of air journey, I finally arrived at Bintulu Airport at 9am. shocking! the aircraft was quite full, not as what I've expected earlier.. huhu I was thought most people prefer to go to Kuching instead of Bintulu. another surprise, most of the passengers are tourist (cause they were excitedly taking photo with the background of the Bintulu Airport signage...including myself). local people and business traveler won't do that, right?
after check-in at the immigration (as usual I prefer to use passport instead of an IC - cause I want to have the stamping - proof I was there), I booked a budget taxi - managed by Bintulu Taxi United Sdn Bhd. by telling the counter staff that I need a taxi to Park City Mall, she charged me RM35/way. that is the cheapest fare I got for the 30mins journey, to the Bintulu Town on the other side of the Kemena River. arriving Park City Mall, realizing that it's too early for me for the hotel check-in, but I think perhaps I can just keep my baggage at the hotel's concierge. it is just a few steps away to New World Suites Hotel. actually hey, they are sharing the same building; and they have access to the mall (i wish i knew earlier....)
voila!!!!
window shopping!!! nope... I'm no longer interested with those key-chain or other so-called souvenir. but I'm planning to buy some Kek Lapis Sarawak on my last day later. craving for Red Velvet but I only can find Kek Lapis 'Ombak Rindu' in blue. I exit the mall and start walking from one block to another. until I step at Koridor Sejarah & Kebudayaan Bintulu (also known as little Peking?). as I checked my watch, it's only 15mins walk from Park City Mall.
in addition, the weather is getting hot, humid (life by the beach area) and I felt stuffy already, made my way back to the hotel. En-route at Aida Manja Restaurant for lunch (cheap & delicious, but that Malay restaurant does not open at night). before return back to my room-sweet&precious-room, another pit-stop at the market at the ground floor of the Mall to buy some snacks & fruits. I'm glad I can spend my ample time in this luxurious room while waiting for a better climate. My friend suggested me to go to the beach. later that day, took a taxi around 5pm from the taxi corner next to the Mall. that uncle charged me RM18/way to the Pantai Temasya, Tanjung Batu. mahallll!!! cekik darah btolla
back to the city before the place getting darker; by using the same taxi services (cause i don't know other taxi driver). freshen up till dinner at Assyakirin Commercial Square (nearby Medan Jaya Commercial Centre) - i forgot the name of the restaurant (the one at the corner lot), but it's nearby Tune Hotels, Kemena Hotel and Kemena Residence.
FYI, most hotels in Bintulu doesn't provide meals except for the 4 star and above. the breakfast was great! and i love their velvet chairs & sofa. very comfortable and the restaurant is facing the Kemena river's delta and Park City Everly Hotel. It is a nice hotel, big room, good breakfast, big parking space bla bla bla, but you need to cross the main road to Park City Mall. the best option is; get a car, dude! there's no other shops or restaurant nearby.
12'clock sharp, time to check-out and off to Miri!! before went to Miri, we had a light lunch at a restaurant nearby Reggae Inn and we looked for available hotel for myself to stay for another 2 nights' in Bintulu after coming back from Miri later. i managed to get a Standard Double Queen room at 360' Inn; cost me RM108/room/night. i prefer a small and cheaper room to stay, however only this room category is available for the 2 nights stay. malas la nk move here & there, so i just pre-booked the room. Reggae Inn, 360 Inn, H-5 Inn, New World Motel are close by to each other but not a walking distance to Park City Mall. but the location is also nice, a new developed area, opposite to the Bus Station, walking distance to the mini market, few Muslim restaurants, Karaoke and massage centre.
went back to Bintulu Town after spending one night in Miri. we reached Bintulu on Sunday evening, precisely at 6pm. check-in at 360 Inn, and out for dinner at McDonalds. we found a McD outlet during our way to Miri on the previous day. it's not located in the city.
on the next day, which is Monday...another working day for them... i've become their one-day 'appointed' driver.. the truth is, my friend wants me to use the rented Myvi car for the whole day - for my Bintulu Tour - definitely for safety & cheaper than paying taxi. fetching another 2 colleagues at Kemena Plaza Hotel, i drove four of them to their 50mins away plant. after sending them work, i make an u-turn to Similajau National Park, half an hour from the Bintulu Compressor Station. register and paid for RM10 for the entrance fee (considered as permit) at the Customer Service Counter and i also bought a brochure at RM1.50. can you believe that? i'm buying a brochure! the place is quite huge, but since i only have one and half hour to spend before taking them out for lunch, i just done a quick visit. i really wanted to explore the Mangrove Area, but i was too terrified to cross the Likau River to the exploring trails when i saw the "Beware of Crocodile" signage. what? crocodile?? gulp! i knew the crocodile can't jump too high to the hanging bridge, but all i scared was; what if the crocodile jump out from the bushes at the river banks? or maybe snakes?? ok, fine! i admit i'm not that brave nor adventurous person. i give in! ohh come on, i was a single explorer back then, what do you expect? i find myself spending my couple hours on the beach, hoping for the dolphins... or turtle... or any unusual (except for saltwater crocodile) animals turns up. pleaseeee... but i found none except for the bunch of students having a seminar there. this national park is also providing guest houses, chalets, hostels, dormitory, hall, dining places, camp site etc. oh ya, in future i should bring along a mosquito repellent with me. a-must-bring item!
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| the best area to explore is after the bridge |
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| tapi aku cover bhgn sebelum hanging bridge |
after lunch somewhere at Tanjung Kidurong; without any second to waste, i drove fast to Taman Tumbina. by using a Garmin GPS, it show a shortcut via Tanjung Batu (pass by Temasya Beach). no necessarily to enter the city. the entrance ticket is only RM2. using the full layout which i snap from the entrance, i explored this wide park by my own. i've no idea that this place is seriously big and was built on the hill area. they are supposed to provide a tram or shuttle or i don't mind if i need to pay extra for a bicycle or motorbike (oh really?) services. the weather was too hot (i'm not giving excuses), i was able to explore 20% only from overall park - including the Bunga Kertas Hill + Butterfly Cage (but no butterfly cause the place is under maintenance - still, the place is nice, feels like i'm in Jurassic Park movies) + Cactus Garden. and then, i saw and i thought it was a shortcut - i entered the Ferns Garden. then, i realized that i'd already "lost in the jungle". unease, i keep walking till i reached at the Rattan area. keep moving and climbing a 'scary' (mind-setting) wooden stairs, i finally arrived at the Palm Trees and connected to the Cactus Garden. Phew!!! i went to the other side, went further and further down till i found the Orchid Area, the Plant Nursery as well as the Green House. until i reached the main road where i began the journey. well, i'm done! seems like this 1 hour exploring was not a very good idea. or probably i should visit this place on weekend (advisable in the morning) together with other visitors
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| the maps |
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| yang aku berjaya cover.... huru hara tu time aku sesat |
apparently, both missions were failed!
i still spare another 2 hours, what i can do next? i'm actually curious to know what do they have at the old city of Shahida Commercial Centre a.k.a Taman Sri Dagang; besides of Kemena River, Kemena Plaza & Houz Inn. i found out that they have a Bintulu Clock Tower, Tua Pek Kong Temple, Bintulu Market (Tamu) and the Bintulu Waterfront Promenade. My friend told me that this Old Town is not safe to go - macam Chow Kit katanya, then i just took a picture from car seat except for the Clock Tower Monument. which i have to park the car nearby, walking fast down the street and after taking few shot, i quickly walked back to the car. Mr friend used to stay at Houz Inn (in Agoda stated a good review of this hotel); but after the cockroaches incident, they moved to Reggae Inn for the rest of the stay in Bintulu.
ready to fetch them at the Station. the traffic back to the city is very bad there, worst than KL i must say. safely arrived at the City, we had our dinner at KFC at Medan Jaya. since this is my final night in Bintulu, they took me for a Karaoke session. the sound system was not bad and they have the latest and local songs too. it's kinda cheap there, @RM100 for unlimited hours and we can use that RM100 to redeem our beverages. for unutilized amount, we can bring forward to another session or we can ask for the take-away bottle or can drinks.
last day in Bintulu.... i have requested for the late check-out till 2pm. my return flight to KL is at 745pm, but i need to take a taxi to the airport as early as at 5pm, cause the traffic especially during the peak hour as i mentioned earlier is as bad as in KL. i'm too lazy to go to the Park City Mall, then i'm just 'kill time' at nearby places. lunch, light shopping, body massage at New Thrust (not recommended), having an ice-cream and 'lepak' at Sugar Bun. then, i met the taxi driver (booked by the hotel), Mr Kho 013-8351265 (HQ1265). this taxi driver is better than the one i use to the beach on the other day. most of taxi driver in Bintulu driving (crazy) fast, and most of them were using an old taxi... which i don't know why
as usual... more pictures to be uploaded soon
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