Sibu Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Land

Bus

Sibu can be accessed by bus from all major and most smaller cities and towns in Sarawak. The main bus lines have ticket stalls at the long-distance bus station, northwest of town at Sungai Antu, as well as around the local bus station on the waterfront. Schedules change often – check for the most recent schedule. The visitors’ information centre can also help with routes and timetables. There should be no problem getting a seat if you arrive 15 minutes before departure, but book ahead for weekends and school holidays.

Major destinations:

Bintulu All Miri services stop at Bintulu (RM20, 3½ hours).

Kanowit Lanang Road buses leave 12 times daily (RM6, 1½ hours).

Kuching Express buses leave for Kuching (RM40, eight hours) between 6.30am and 11.30pm.

Miri Buses leave roughly every hour (RM40, 7½ hours) from 6am until 10pm.

Mukah Eight services daily (RM15.30, 3½ hours).

Sarikei Buses run regularly to Sarikei (RM7.60, 1½ hours) between 6am and 4pm.

Some buses arriving at the long-distance bus station continue on to the new River Express terminal in Sibu. Ask before you disembark, as this will save you taking a taxi or local bus.

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Boat

Passenger express boats travel between Sibu and Kuching, and up the Rejang to Kanowit, Song and Kapit. Express boats leave from the new River Express terminal at the western end of the Rejang Esplanade, opposite the local bus terminal. Departures to Kuching (RM40, 4½ hours) leave Sibu at 11.30am, though schedules can change.

If you can take the 80km/h pace, riding the roof of the express boats is a good way to see towns and longhouse villages along the Batang Rejang, though you may be asked to go inside for the most exciting stretches around the Pelagus Rapids. Make sure you have sun protection.

From Sibu, Kapit is the first stop on the journey up the Batang Rejang. Half a dozen companies do the 130km journey (economy RM17 to RM20, 1st class RM25 to RM30), departing between 5.45am and 4.45pm. Just go down to the terminal and ask which boat is next to leave. People are very helpful and the boats usually have a ‘clock’ showing the next departure time.

All boats to Kapit pass Kanowit and Song, and may stop at smaller settlements and logging camps en route; if you want to be dropped at any of these places, ask when you board. There are also a few scheduled services to Song (RM10, two hours).

Boats from Sibu only go beyond Kapit during the rainy season, when the water levels are high enough to go all the way to Belaga. At other times you’ll have to switch to a speedboat in Kapit. If you’re travelling to Belaga from Sibu, you should expect an overnight stay in Kapit, as the first express boat from Sibu doesn’t always connect with the last regular service to Belaga.

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Air

Malaysia Airlines (321055; 61 Jln Tuanku Osman) flies to Sibu from a number of locations, including KL (two daily) and Kuching (eight daily).

Air Asia (1300-889933) has flights to KL (three daily) and Kuching (two daily) and FAX (03-8775 4000) flies to Bintulu (three daily) and twice to Miri and Kota Kinabalu, plus Twin Otter services to Mukah (six weekly).

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