KK Ong shares with SmartDory his adventures to the Kelabit Highlands – Sarawak Holiday Destination.
The Kelabit Highlands of Bario are one of the most isolated villages on earth.
Bario is often described as Sarawak’s Shangri-La; this beautiful gateway to the Kelabit Highlands lies over 1,000m above sea level.
Spread across a picturesque valley, you can traverse a series of mountain valleys with breathtaking views of misty mountains via a propeller plane.
You will behold endless green jungle treetops resembling broccoli sprouts, along with hills, mountains, and vast plantations.
Your eyes will catch sight of Sarawak’s second-longest river, the winding Baram River, snaking through the land.
The moment you disembark, you will notice the fresh quality of the cool mountain air.
It’s then that you realize the sharp contrast between city living and the poor air quality we have grown accustomed to back home.
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Where are the Kelabit Highlands?
The mountains and rainforests of the Kelabit Highlands, pronounced as keh-lah-bit, constitute a mountain range situated in the remote northeastern corner of Sarawak.
The Kelabit Highlands are nestled between Gunung Mulu National Park and the Indonesian state of East Kalimantan.
Sarawak and Sabah are the largest states in Malaysia, both situated on the island of Borneo.
How high are the mountains?
The highest mountain ranges in the Kelabit Highlands include Mount Murud at 2,423 meters, Bukit Batu Buli at 2,082 meters, and Bukit Batu Lawi at 2,046 meters.
Where does the Kelabit tribe live?
Bario serves as the primary settlement for the indigenous Kelabit tribe, situated in the Kelabit Highlands within the Miri Division of Sarawak, Malaysia.
It rests at an altitude of 1,000 meters above sea level.
Located near the Sarawak-Kalimantan border, it sits approximately 178 kilometers east of Miri.
The settlement encompasses roughly 13 to 16 villages.
Kelabit Highlands is the home of the Kelabits
The Kelabit tribe’s population is fewer than two thousand individuals.
Traditionally engaged in rice and sheep farming, hunting, and fishing, the Kelabits now often work as guides or hosts for homestays within the local eco-tourism industry.
The highlands are inhabited by the Kelabits, a small Orang Ulu group with a population of around 6,500.
Additionally, the area is home to the Penan people, a semi-nomadic group.
Bario, situated in the northern region of Sarawak, serves as the heart of the Kelabit Uplands, which represent the most remote frontier bordering Kalimantan in Indonesia. This area comprises fourteen villages.
As traditional forest lands have been cleared, access to the highlands is primarily via logging routes accessible by 4WD vehicles.
For travel, one can opt for a flight aboard a 16-seater Twin Otter plane.
The Kelabit Tribe is the Smallest Ethnic Group
Indeed, the passage of a century can bring about profound transformations.
Once renowned as feared headhunters, the Kelabit tribe of Sarawak engaged in acts of valor and courage to demonstrate their manliness and bravery.
However, with their conversion to Christianity in the 1940s, they abandoned these practices and embraced a new way of life.
Today, the Kelabit community is celebrated for its education, intelligence, and the pride it takes in members who have attained high positions within the government.
Throughout their villages, smiles abound, reflecting the warmth and hospitality that characterize the Kelabit people.
As travelers venture into the interiors and remote areas, they are met with a humbling experience.
Here, amidst the rugged landscapes, they encounter some of the kindest individuals one could hope to meet, a testament to the enduring spirit of the Kelabit tribe.
Getting to Bario via MAS Wings
Bario serves as the primary gateway to the region.
The sole natural means of accessing the Kelabit Highlands is by flying in on a small Twin Otter turboprop plane from Miri airport, embarking on a 50-minute journey to the rural village of Bario.
Given the limited cargo space available in the aircraft operated by MAS Wings, each passenger’s baggage allowance onboard is restricted to 10 kg.
If you plan to bring bulky items such as a fully collapsible baby pushchair or stroller, please ensure to check with the airline beforehand to ascertain any specific regulations or accommodations.
MAS Wings flies daily from the coastal town of Miri in Malaysia.
The temperature in the Highlands
Spread across a picturesque valley; the Kelabit Highlands sits at an elevation of 1500 meters above sea level.
This results in consistently cool and nearly temperate weather despite being located in the tropics.
The mean average temperature ranges between 16 and the mid-twenties Celsius throughout the day.
However, temperatures can significantly cool off during the night, dropping as low as 11 degrees Celsius on some occasions.
What does Bario look like?
Bario emerges as an unexpected highland paradise, a secluded and picturesque flat plateau adorned with vast expanses of paddy fields.
Upon arrival, the tranquility of the surroundings immediately captivates you.
The Kelabit people’s easy-going hospitality is likely to charm you, enticing you to prolong your stay by days, weeks, or even years, reveling in the splendid isolation from the outside world.
Contrary to expectations, despite its remoteness, Bario boasts well-developed infrastructure, including an airport, internet access, computer services, schools, churches, clinics, police stations, and shops.
According to the Faculty of Social Sciences Universiti Malaysia Sarawak –UNIMAS, the highland community has approximately 5000 people that inhabit the Kelabit Highlands.
Picturesque Paddy Field of Bario Rice
The primary agricultural economic activity of the Kelabit community revolves around cultivating Bario rice, also known as “Adan rice,” renowned for its abundance in minerals and vitamins.
This particular rice variety boasts a high starchy content and is distinguished by its sweeter taste compared to other rice varieties.
Fruit Cultivation in the Cool Climate
In the Kelabit Highlands, the locals supplement their diet with fruits and wild foods collected from the surrounding jungles.
Benefitting from the cool climate, with an average temperature of 20°C, the community is able to cultivate citrus fruits, passion fruit, and pineapples alongside rice.
Passion fruit, in particular, is prized for its sweet fragrance and refreshing taste, with locals consuming a significant portion of this fruit.
A typical breakfast at the homestays in Bario often includes steamed rice accompanied by pineapple and passion fruit, offering a delightful blend of flavors and textures.
Passion Fruit
In the Kelabit Highlands, locals rely on fruits and wild foods collected from the surrounding jungles, with sweetly fragrant and refreshing passion fruit being a staple.
Passion fruit, along with other jungle fruits, forms a significant portion of the locals’ diet.
For breakfast at the homestays in Bario, a typical meal includes steamed rice accompanied by pineapple and passion fruit, offering a delightful start to the day with a blend of flavors from the land and jungle.
Kelabit Long House Lifestyle
Asal Longhouse, the oldest longhouse in Bario, holds significant appeal for tourists.
Traditionally, multiple generations of each family coexist under one roof within this expansive wooden structure.
Comprising 21 family rooms, Asal Longhouse accommodates occupants in a hierarchical arrangement. The elder’s home is situated at the center.
It is flanked by the homes of their siblings and extended families.
The longhouse is further subdivided into separate living quarters for each family.
A communal area known as the “tawa” or corridor serves as a space for social gatherings, including weddings and family meetings.
Rather than being displayed inside the rooms, family portraits adorn the exterior walls of each room.
Numerous homestays are available in the village, offering inclusive board and meals.
The wooden house offers comfortable yet modest amenities, including bedrooms, shared toilets and baths, a dining room/kitchen, and a verandah.
The accommodation is meticulously maintained, ensuring a spotless and tidy environment.
Upon arrival, guests are allocated their rooms, immersing themselves in the authentic experience of longhouse living.
Traveling from one end of the longhouse to the other presents two options
- a route passing through the kitchen and living area, with a fireplace designated for each family (requiring approximately 200 steps), or
- a path through the public hall (approximately 150 steps).
Asal Longhouse, the oldest longhouse in Bario, offers modest yet welcoming accommodations, drawing tourists with its authentic cultural experience.
Mealtimes are Feast times
The Kelabit people always have a steady supply of fresh meat and vegetables sourced from the jungle or their gardens.
They gather wild vegetables from the jungle and fish from nearby rivers to fulfill their protein needs.
Additionally, each family maintains farms or rice fields, not only for their own consumption but also for selling surplus produce.
Poultry such as chickens and ducks are raised for household consumption.
While traditional cooking methods involve locally made clay pots, modern kitchen utensils such as spoons, forks, plates, and metal cooking pots are predominantly sourced from urban areas.
A typical Kelabit meal is prepared and cooked in an open kitchen environment, reflecting the communal spirit.
Meals, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, consist of fresh vegetables and fruits sourced either from the garden or the local market, all prepared in authentic Kelabit style.
The dishes are renowned for their delicious taste and rich flavors, often served with the famous Bario rice.
One traditional Kelabit dish is Labo Belatuh, made from a smoked wild game like boar or deer, salted and smoked over an open fire, then boiled, pounded into small strips and served with rice.
Chicken and river fish are commonly prepared by frying, currying, or cooking with soy sauce.
Vegetable dishes may include taro, string beans, chayote, and bottled gourd.
For dessert, freshly picked sweet pineapple is often served.
In the communal setting of a longhouse, neighbors are typically invited to ‘tepu’ to share meals together.
Often showcasing the strong sense of community and hospitality that defines life in Bario.
Mealtime in Bario embodies the essence of a close-knit community bonded by genuine hospitality.
Tube Zither
The Kelabit people also engage in playing the pagang, a traditional musical instrument resembling a tube zither.
Constructed from a bamboo tube closed at both ends by natural bamboo nodes, the pagang features strings made from finely cut strips of the tube’s surface, which remain attached at either end.
Kelabit men and women are fond of adorning themselves in vibrant, traditional attire adorned with intricate beadwork, and they enjoy dancing to the tunes of the sape, a wooden instrument.
During these festivities, everyone, including friends and family, partakes in graceful yet energetic movements.
The elders often demonstrate their dancing styles while the sape music fills the air, creating an atmosphere of cultural celebration and community bonding.
A Hiking Adventure Holiday
A journey to the temperate highlands promises an opportunity to relish the pristine, refreshing mountain air.
This region offers some of the finest jungle trekking experiences in Borneo.
Trekking from longhouse to longhouse offers a chance to traverse dense rainforests and picturesque rice paddies.
Trek durations can vary from a few hours to several days, accommodating all levels of fitness, from leisurely strolls to challenging jungle hikes.
During one of our treks, we encountered a Penan settlement, a small, nomadic tribe often found dwelling deep within the forest.
Trekking routes lead through a diverse array of primary and secondary forests, providing a glimpse into Borneo’s rich biodiversity.
Many of these trails originate from the Bario range, guiding adventurers through farming villages, rugged peaks, and even to remote settlements inhabited by the Kenyah, Penan, and Kelabit peoples.
Each step taken along these paths offers an immersive experience into the heart of Borneo’s natural beauty and cultural diversity.
Adventurous Treks and Overnight Excursions
For the adventurous, trekking options in the Kelabit Highlands range from day hikes to accessible overnight excursions to nearby longhouses, providing an immersive way to witness and experience traditional lifestyles.
For those seeking more challenging adventures, hiring an experienced local guide for a week-long excursion into the wilderness of Kalimantan across the border is an option.
Despite the relatively cooler temperatures of the highlands, trekking and hiking require effort and stamina.
It’s advisable to be in reasonably good shape to embark on a multi-day trek. Planning and training before your arrival can enhance your experience and ensure a safe journey.
When preparing for an adventure holiday, it’s crucial to plan your hike with the guidance of a knowledgeable local and create a detailed hike plan to ensure safety and enjoyment.
Exploring the Kelabit Highlands through trekking offers the opportunity to journey from longhouse to longhouse, navigating dense rainforests and traversing rice paddies.
Treks can vary in duration from a few hours to several days, catering to different fitness levels and preferences, from leisurely strolls to challenging jungle hikes.
What to prepare for?
Exploring the numerous trails in the Kelabit Highlands requires the assistance of a local guide who can safely navigate you through the rainforest.
Your guide possesses the expertise to plan and tailor the routes according to your preferences and abilities, ensuring an optimal trekking experience.
However, be prepared to encounter leeches along the way, as they are common in the rainforest environment.
Additionally, it’s essential to bring spare cell phone and camera batteries since charging facilities may not be available during your trek.
This ensures that you can capture and document your adventure without interruption.
Hiring a Guide
The only way to explore the Kelabit Highlands is with a local guide.
The locals running the guesthouses in Bario can organize a wide variety of short walks.
For longer treks, you need to hire an experienced local guide who knows the area well.
The peak tourism season is during July and August.
So it is worthwhile to make arrangements with your guesthouse or guide well in advance by email or phone.
There is a growing shortage of guides, generally, there’s no problem when it is not peak season.
However, you may need to hang out and chill for a day or two in Bario if you do not book ahead.
Sometimes, the guides go on a multiday trek and may not return for a couple of days.
What is the going rate for a guide?
For day trips or longer treks based in Bario, here are the standard rates:
The daily rate for a guide: is RM150 per day Daily rate for a porter: is RM120 per day
Keep in mind that some river trips or travel by 4WD may incur additional costs.
It’s important to note that hiring a porter is mandatory as a precaution in case the lead guide becomes injured or sick during the trek.
You can connect with other travelers in Bario if you’d like to share the cost of a guide.
Accommodation in Longhouses:
A night’s stay plus three meals: RM90 per person per day
The tribes residing in the longhouses generally have limited financial resources.
While gifts are not obligatory, they are appreciated.
It’s customary to offer RM15 if you’re served tea or coffee to cover the costs.
Camping in the Rainforest
You will need to bring along gear f for jungle camping.
These are not available for purchase in Bario, so remember to bring your own.
You can check with Bario Asal Longhouse to rent the equipment if it is available.
For camping equipment, you will need either
- a sleeping bag
- hammock with mosquito net
- bedroll
For camping, it is approximately RM120 per night.
You will be asked to supply food prepared and cooked for you and your guide when you stay in a longhouse.
Trekking in One Direction Only
To trek in only one direction, whether from Bario to Ba Kelalan or vice versa, it’s necessary to hire both a guide and a porter.
This is because the trek spans two days, requiring overnight stays.
Hiring a porter ensures that the guide does not have to spend the night alone in the forest.
TRAVEL TIPS: When embarking on hikes deep into the jungle, it’s highly recommended to engage the services of a guide. Venturing alone into the rainforest is not advisable due to safety concerns and the potential risks involved.
Bario Salt Springs
Exploring one of the intriguing jungle industries of the Kelabit people, we discovered the traditional practice of extracting salt from natural salt springs.
The Sarawak Highland spring salt, renowned for its rich mineral content, is produced through this age-old process.
Accompanied by a knowledgeable local guide certified in nature exploration, we embarked on an adventure along the Bario logging road, delving into the forest for a trek toward a natural salt spring.
Lubang Garam Pa Umor
Lubang Garam Pa Umor stands out as one of the most renowned Bario salt springs. It yields the highly coveted salt with its natural mineral content.
The process of salt extraction is straightforward:
- Spring water is drawn and collected, then boiled in a large pot over a firewood flame.
- As the water evaporates, the salt residue remains.
- The extracted salt is then placed into bamboo pipes.
- These bamboo pipes are subjected to burning over a fire for approximately 24 hours, facilitating the hardening of the salt.
- Once hardened, the salt cylinders are carefully wrapped with large leaves and secured with rattan strips to ensure their dryness during transportation.
Kelabit or Bario Salt Production
The Kelabit people also produce their own salt known as Kelabit or Bario salt.
This salt is obtained by evaporating salty water sourced from salt springs found in the highlands.
The process involves boiling the salty water until all the water evaporates, leaving behind the salt residue at the bottom of a “kawang” or large cooking utensil.
Once the water has completely evaporated, the remaining salt is collected and placed into bamboo pipes. These bamboo pipes are then burned over a fire to further harden the salt.
After hardening, the salt is wrapped in large leaves to be stored in dry and safe locations.
The production process of Bario Salt involves heating mineral-rich spring water, resulting in the creation of this prized local delicacy.
Kelabit or Bario salt is utilized in cooking and also serves as a means to preserve meat.
Megaliths near Bario
The enigmatic Kelabit megalith markers, concealed within the depths of the jungle surrounding Bario, hold profound spiritual significance for the community.
These markers are just one example of over 300 cultural sites scattered throughout the region.
In Lun Bawang tradition, these megaliths are linked to the legendary figure known as Upai Semarang.
This revered warrior’s legacy includes leaving carvings and markings on numerous rocks across various areas.
Batu Narit in Pa’ Umor
Batu Narit, located in Pa’ Umor, is a significant landmark characterized by a large rock adorned with a carving depicting a human figure with outstretched arms, situated amidst a field.
The Cultured Rainforest Project, initiated on 1 April 2007, represents a series of extensive research endeavors aimed at exploring the intricate relationship between the local communities and the rainforest ecosystem.
Reference: The Cultured Rainforest Project
Bario to Ba Kelalan Trek
For a comprehensive exploration of the Kelabit Highlands, the three—to four-day trek from Bario to Ba Kelalan offers an immersive journey through diverse terrains.
On the first day, the trek begins with a leisurely walk from Bario to Pa’ Lungan.
The initial part of the trail follows an open path for about an hour before delving into the jungle, tracing the historic route between the two villages.
Alternatively, if trekking isn’t your preference, there are other options to connect Bario to Pa’ Lungan:
- Combine a boat ride with a one-hour hike.
- Opt for a bumpy 90-minute 4WD journey.
These alternatives provide varied experiences for travelers seeking to explore the Kelabit Highlands beyond the traditional trekking route.
Gunung Murud
Sarawak’s highest mountain, standing at 2423 meters, is situated within the 598-square-kilometer Pulong Tau National Park.
This park is interconnected by trails leading to Ba Kelalan and Bario.
The trail to the mountain is challenging and presents an adventure suited for the most physically fit individuals.
Since 1985, evangelical Christians in the region have undertaken annual pilgrimages up the mountain for prayer meetings, adding a spiritual dimension to the trek.
Aside from mountain trekking, other activities in the area include:
- A Bario tour by 4×4 wheel drive, offering visits to various Longhouses such as Bario, Pa’rampur upper and lower, and Pa’ukat longhouses.
- Exploring the renowned Bario Adan rice fields, celebrated as the world’s best and finest rice.
- Visiting the Bario museum to learn about the local culture and heritage.
- Engaging in hands-on experiences such as learning about Kelabit bukus rice, cooking organic dishes, and making traditional snacks like sanapeh kueh provides opportunities for immersive cultural experiences and culinary exploration.
Travel buddies gather for a group photo under the lush foliage of a passion fruit vine, capturing memories of their adventure together.
On our final evening in Bario, we savored a memorable traditional dinner at the Ulung Palang Longhouse.
Our dinner spread included bowls of local delicacies such as asparagus with dried fish, river fern, chives, tapioca leaf, and sambal.
We also enjoyed chicken steamed in ginger leaves, a flavorful and aromatic dish, alongside porridge infused with dried mustard, creating a rich and comforting meal that reflected the essence of Kelabit cuisine.
References: The Kelabit of the Kelabit Highlands
[Updated 28 April 2024]
