From pristine underwater marine life, untouched coral reefs to rich heritage, and from wilderness to modern city landscape, Sarawak is a potpourri of experiences appreciated by travellers from all over the world.
Head into Sarawak's interiors and be enthralled by the fascinating and enchanting dances of multi-ethnic tribes living harmoniously with each other.
Indeed, Sarawak is home to 28 ethnic groups each with its own distinct language, culture and lifestyle. The Ibans form the major ethnic group on this land with about 30.1 per cent of the total population for the year 2000 census. The Chinese, who generally live in the cities, are the second largest group at 26.7 per cent, followed by the Bidayuh, Melanau and other native tribes of Sarawak. The Malays also constitute a large portion (23 per cent) of the population, mainly living along the coast.
Sarawakians practise a variety of religions, which include Islam, Christianity, Chinese folk religion (a fusion of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and ancestor wordship), Baha'i and animism. Many converts to Christianity among the Dayak people also continue to practice traditional ceremonies, particularly dual marriage rites and important harvest and ancestral festivals such as Gawai Dayak and Gawai Antu.
The capital city of Sarawak
Kuching is the capital of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. Being the most populous city in the state of Sarawak, Kuching has emerged as one of the most vibrant cities in the region and it is the largest city on the island of Borneo as well as the fourth largest city in Malaysia. Kuching was elevated to city status on 1 August 1988 and carries the nickname of Cat City.
Kuching is situated at the banks of the Sarawak River on the North-Western part of the island of Borneo. It has a tropical rainforest climate (Koppen climate classification Af), moderately hot but very humid at times, with substantial rainfall.
Kuching is also the 4th largest urban area in Malaysia, after Kuala Lumpur-Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Bahru. The 2006 census indicated that Greater Kuching's metropolitan area, including Asajaya, Samarahan and Bau-Lundu consisted of 980,000 inhabitants.
The majority of people in Kuching communicate in Bahasa Melayu (Malay Language) and English. English is more widely spoken in Kuching than the Malay Language due to various dialect languages. The Malay dialect spoken in Kuching is known as Bahasa Sarawak (Sarawakian Malay Language), which has lexical differences compared to the dialect spoken in Peninsular Malaysia. Because of this, the Malay Language is not considered of paramount importance by residents of Kuching.
For more information on getting around Kuching & accommodation available, please visit
Sarawak Tourism Board
Video from Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB)
Video from Tourism Malaysia
For further information, please contact:
RCOG 2012 Congress Secretariat
A Working Title Events Sdn Bhd
E-3-14, Block E, Plaza Damas
Jalan Sri Hartamas 1
50480 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
Tel: +603 6201 1858
Fax: +603 6201 1850
Email: info@rcog2012.com
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