Things to Do in Sibu

Sibu sits at the confluence of the Rejang and Igan rivers, 60 km inland from the South China Sea in central Sarawak. The city is the commercial centre of the Rejang River basin and the starting point for river journeys into Sarawak’s interior. Its population is predominantly Foochow Chinese — descended from Fujian immigrants brought to Sarawak by the Brooke Rajahs in the early 20th century — which gives the city a distinct food culture. Most travellers pass through Sibu to catch an express boat upriver. The city deserves more than transit time.

Sibu Central Market

The multi-storey Sibu Central Market is the largest wet market in Sarawak and the most practical place to understand the city’s food culture. The lower levels handle fresh produce — river fish, jungle ferns, and tropical vegetables alongside standard market produce. The upper floors have hawker stalls selling Foochow-style food from early morning.

The thing to eat here is kampua mee — a Foochow noodle dish of lard-fried noodles with char siu pork and a light sauce, served dry with a small soup on the side. Sibu’s kampua is widely regarded as the best in Sarawak and is Sibu’s most emphatic claim to a culinary identity. The stalls are busiest between 07:00 and 09:30.

The Rejang River: Kapit and Beyond

The primary reason most independent travellers come to Sibu is the express boat service upriver. The Rejang is the longest river in Malaysia; the upper reaches pass through increasingly remote territory, connecting Iban, Orang Ulu, and Penan communities in the interior.

To Kapit: Express boats depart from Sibu’s wharf in the early morning (typically 06:00–11:00 depending on water levels) and arrive in Kapit after 2.5 hours (RM35–45 one way). Kapit is the last large town before the river narrows significantly. The town itself is a useful base for visits to Iban longhouses in the surrounding area.

To Belaga: A further 3-hour boat journey from Kapit (river level permitting — in dry season the upper Rejang is sometimes too low for regular boats). Belaga is the gateway to the remote upper Rejang and Orang Ulu territory.

Express boat travel on the Rejang is a genuinely worthwhile experience — the river life visible from the boat, the forested banks, and the progression from urban to rural Malaysia across a few hours is one of Sarawak’s more immersive transitions.

Iban and Orang Ulu Longhouse Visits

Longhouse visits — staying overnight or making a day visit to a traditional Iban longhouse — are one of Sarawak’s most distinctive travel experiences. The longhouses around Kapit and Belaga are more accessible to independent travellers than those deeper in the interior; those around Sibu itself are fewer and closer to the city, which affects the atmosphere.

Tour operators based in Sibu (along the waterfront near the wharf) can arrange guided longhouse visits ranging from day trips to multi-night stays with transport, accommodation in the longhouse, and meals with the community. The quality of these experiences varies significantly with the operator and the specific longhouse. It is important to use operators who have established relationships with the communities and pay fairly for access.

Sibu Heritage Centre

The Heritage Centre, housed in a converted waterfront building near the central market, covers the history of Sibu’s Foochow community alongside the broader history of the Rejang River and its peoples — Iban, Melanau, Malay, and Chinese. The collection is modest but well-organised and informative for understanding why Sibu looks and feels distinctly different from Kuching despite being in the same state. Admission is free.

Lau King Howe Hospital Museum

This preserved mission hospital — established in 1922 — is a low-profile but genuinely interesting site. The original medical equipment, operating rooms, and records are displayed in the colonial-era building. It provides context for Sarawak’s mission history and the role of medical services in the Rejang River region during the Brooke era.

Swan Lake and the Esplanade

The central Swan Lake park and the Rejang River esplanade provide a practical orientation walk through the city’s civic heart. The esplanade — a paved walkway along the river — gives a clear view of the river traffic and the scale of the Rejang. Not a destination in itself, but useful context for understanding the city’s relationship with the river that defines it.

Kuching is the other Sarawak anchor city — a 45-minute flight or a long bus journey from Sibu. Most travellers to Sarawak combine both. For Borneo wildlife, see our Borneo wildlife guide. Day tours from Sibu covering the market and a river trip can be arranged through operators based at the waterfront.