Bruit Island - The Venice Of Sarawak

Gold Arawana, on his memorable trip to Bruit Island, Sarawak

Scenic view of a canal at Bruit Island.

Kuching to Mukah

It takes me about one hour by twin otter flight from Kuching to Mukah, where this smallest plane belongs to Malaysian Airlines Systems (MAS) connecting most of the rural area in Sarawak. It can accommodated 19 passengers, and fly as low as 7,000 ft above the sea level will give an impressive aerial views of natural beauties. The web of rivers, big and small and the settlements along the river reflects the connectivity of between rivers and life. In some area, even the passengers can witness the live rapist to the Sarawak’s wealthy, the jungles. Almost everybody see it, but most are closing their eye on this consider non-crime activity. Or in other word, it is consider legal, only in Sarawak!

At Mukah, is a small airport which was built maybe thirty or twenty years ago, originally was a grass turfing airport, but now upgraded to sealed runway where bigger aicraft even can land on it. This airport is located just feet away from the seashore, giving a beautiful scene of muddy beach.

Mukah to Daro

It was a pleasure to drive from Mukah to Daro, a small town popular for it “Terubok”, where I will take a speedboat to the isolated island of Bruit. Mukah and Daro is well connected by roads which take about two hours drive (to my standard of driving, I am driving as slow as a snail anyway). Crossing Batang Igan by a ferry is the most bored part in the trip; I have to wait for almost half an hour! Arrived at Daro, I found a never-eaten terubok replica at the wharf. Of course, before my journey to the Bruit Island, I have to feed my empty stomach with special terubok steam. It was the unforgotten dish in my life! Anybody who visit Daro, please try one!

(Terubuk photo is taken by Mr Toh Chee Leong (Http://cheeleongtoh.blogspot.com )

Daro to Bruit Island

It takes me another one hour by speedboat to Bruit Island by speedboat. On the left and right are mangroves trees, the paradise of thousand species of fauna!

The local fishermen are on their small boats, bringing home their today’s food, and tomorrow they have come again as it become routines. The bigger fishermen’s ships and barge carrying almost everything; logs, construction materials, cars and foods are the frequent users of the rivers. Of course express boats, the main transport for this area are passing every hour. This no doubt, that river plays the main roles in this very inaccessible area. However, the first time visitors will gain great experience on this!

Arrived at Bruit are not much different views from Daro town. The fisherman’s village is laid along the narrow man-made canals, the only transportation mode that connecting the northern part of scattered settlements. There is a road, but vehicles are not running on it except the motorcyclist to their nearest farms. Paddy farmers and fishing are the only activity that spurs the locals’ economy. On most of their routine activities, canals and rivers are their very best friend.

The used of boats are common, wooden bridges are almost every fifty meters and some are less creates an impressive view along the canals. This scenario is really a copy of Venice in Italy, but Venice is actually a modern city and too far to be equal to the Bruit Island.

Bruit Island anyway has his own attractive, “salai lomek”and “sesar”, the popular productions of the island are almost everywhere, runs by every family. These two dry foods are prepared in traditional ways and totally hand made! Of course, this two items are the must buy souvenirs for the visitors. The only doubtful to me is the price; the villagers have to sell their products to the middle man who could sell it up to two or three folds at nearest major towns.

The villagers actually have no choice; there is no other cheaper transportation mode to trade their product!

For those visit this island for the first time, “Prawn Mee” is the must try breakfast. This is normally a curry Maggi Mee cooked with fresh water prawn.

The villagers are friendly, talkative on their hopes to get more development to their kampongs. Where the rivers and canals are their most valuable assets, sharing by all the villagers for almost all activities, I can imagine that maybe the island will one day become the Venice of Sarawak. Of course it will take not as short as 100 years, by the assistant of developments of their land into commercial agriculture on oil palms and paddy, this will no absurd.

The roads and ferry to connect the island to the mainland is now ready at the southern portion, the whole island is expected to be well connected by roads. The important and popularity of its canals and rivers will be a history!

A primary school in Bruit Island, produce the future leader and developer of Bruit Island....

Other information about Bruit Island

Bruit Island is also accesible by express boat from Sarikei Town which take about three hours, and from Sibu Town which will take about four hours trip. Most of the tribe in in this island are Melanau, but they speak in different language from Melanau in Mukah and Dalat.

There is also an Iban longhouse on the southern of the island. The island being gazette as National Park mainly on birds sanctury, where thousands of species of birds will be temporary assembled before continue their never-end travels.

Paddy, another core product of Bruit Island...

Traditional processing of "Salai Lomek"