The people that live there
There are over 40 sub-ethnic groups in Sarawak and three main
linguistic groups: Biatah, Singai-Jagoi, and Bukar and Sadong. In the
Bau region located about 40 minutes from Kuching, the major sub-ethnic
group are the Singai-Jagoi Bidayuhs. Bidayuh, which translates to
‘people of the land’, were formerly known as the Land Dayaks and they
make up the second largest native ethnic group in Sarawak after the
Ibans.
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| People of the Bidayuh tribe during the Gawai Dayak festival | Photo credit: CHEN WS / Shutterstock.com |
Tribes in the Bau region are believe to have come from West
Kalimantan some 700 years ago. In particular, the Jagoi-Bratak people
chose to settle on top of Mount Bratak where they felt it was safe, and
that actually held true for quite some time as the settlement was well
fortified and flourished.
Tribal conflict
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| Dayaks in Sarawak, from the Tropenmuseum, part of the National Museum of World Cultures |
But in 1837, a rival tribe known as the Skrang Ibans invaded the Bratak tribe settlement atop Bung Bratak. Many
men were killed while women and children were abducted. After that,
many moved down the hill and formed different villages around Bau.
A memorial was erected atop Bung
Bratak in 1988 to commemorate this tragedy and Bidayuhs from all over
the region hike up this mountain on 1st May each year as a sign of respect for their ancestors. Today, May 1st is known as Bung Bratak Day.
The gold miners’ rebellion and the birth of the town
Gold mining was a huge industry in Sarawak, especially in this area
and Chinese labourers were brought into work on the mines. One day,
there was a rebellion by irate and persecuted gold miners against the
White Rajah.
The story goes that in 1857 as the rebellion raged on, the White
Rajah’s forces pursued the rebels who ended up retreating into a cave.
The soldiers lit a huge fire at the entrance of the cave to flush the
rebels out but instead this resulted in the rebels suffocating to death
and being engulfed in flames.
The cave is now widely known as the Ghost Cave, and the area became
known as ‘Bau’ – which means ‘smelly’ in English – because of the rather
unpleasant smell that would come from such a tragic event.
An alternative story is that the Bidayuh in the region started to
trade with the Chinese gold miners and some even settled around the
mines, calling this the New Village, or Kupua Baauh.
Non-Biyaduhs found it difficult to pronounce Baauh (like ‘bow’ as in ‘take a bow’) and the name ended up becoming Bau.
However, in Bahasa Melayu, bau is still officially pronounced as ba-u
but Bau, the town, is more accurately pronounced as bow. This is a less
gruesome, if somewhat confusing, story for the origin of the name of
this small town.
What is there to do in Bau?
East Malaysia is home to many of the country’s natural wonders and
Bau may be small, but it has plenty to offer anyone willing to explore
its colourful heritage and terrain.
Try rock climbing at the Fairy Cave
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| Photo credit: Tom De Mulder |
Located about six kilometres away from the centre of Bau, this cave
has eight separate walls for climbing with varying levels of difficulty.
The climbing walls have hangars and bolts that are certified by the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (IMCF) and
has become popular a destination for avid rock climbers. Beginners or
first time Fairy Cave scalers can start with the Batman Start and then
move on to more difficult climbs.
If you’re not into scaling rocky walls, you can explore the cave
itself as there are marked walkways that go through it. Again, some
trails are easier than others, with the more challenging one requiring
specialised spelunking equipment and knowledge. So, first timers are
encouraged to stay on easier paths.
Explore the Wind Cave Nature Reserve
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| Inside of the Wind Cave | Photo credit: Moin Uddin |
The Wind Cave Nature Reserve spans about 6 hectares and has been
gazetted as a nature reserve to protect the cave itself, called the Wind
Cave, and some rare species flora found in the surrounding forest,
including the arenga pinnata, and the calamus ornatus. Unlike
the rough Fairy Cave, the Wind Cave is a tubular, smooth limestone cave
and it was formed roughly 60 million years ago during the
Jurassic-Cretaceous period,the age of dinosaurs.
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| Walkway at the Wind Cave | Photo credit: Moin Uddin |
There’s a small stream that flows through the cave which joins the
Sungai Sarawak Kanan on the northern end and the main cave passageway is
equipped with a one kilometre plank walk for easy exploration.One
creature to look out for in the cave is, of course, bats; specifically
Dusky Fruit Bats and a number of insect-eating species. Also, you’ll be
able to see stalactite and stalagmites that are millions of years old
and possibly even swiftlets that like to nest in the cave
Enjoy the view at Tasik Biru
Tasik Biru translates to Blue Lake, and it was previously known as
Tai Parit Lake. This man-made lake is a result of gold mining back when
Bau was a booming gold mining town and it was names Blue Lake because of
the way the water reflects the sky. Beautiful though the lake is, a
sign was put up to warn visitors not to swim in the lake, or fish or
even drink the water as as it contains high levels of arsenic, probably
due to long periods of mining which exposed naturally occurring arsenic
compounds.
Even so, back in the 1950s there was an annual sail-boat competition
held on the lake called the Bau Jong Regatta. Now, the competition is
part of a bigger annual celebration, the Tasik Biru Festival usually
held in October, which include other water sport activities organised by
the Bau Distrit Council.
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| Raft race at the Taik Biru Festival 2014 | Photo credit: Bau District Council |
Although the arsenic level of the lake still leaves the water unsafe for consumption, the Bau District Officer was assured by the National Resources and Environment Board (NREB) that it is safe to hold water sport activities on the lake. So, you might want to plan your trip with the festival in mind.
Climb up Mount Singai to the Catholic Memorial and Pilgrimage Centre
For something brighter than caves and less poisonous than arsenic,
you could take a little trip to a church on a hill. In 1885, Fr. Felix
Westerwoudt started a missionary church in a longhouse atop Mount Singai
and over the years, this church has become a significant part of the
community there.
In 1981, another priest, Fr. Sepp Schrader initiated the rebuilding
of the church to include a new longhouse and chapel which was completed
in 1987. Ever since it was rebuilt, the church has attracted visitors,
both religious and non-religious from around the country and it has
since expanded to include accommodations and other facilities – all
built voluntarily by the community.
Even if you’re not religious, the hike up to this church is worth the
time and effort. The compound is surrounded with greenery and fresh
air, and you’ll be able to see fruit trees, wild ferns, wild flowers and
an incredible view from the top of Mount Singai.
Take the Bau history trail
If you’d prefer a more relaxed and less taxing tour of Bau, you can consider taking the Bau History Trail organised by Kuching Off Road.
The history trail takes you through Bau town, stopping at all the
interesting sites, including gold mines, ancient volcanoes, a Bidayuh
village, the Wind Cave, fossil beds, and if you’re interested, a visit
to a colony of pitcher plants native to the Bau region – all this in a
comfortable four wheel drive.
This history trail is probably the best one-day tour option if you’re
looking to explore the essence of Bau efficiently and with the least
amount of walking.
Visit the Serikin weekend border market
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| Serikin market | Photo credit: Jasni / Shutterstock.com |
A little further out to the edge of Bau is the Serikin market, which
is only 3 kilometres from the Malaysia-Indonesia border. The market is
only open on weekend and is quite popular among the locals – both
Malaysian and Indonesian.
You can find myriad stalls here selling numerous things from local keropok
(chips) to hand-made crafts like batik and woven mats; ornamental
plants like wild orchids to dried and fresh food stuff. Items here are
cheap and haggling may not be necessary but if you’re looking for a good
place to practice your bargaining skills, this is it.
Kayak along Sungai Sarawak Kanan
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| Kayaking along Sarawak River | Photo credit: Chang’r |
One of the river that runs through Bau is Sungai Sarawak Kanan which
translates to the Right Sarawak River. Basically, the main Sarawak river
diverges just outside Bau and the separated streams which flow through
Bau are simply referred to as the Left and Right Sarawak River.
For some adrenalin-pumping fun, you can book a kayaking trip that
starts at a small village in Bau called Krokong and ends at the Wind
Cave. Along the route, you’ll encounter some exciting rapids and
limestone hills. As part of the package by kuchingkayak.com, you’ll even get to rest at a beach along the way and take a dip in the refreshing mountain stream.
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| Kayaking along Sarawak River | Photo credit: Chang’r |
The tour company is based in Kuching though, which means the package
includes transportation from Kuching to Bau and back. So, you might have
to negotiate a special package if you’d rather just start and end the
tour in Bau.
Fun fact: National diver Pandalela Rinong is from Kupuo Jugan in Bau.
Map of Bau
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