SMARTguide - Sarawak

I CULTURE I ADVENTURE I NATURE I FOOD I FESTIVALS
It is the starting point for a
number of treks throughout the
area (for virtually all fitness
levels). One can also go kayaking
or be immersed in the mystical
tales of the megaliths that
dot the area. For the really
adventurous, Bario is either
the starting or the ending point
of the arduous 5 day /4 night
Bario-Ba’kelalan jungle trekking
adventure.
“What would you say makes
Bario different?”, I asked the
chief.
“Of course, there is the Bario rice,
then there is the pineapple. It
grows all over Borneo, but it’s not
as sweet as in Bario. Maybe it’s
because of the climate, or maybe
the altitude. Another thing that
is different here is the weather,
which is much cooler than on the
coast,” he replies.
Batu Ritang
Megalith
THE
MEGALITHS
OF THE BARIO
HIGHLANDS
The region is dotted with massive
man-made stone structures
known as megaliths. Perhaps the
best known is the Ritong stone, or
Batu Ritong, at Pa Lungan, a little
under an hour by 4-wheel-drive
from Bario town. It is thought to
be a burial ground for a Kelabit
nobleman named Ritong dating
from hundreds of years ago. The
site was excavated in 1962 by
British soldier Tom Harrison, and
originally, the structure was standing
straight upright. However, over the
years, Batu Ritong has tilted, and is
now at a 45° angle
It’s hard to pin down a single
“selling point” for this place.
Perhaps the key differentiator is
the fact that there are so many
points – all important.
The homestays provide lodging
and full board, with meals quite
often consisting of organic
Bario highland rice, wild boar
or venison, and jungle plants,
topped off with local pineapple.
All organic of course
Sunset over the Bario
countryside
PESTA NUKENEN
AN ETHNIC “SLOW FOOD” FESTIVAL
UNLIKE ANY OTHER
Founded in 2005, the Bario Food and
Cultural Festival, or “Pesta Nukenen” is
one of the most exceptional ethnic food
festivals in Malaysia.
The three-day annual Nukenen
Festival, generally held in the month
of July, celebrates the unique food,
farming, forest and cultural heritage
of the Bario Highlands, with visitors
enjoying delicious organic food cooked by
the various longhouse communities of the
Kelabit Highlands.
As space is very limited on flights to Bario,
it is recommended to organise visits to
Bario well ahead of time via local DMCs
who are able to coordinate transport and
accommodation
Preparing “Nubag
Layag” during Pesta
Nukenen
Local dishes include “Nubag Layag” –
sticky Bario rice wrapped in a leaf called
an “Isit”. Even up until today, this is the
standard food local farmers carry with
them as snacks when working in the fields.
Another “must have” is the “Pucuk Ubek”,
a fine concoction of pounded tapioca
leaves. And don’t miss the “Urum Ubek”,
or glutinous rice fritters.
www.sarawaktourism.com
SMART GUIDE 17