Muara Tebas Seafood Village @ Kuching, Sarawak

Meow! Boarding an 1 hour 45 minutes flight has brought me to the land of Bumi Kenyalang, and this is my first day trip at Kuching. At the coastal area of Sarawak, seafood hunting is definitely a must-do. And we found this popular spot among locals and tourists alike, Muara Tebas Seafood (青山岩海鲜).

After approximately 30 minutes drive from town, we arrive at the Muara Tebas fishing village which is famous for two things--- Fresh seafood and a 200-year-old chinese temple.

Perched atop a hill 120-feet above sea level, Ching San Yen (古晋青山巖), or Green Hill Temple, overlooks a Malay kampung. Located directly opposite the temple is a row of seafood restaurants, and the best one is of course Muara Tebas Seafood Village. Here you can enjoy the best of both world--- Fresh seafood and affordable price.

This fisherman's village restaurant is operated by the Chinese, 

so you can expect the seafood to be prepared in traditional Chinese methods.

Here you can enjoy the luxury of choosing live crustaceans, fishes, clams and lots more.

Fresh Coconut Water

Unlike the mini coconuts we usually have during steamboat sessions, here the coconuts are freshly plucked from the tree, then cut and served to the customers for the best enjoyment by the sea.

Steamed Shrimps with Garlic Ginger Scallion

The biggest applause is saved for the delicious shrimps. Beautifully cooked to perfection, the steamed shrimps remain moist and succulent inside while giving a nice crunchy texture with a faint flavouring of spices. 

Love the beautiful texture, otherwise overcooked flesh becomes tough and chewy.

Sour and Sweet Deep Fried Frish

The crispy exterior is complemented with soft and fresh interior of fish, with zesty sauce and pineapple cubes adding a refreshing twist to the fish. I enjoy every mouthful of the flaky flesh! 

Clams in Ginger and Chive Clear Broth

Here is another special main dish that will keep the guests glued to their seats. Served piping hot in a claypot, the succulent clams lend strong oceanic sweetness to the gingery soup, allowing it to be equally flavourful and good.

Oyster Pancake

Tasty treat like oyster pancake is meant for sharing while we enjoy the rest of the main dishes. Every bit is quite delicious because of the combination of fresh oyster and a dip of sweet soy sauce, although it is a tad oily for me. 

Stir Fried Bittergourd with Eggs

Our seafood feast is also paired with some home-cooked favourites, such as the stir fried bittergourds with shredded carrots and egg. On its own, the bittergourd is sweet, the accompanying gravy is creamy, but together they are delicious and go well with steamed rice. 

Fried Water Spinach with Eggs

We actually order the above 6 dishes for 4 of us and I have to admit that my stomach is filled to the brim! Overall, it is a lovely seafood meal at a wooden hut facing the sea. Pricewise, it is very pocket-friendly! With the same dishes, you probably can't get any cheaper than this in town.

Verdict:

1. Service is prompt and friendly.
2. Highly recommended place to visit if your wallet is tight and craving for high-quality seafood.
3. Must-order items: Steamed Shrimps with Garlic Ginger Scallion, Clams in Ginger and Chive Clear Broth

Muara Tebas Seafood (青山岩海鲜)

Kampung Muara Tebas,
Sejingkat,
Kuching,
Sarawak.
GPS: 1.646078, 110.483852

Trip to Bario, Sarawak: Sheep Farm & Salt Spring

Here comes the final update for my Bario Discovery Trip! From Ngimat Ayu Homestay to Pineapple Harvesting,  I guess I have given you a rough idea on what to do in Bario. For the really adventurous, Bario is either the starting or the ending of the arduous 5 days 4 nights Bario-Ba'kelalan jungle trekking adventure.

Well, for a more relaxing trip, we have Ruran, the girl next to me who is a local Kelabit to bring us around the village in her four-wheel drive truck. Bumpy roads are unavoidable, but she has driven us far towards another settlement next to Bario for her family-owned sheep farm. 

 SHEEP FARM

Ruran's private Sheep Farm has been passed down since her grandfather's generation,

and now she is the only person taking care of the enormous herd of sheep!

The moment I step into this private hill area, I thought, "Are you serious, Ruran? The whole place belongs to you?" I wish we have such beautiful place in Peninsular Malaysia too! Here it is definitely not commercialized--- Not open for public visit ya.

Those with overgrown furs are older sheep, but they are all very human-friendly and don't shy away from us.

Look, the young ones are so cuteee!! 

I have always thought sheep loves eating grass, but now we are feeding them with Kelabit salt.
It gives more nutrients to them, according to Ruran.

Credits to Ruran who takes such a beautiful picture! Looking at this picture, it reminds me of Windows wallpaper LOL. I just couldn't believe that such beautiful scenery actually exists in our home country.

KELABIT SALT SPRING

After that, we change to rubber shoes provided by Ngimat Ayu Homestay and long pants for jungle trekking at Pa' Umor, another village located at the east of Bario which is only a few kilometres from the Indonesian border.

Our journey of 2km hike takes around 20 to 30 minutes. Perhaps the actual time taken for such a short hike should be lesser if we don't stop to take selfies and eat the wild fruits. 

We have to pass by a passing bridge in the jungle, thanks Uncle Larry for being our lead!

And finally we arrive at Lubang Garam Pa' Umor, the place where Bario Spring Roasted Salt is produced!

It is one of the best-known Bario salt springs, with a well in the wooden hut 

where the villagers extract the spring water containing brine (Salt solution).

The mineral salt water is boiled continuously for 24 hours in the barrel before the salt is extracted.

I can imagine the painstaking process of facing constant heat and smoke from the charcoal burning for days and nights although the natives usually take turn to look after the fire. All thanks to the buffalo which carries the wood from the jungle, the process is less burdensome. 

After 24 hours, the water will dry up, leaving the salt with slight moisture. Then the powdery salt will be dried it in the bamboo under bright sunlight to ensure it is completely free from moisture. That's why Kelabit salt is highly prized here!

Another unique thing about this cultural site is, you can leave your name onto the wooden walls,
by writing it using a piece of charcoal. I'm glad to leave my footprint here!!

The path of getting out of the jungle is more challenging because we take a shortcut which is only a 10 minutes hike but full of muds and bushes. Look at our shoes after the hike, it is probably best to describe the muddiness in the route we take. 

Yay! We're finally out of the jungle, and the mountain I'm pointing at is actually the peak of Gunung Murud! Can you believe how near we are away from the mountain? The weather here is super breezy and chilling, so this is probably my first sweat-free trekking in the jungle. 

That's all for my adventure in Bario!

Overall, Bario is a wonderful place for nature lovers and adventurous travellers. It never feels the same again after returning to the city. And I miss the people, food, picturesque scenery and most importantly, the experience that will never leave my heart!

More about my Kuching/Bario Discovery Trip:

1. Day trip at Kuching

2. Muara Tebas Seafood Village

3. 10 Facts You Need to Know About Bario

4. Ngimat Ayu Homestay

5. Pineapple Harvesting, Rice Mill, Paddy Field Experience 

Trip to Bario, Sarawak: Pineapple Hill, Rice Mill, Paddy Field

During my stay at Ngimat Ayu Homestay in Bario, we have a tour guide to bring us around Bario. I'd call it a Bario discovery trip, because this journey opens my eyes to many different experiences that I have not seen before!

 PINEAPPLES!!!

I bet it is a common fact that Sarawak is famous for its juicy sweet pineapples. Well, I have been eating them everyday from Bario all the way to KL, and simply can't resist its honey-like sweetness. But this is the first time of eating pineapples that I pluck by myself! 

The pineapple hill is owned by one of the friendly villagers, who allow us to climb up her hill and pluck her pineapples! I am so surprised to hear that, because in KL who on earth would allow a stranger to cross her territory and steal her fruits? I may be accused and sued for stealing -.-

In Bario, it is a total different story. We can chill as long as we want on top of the pineapple hill and pluck as many pineapples as we can carry down the hill! Oh ya, you must be wondering how can we sit by the thorny pineapple plants? 

Interestingly, the leaves of pineapple plants here are thornless! They are thick, silky smooth and waxy, but soft and will not cut the skin at all. On the hill, we learn some pineapple knowledge from Uncle Harry. Red pineapples are very young ones, so do not ever pluck them ;)

Pineapples here are sold as cheap as RM2 per kg, meaning only RM1 per piece because of its petite size!

Although the pineapple harvest season has passed in July, we are lucky to be able to pluck some fresh pineapples from the hill! But that's definitely not enough...I bought loads of pineapple jams and fresh pineapples home!

Do you know that the shoots of the pineapples are edible? They are equally juicy and crunchy like the fruit itself!

*Feeling happy that I conquer the pineapple hill!*

Another famous souvenir from Bario is the Homemade Pineapple Jam (RM5 per bottle)-- Purely made of real fruit, without blending the flesh. Therefore the pineapple spread is loaded with shredded pineapple flesh that adds some crunchiness to it.

Good to go with plain pancakes for breakfast too!!

PADDY FIELD

Does "Beras Bario" sound familiar to you? Here is the land of producing high-quality rice under mountainous landscape and cool temperature, and I'm glad to be here exploring the paddy fields on the high terrains of Bario.

It is fun to see the seedlings growing into young paddy stalks! But I'm slacking while the others are busy "working" on the puddles of water. According to Nenek, the rice here is very labour-intensive to cultivate due to the lack of modern technology, and I'm proud of her for being able to work on the paddy field by herself!

RICE MILL

Being the heaven of rice, Bario rice factory is a must-visit place here! As an incentive to the villagers, there are plenty of high-tech machinery to process their fruit of labour. From separating the stalks and rice to packaging, everything is done here before being exported to the rest of the country. 

Say Hello to the giant!

My favourite brown rice!! I also bought few packs of brown rice home,
 despite of the crazy high price, because I believe in quality and health.

The special 1kg package is exclusive for tourists to bring home as souvenir! I don't mind carrying few more kilos back, although I heard it is available at some organic shop in KL (But at a higher price, of course!)

And finally I know this is the authentic Beras Bario used by Borneo Soap for its natural homemade organic soap. The painstaking process from growing the rice to moulding it into soap bars makes me appreciate the minerals-loaded rice soap more!

That's all for Part 3 of Bario Discovery Trip; Stay tuned for the next post

for a more adventurous journey!

Ngimat Ayu Homestay @ Bario, Sarawak

Courtesy to Borneo Soap, it is an honor for me to be brought to the land where Borneo Soap's native ingredient is sourced. Bario, is the place where it cultivates high-quality, mineral-rich rice for the making of famous Borneo natural handmade organic soap. Following my post on 10 Facts You Need to Know About Bario, now I gonna blog about my story at Ngimat Ayu Homestay.

Speaking of the accommodation in Bario, I'm surprised that there are actually plenty of homestays to choose from. One of Bario's most renowned accommodation is Nyimat Ayu Homestay as it delivers the cleanest, most comfortable environment with ALL meals provided.

Ideally located at the centre of Bario township, this homestay is surrounded by lush greenery with mountains and ancient terraced rice fields, and is home to the rich and complex cultural heritage of the Kelabits. 

The spacious wooden house takes me by surprise as it is clean, well-kept and beautifully adorned with family photo frames and vintage decors. For the adventurous visitors, the host even provides different sizes of rubber shoes for the ease of jungle trekking. Tourguide service is available at RM100 per day.

ROOMS

It has 4 guestrooms, some with 2 single beds while others with 1 queen sized bed, which can accommodate up to 3 persons per room. The daily room rental per person ranges from RM80 to RM120, depending on how close you are to the owner :P

Visitors can bring their own books or swap with the existing ones brought by past travellers. With a spacious living area, huge verandah with wooden sofas and private rooms for each guest, there was so much room to frolic in.

 Huge verandah with wooden sofas as well as coffee and tea facilities

Also, you can find outdoor benches here to unwind while appreciating the picturesque scenery in the village. 

There are 2 washroom cubicles and 2 bath rooms, each divided by wooden wall.

It can be very dark inside, so a torchlight is a must-bring item to Bario.

Small staircase leading down to the village ;)

MORNING

Early in the morning, the place is very misty, and you can feel the breeze right inside the room. The people in this magical highland are mostly senior citizens as their children have moved out of the village. All of them speak Bahasa Kelabit primarily, but some can speak fluent English due to the high frequency of foreign visitors.

The kitchen here is well-maintained, clean and almost free from oil/smoke despite of the traditional practice of charcoal burning. Did I forget to mention the meals provided here are amazing? Nothing fancy, but each is unique and healthy for me to keep my stomach satisfied.

BREAKFAST

Breakfast wise, they serve potato quiche, plain pancake, kuih-muih (Traditional cakes) and

Nuba' Laya, an unique steamed mashed rice wrapped in banana leaf.

The rice is a traditional Kelabit dish that you must try at Bario! Despite of being just plain rice,
it is slightly salty with a touch of Kelabit salt. I wish I can pack some back to KL!

LUNCH

Our first afternoon meal at Bario is a simple lunch with local flavours and loads of pineapple after lunch! The host generously cooks 4 dishes for 4 of us, out of which 3 are vegetarian. Nasi Goreng Arut (Garlic fried rice) takes the centre stage along with lightly ranched Rebung (Bamboo Sprouts), sambal tumis tomato, fried long beans and omelette.

Pineapples here are extra juicy and sweet, without any tanginess that makes your tongue feel uncomfortable. I'm surprised that it goes well with a dip of Kelabit salt. It's great as afternoon snack while chilling by the verandah.

Our lunch on the second day is equally good with loads of vegetables-- Stir fried cucumber with egg, Pak Choy, sunny side up, Sambal Tumis Ikan Bilis (Fresh Chilli with Anchovies), as well as Mata Kucing and papaya for palate cleanser.

Tastewise, they are very mild and healthy in a way as minimum oil is used for cooking. Another thing I notice is, the cutlery and crockery used are so clean and new! It doesn't feel like dining in such a rural area at all.

DINNER

Approaching evening, the sun sets as early as 5.30pm. Before the electricity generator is turned on, the whole village is overwhelmed with darkness and cool breezes.

For dinner, the portion and variety are more generous as the host's family and all the guests at Nyimat Ayu dine together. It's great to meet a couple of people from KL there, and the dinner serves as a great bonding session for all.

The dinner menu for 6 pax includes stir-fried Kulat Liar (Mushroom), Sayur Midin Masak Belacan (Ferns with chilli shrimp paste), Sambal Tumis Tomato, steamed herbal chicken, ranched Pucuk Ubi (Potato shoots), stir-fried brinjal, egg and corn soup, as well as the staple Bario white rice.

Stir-fried Mushroom is my favourite among all! The mushrooms grow naturally just at the compound of the house during rainy nights, and the next day Nenek plucks and makes them into a dish. How I'd wish to be blessed with natural food everyday! 

To my surprise, Nyimat Ayu Homestay has its private BBQ fireplace and compound for vegetables and chickens there. This is where we have our dinner, overlooking the beautiful landscape.

As for Saturday night, the host has prepared a lovely barbecued dinner for us. Gathering by the fireplace, we enjoy our BBQ rosemary chicken wing along with other local favourites such as pumpkin with shoots, pineapple curry and kangkung.

I notice they hardly serve fish here because it is expensive to get seafood supply from the outsiders. 

Nevertheless, thanks to Aunty Deborah for the amazing meals!

FRIDAY NIGHT

If you're wondering about the nightlife here, there is something interesting going on Friday night!

We head to Takung Cafe, which is 10 minutes walk away, to enjoy the live band performance by the local group. It is a small wooden house that is jam-packed with tourists, serving a great variety of Western cuisine and the beef steak is priced at only RM15!

The local band sings a mix of classic English songs and Malay favourites. Music lovers may become their guest performer and entertain the rest of the crowd. It's an entertaining and relaxing experience of spending my Friday night in such an unique way. 

We order some canned beers at RM5 each, and the cafe owner generously serves us a plate of Buah Ice Cream. Well, you probably have not heard about it before! The fruit has a shape of gigantic lady's finger, with pieces of white flesh in it. The flesh is smooth and melts instantly in the mouth with a cooling sensation! 

Overall, the Bario discovery trio is an eye-opener for me. I have been to different rural areas but none can beat the warmth and friendliness by the Kelabits. They touch my heart by treating me as part of the family throughout my visit. I love the very laid back and contented lifestyle here too!

Thank you Nenek for the great hospitality!

This cozy little town transported me to a different time for a few days as I soak in the goodness of nature. As I board the twin otter plane, I thought to myself, there's still so much more to do in Bario and I must come back again soon!

Verdict:
If hygiene and comfort are your utmost concerns, then Ngimat Ayu Homestay is one of the best accommodations in Bario. Highly recommended for its comfortable room, clean environment and beautifully verandah overlooking the mountainous landscape of Bario!