Sarawak: Miri

This trip is part of a longer tour: It starts in Vienna/Austria, takes me to Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia, to Miri/Malaysia, then on to Jakarta/Indonesia, Karawang/Indonesia, Manila/Philippines, Tagbilaran/Philippines. Via Kuala Lumpur I go to Abu Dhabi for a few days and finally back to Germany.

Landed safely after the go-around.

A good two hours' flight east of Kuala Lumpur lies the enclave of Miri, in the immediate vicinity of Brunei Darussalam. The weather is bad. Rain with strong gusts of wind. Shortly before landing, the pilot has to take off, circles the plane and finally lands successfully.

Anyone who wants to go to Miri has to go through immigration again, even if they have already entered Kuala Lumpur.

Miri has about 300,000 inhabitants and is located on the island of Borneo, in the state of Sarawak.

Remains of Robinson Crusoe

Mercure Miri City Centre

My rating: *****

Adresse: Lot 2368, Block 9, Miri Concession Land District, Jalan Merbau, 98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia

I check in at the 4-star Mercure Miri City Centre hotel. The people at the hotel reception are friendly, even for professional reasons. But the staff here are even more so, even more committed. I am surprised. I am equally surprised by the room. Everything is as it should be.

Where insider tips are created: City - Country - River - Miri

It takes a lot of imagination to discover Miri as a travel destination. But that's exactly what makes it so appealing. Everything here is quieter, friendlier, more authentic. Only a few tourists find their way here. The beaches are unspectacular and untouched, the sea rough.

Out and about in the city: Is it a public holiday? There are hardly any cars on the road. The city seems deserted. No, it's Monday today. But still no crowded streets, no noise, fresh air, relaxed people, as long as I see people.

Attention, safety note: Do not leave your pastries unattended.

I don't want to repeat myself now. But if you have already read the blog about Kuala Lumpur, you know what I want to express with this extremely meaningful photo.

So, keep your eyes open when exploring unknown terrain.

Tipp: I (almost) always have my backpack with me when I'm out and about. In it is a small collapsible umbrella. In subtropical countries it can rain from time to time. What am I saying: it pours. Like the evening before, on my first exploratory tour. Incidentally, it also protects against too much sun.

Street Food Corner

My raiting: *****

Adresse: Lot 2225, Jalan North Yu Seng, 98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia

In Miri I discover the culinary diversity. Countless cheap street food stalls line the streets. The food is freshly prepared, with unexpected new flavors. Don't go to dinner too early. The streets and restaurants only fill up towards the evening because it is simply too hot during the day.

The selection is gigantic. I decide on a Tomyum Ayam with chicken. It's a kind of soup, or at least that's what I imagine. The waiter doesn't speak any English and refers me to the chef, who knows a few words.

I definitely don't want fish or fish sauce in my food. He grins at me and says: "No fish!" I ask: "Chicken?" He nods and adds with an even bigger grin: "Very spicy!" To his surprise, I nod and order a portion of rice as well.

I read up on it and find out that the spices are not only good but also extremely healthy because they have anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties. This soup is supposed to be so spicy that it also makes you sweat.

Very spicy but also very good.

And indeed, the soup is very spicy. The waiter and chef watch me with a smile on their faces. To their amazement, I eat everything without them having to call the doctor. They nod at me approvingly.

The food is really indescribably good. A new taste experience. The price is unbeatably cheap.

Eating in Malaysia is an event, a communal experience with friends and family.

If you're travelling alone, this can be very stressful.

Only suitable to a limited extent after spicy foods.

Lack of or no language skills intensify the depths of depression. You are sitting among people and yet isolated behind a pane of glass. All the better that there is always something to discover.

But for now I am completely preoccupied with my thirst.

Tipp: After eating spicy or very spicy food, you tend to drink water, beer or soft drinks. But these drinks intensify the pain. An Indian told me a trick. Order lassi, a drink containing yogurt in various flavors, such as natural, banana or mango. It takes the spiciness away.

What you should definitely try are the burgers from the small street stalls. They are freshly made and extremely tasty, if you like burgers. And you only pay a fraction of what the big burger chains charge.

Insider tips of an undiscovered city

The following day, I hire a taxi for a sightseeing tour. We drive past a street with the sign "Miri Times Square," not far from my hotel. I plan to return there soon. But first, we head towards the jungle to Miri's former main source of income: oil.

The Grand Old Lady

My rating: ***

Adresse: The Grand Old Lady - Canada Hill, 98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia

This is where oil was first drilled in Malaysia around 1910. The place is now used by the local population for recreation, with a view of the city of Miri. There is also a small museum here that you can visit.

Is this art or can it be thrown away?

My driver takes me to the sea and I can hardly believe it. The beach is almost deserted. I spot an upside down plastic chair that is rotting.

But it could also be a work of art. Something strange in this place that has been abandoned by humans. However, I dare not touch him.

There was no one around. Someone put up a red and yellow flag. I think the colors mean that I can swim safely.

Then a few people show up. Children play on the beach, lost in thought. A kingdom for their apparent carefreeness.

I feel like an explorer.

I come across a watercourse that leads inland. "Where could it lead?" I ask myself. Then I remember that I know next to nothing about the animal and insect world here. A snake bite would be the end of my trip. Then I remember that there are supposed to be crocodiles. They can jump really far. What about tigers? Who can hear me here? And I can't say the word "Help!" in Malay either.

I ask my translator: "Help, help!" means "Tolong, Tolong!" Reminds me of "Palim-Palom!" from a sketch. After a few hundred meters I decide to turn back.

No words. A real insider tip

My rating: *****

Location: Miri's Coco Cabana. Just walk along the sea. I sit down on a hill and wait for Miri's famous and romantic sunset. A family also sits down a little away from me and greets me friendly.

From the category World Literature

Robinson Crusoe, from Daniel Defoe

retold by me, greatly shortened and slightly modified

My rating: *

Ort: Shui Kou Ting, Waterfront Tua Pek Kong Shrine

I don't know yet. But today I'm going to walk 12 km without wanting to. I'm looking for a shrine and I'm walking from my hotel towards the coast in this sweltering heat. After a few kilometres I reach the coast. Wow! What a sight. Again, no hotel bunkers. I'm completely alone. The perfect setting for Robinson Crusoe. I imagine him being washed up here as a castaway some 300 years ago.

With his last bit of strength, he reached the safe beach. All around him was dense jungle and strange noises. Robinson was on his own. No WiFi, no Tik-Tok, no fast food. He had to wrest every path, every path from the jungle.

His first home was of a pitifully primitive construction (see picture below). Wide, asphalt-free roads emerged from dull paths and crappy slopes. At some point a cutter crossed his path. Rescue! What a joy! People! He called out for help without stopping, but couldn't speak any Malay. The cutter passed him freezing cold in this incredible heat. "You racists!" he shouted after them. His vocal cords were cracking. Useless.

Suddenly, after many, many lonely years, he found motorcycle tracks on his track. And indeed the corresponding motorbikes. "Merde!" "Merde!" he shouted, trying to maintain culture and attitude, "I'm discovered!" And after the bend he had to watch as cannibals mutated into vegans and grilled tasteless tofu instead of people.

They invited Robinson. He fell in love with Friday and fathered countless children with him. Out of gratitude, he built a small shrine. His numerous descendants founded a joint venture and lived happily ever after.

Finish

Heureka: In Asia they like it loud!

Today I feel like having a hustle and bustle. I look for the nearest air-conditioned mall. Life is in full swing here. From somewhere, the joyful screams of children and obtrusive squeaking music reach my ears. And indeed, not far away, there is an animated party for children, flanked by their parents. Soap bubbles are raining down from the ceiling.

My feet hurt. The 12 kilometers have left their mark. I look for a massage parlor and find one. The masseur introduces himself to me as Putu. He comes from Indonesia and works as a guest worker in Malaysia. Shortly afterwards, a colleague joins me and asks if I am traveling alone. That is the ultimate luxury, he would like to do that too. After half an hour, my feet are like new. I say goodbye with a good tip and walk out lightly. This time, I want to explore the city on my own.

Miri Waterfront

My rating: ***

I walk back to the coast and discover the waterfront with many typical local restaurants and shops. Along the coast there are various sculptures and places for the obligatory souvenir photos.

I walk along the Sungai Miri river and spot a small settlement of wooden huts that catch my attention. They look more romantic than they actually are. But I have to go there.

The wood I'm walking on creaks and gives way a little, and is suspiciously unstable in some places. Nevertheless, I walk to the end of the jetty, where fishermen are waiting for their boats. They're watching my activity, probably wondering what there is for me to photograph here.

Miri Times Square

My raiting: ****

Adresse: Jalan Bendahara, 98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia

Another highlight, to avoid the word insider tip, is Times Square, in the immediate vicinity of Marina Bay. During the day, the place looks inconspicuous.

The square reveals its full charm after dark. The nice thing about it is that the area is almost restricted to road traffic. It is my last evening. An opportunity to write a few notes. Memories, impressions and ideas come and go.

It is a great place to relax in the evening. Numerous excellent cafes, restaurants, bars, bakeries and souvenir shops offer their goods and services. Here you can feast to your heart's content, get unnecessarily drunk or study the lives of the people.

And with these impressions I say goodbye to this unspectacularly spectacular place. This is how insider tips are created. I could now explore the hinterland, the surrounding islands. The Philippines and Palawan are not far away. But how do I get there?

There are no flights from Miri to Palawan, or rather they all go via Kuala Lumpur to Manila. And as far as I know, there are no ferry connections. That would be too dangerous for me, given the pirates who are causing trouble in the south of the Philippines. But discovering the islands off the coast of Malaysia would be a new goal. Maybe next time.