Driving from Kuching to Bintulu takes about nine to 10 hours depending on your speed and the road conditions.
Although the scenery from Kuching to Bintulu may not be as breathtaking compared to the road from Kota Kinabalu to Ranau or Tambunan, there are still a few attractions along the way.
The journey can be exhausting, so you need to stop few times along the way to refuel, refresh yourself and refill your stomach.
Here 10 pit stops you can make when driving from Kuching to Bintulu:
1.Serian
After driving about 60km from Kuching, the first pit stop you can make is at Serian town. There is a petrol station, public toilet and lots of eateries.
You should also have a walk through the local wet market to buy some jungle produce, vegetables and even handicraft.
2.Balai Ringin
If you are planning to skip Serian, you can drive another 30km to reach Balai Ringin.
Here, the public toilet is relatively clean and there is a small market selling vegetables and fruits in the morning. In the evening, there are stalls selling traditional cakes.
3.Lachau
Lachau is one of the famous pit stops along the Kuching-Sri Aman route. It is famous as a selling hub for preserved fish.
Lachau is usually packed during breakfast and lunch times so parking might be a little bit difficult. This slowly growing town is about 50 minutes away from Balai Ringin.
4.Sri Aman Junction
Before you make a right turn into Kuching-Bintulu route, another well-known pit stop is at the Sri Aman junction. There is a food court serving Malay and Chinese cuisine, a grocery store and a public toilet.
Here you can also find traditional cakes and fruits.
5.Mid-Layar Resting Center
After leaving Sri Aman, drive another one hour to reach Mid-Layar Resting Centre.
If you have the time, you can a make a stop at Engkilili town which is about 6km from the main road or you can save that town for another trip.
At Mid-Layar Resting Center is the most decorated public toilet in Sarawak. So even if you do not need a toilet break, it is still worth making a pit stop here.
The toilet is decorated with fake flowers, posters and funny Malay quotes and reminders. There are photo booths right outside the toilet to make your visit an Insta-worthy moment.
Other public amenities here are the surau, grocery store, food court and a petrol station.
6.Jakar
Jakar can be considered the middle part of your journey from Kuching to Bintulu. Thus, it makes the famous pit stop to refuel. The public toilet at the petrol station is small but considerably clean.
This famous stopping point is also known for its prawn noodle at Peking Restaurant.
It is cooked in Foochow style with dark broth made of soy sauce. Additionally, the whole area makes a perfect place for a caffeine fix. This is because most of the eateries serve coffee using Jakar’s very own java beans.
7.Sibu
From Jakar, there are two ways to reach Sibu town; it’s either using the Lanang or Durin bridge.
Turn to Waze or Google navigation to decide your route.
Making a pit stop at Sibu would take a lot of time from your journey because of the traffic jam heading to the town centre.
However if it is during dabai (Sarawak black olive) season, a pit stop at this Swan town is definitely a must.
Sibu is famous for the best quality with the most reasonable price for dabai in Sarawak.
8.Stapang
From Sibu drive another 46km to reach the small town of Stapang.
There is not much going on at this pit stop although you will find a market, public toilet and a petrol kiosk. The town is like most small towns in rural Sarawak where it becomes quiet after lunch time.
9.Restaurant Impian Selangau
This halal restaurant is famous among bus drivers so it is hard to miss with rows of buses parked outside.
Located at Selangau-Mukah junction, it is another busy pit stop along the Kuching-Bintulu road.The restaurant is open 24 hours and there is a grocery store, a free entry public toilet and a surau.
10.Tatau
About 55km before reaching Bintulu, the final pit stop you can make is at Tatau town.
If you make a visit to its market, you might find some local traders selling tuak (Iban rice wine). Why not buy a bottle to celebrate your long journey once you arrive in Bintulu?
