Longhouse Adventure

Longhouse Adventure

It is almost a crime to come to without visiting an Iban longhouse.Iban hospitality is legendary, and visitors are guaranteed a good time. A longhouse is basically a terraced street of separate dwellings coveredby one roof, under the authority of a headman, or tuai rumah.

These longhouses may have anywhere between six to nearly a hundred units! Longhouses located in newly opened areas are typically made of bamboo and tree bark, but more established and prosperous longhouses can be made of precious and long-lasting hardwoods.

Primarily a communal group, the Ibans community practices their own brand of democracy, with the elders having an important role in major decisions. Each family lives in its separate apartment, or bilik, and communal activities take place outsideon the verandah, or ruai. This is also where single male visitors spend thenight. Female visitors and couples will be invited to stay inside the bilikwith the family.

Most longhouses are busy, modern farming communities, and people wear practicalclothes like jeans and T-shirts when they are at work. Traditional costumesand head-dresses are usually only worn for special festivals like gawai dayak (the Iban harvest festival, 1st june), gawai antu( the ancestor festival, very rare) andwedding. If you want to see tradisional rituals, customs and dances, then unlessyou are very lucky it is best to go with an organised tour group.

Tour group are usually greeted with a glass of tuak (rice wine) and a welcome dance. They are then shown around and treated to various cultural performances, including dancing and drumming. You will usually be invited to attempt the ngajat dance.

Do not try to refuse as guests are expected to contribute to the entertainment justlike the hosts. If you know any dances, folk song or poem from your own country, you will make some lifelong friends, no matter how badly you perform. Normally you willbe able to stay in the longhouse overnight, but if you prefer some privacy, many touroperators have their own guest house near the longhouse.

Where to go:

The majority of longhouses that accept guests are in the Skrang, Lemanak, Batang Ai and Rejang River areas. These all involve at least one overnight stop and a longboat trip on the river, but some longhouse safaris can last for a week or more. The Visitors'Information Centre in Kuching has a list of approved tour operators. If you areshort of time, there are also a number of Bidayuh longhouse near Kuching that can bevisited as a day trip.

Annah Rais Longhouse

Live with under one roof in the longhouse & experience the traditional way of longhouse's living here! Also, adventure together withthe beautiful interior tropical rainforest to explore the beauty of nature. You can go to the natural hot spring, stunning waterfall, as well as organizing a fun & adventurous Bamboo Rafting trip, which penetrating through the exotic tropical rainforest!

Annah Rais Longhouse is located at about 60km away from Kuching City. It is a large & old Bidayuh Tribe's Longhouse that houses over 80 families. Majority of the us here are still live in a traditional way of longhouse's living.We plant paddy, cocoa, pepper, rubber & etc. for living.

Annah Rais longhouse has a written history of 175 years old (over 500 years old of unwritten history, which counting to approximately 8 generations old) to date. Many tourists from all over the world come to visit Annah Rais Longhouse everyday, & they just fascinated with the traditional way of living here.

Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort

Situated on the banks of the Batang Ai Hydro Lake near Lubok Antu, is roughly 4 hours from Kuching on the fringes of Batang Ai National Park and provides jungle adventures with all the usual Hilton comforts.The resort offers visitsto some of the most tradisional Iban Longhouses in Sarawak, jungle treks, and boating andfishing in the lake and its tributaries.

Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort perfectly combines the traditional elements of this region's rich and vibrant culture with the latest in hotel accommodation facilities.The Hilton Longhouse offers 100 air-conditioned rooms built in traditional longhouse style. These guest rooms are located in eleven wooden ‘longhouses’ which are raised on stilts and connected by a wooden platform which snakes its way around the resort.

Accommodation:

100 rooms built in tradisional longhouse style. Standard room rate RM250(nett),Suites RM350(nett),Includes restaurant serving authentic Iban Cuisine, bar/lounge, pool table, swimming pool, conference facilities.All rooms fully equipped with a/c, IDD phone, hot & cold water and satellite TV.

Tips:

Visitors are very welcome at most longhouse, but only if they are expected. If you receive an invitation to a longhouse(quite common when travelling upriver), takeup the offer - you are sure to have an interesting and enjoyable trip. If you donot have an invitation it is best to go with a tour group, as you will not only be expected but warmly welcome.