Sibu destination guide
Sibu is a river town on the Rajang River (also written Rejang) in central Sarawak. The Sarawak Tourism Board describes it as the largest port and commercial centre in the Rajang basin, and its character comes from the Foochow Chinese settlers who arrived in the early 1900s. People fly in for the town itself, with its market, temples, heritage centre and Foochow food, and to travel on up the Rajang to Kapit.
Two things catch visitors out. The express boat from Sibu to Kapit ended in January 2023, so that trip is now made by road, and a flight from Peninsular Malaysia still ends at an immigration counter in Sibu, as set out under Flying to Sibu below.
Sibu's Foochow history
The Foochow (Fuzhou) migration from southern China began in 1901, led by Wong Nai Siong, who chose Sungai Merah as the settlement site for its position on the riverbank. The Reverend James Matthew Hoover, a Methodist missionary, managed the settlement from 1903 to 1935 and set up churches and schools across the town in that time. The Sarawak Tourism Board describes Sibu as having been predominantly Foochow ever since.
That history is visible in the town's older shophouses, once at the centre of Chinese business in Sibu, which the tourism board contrasts with the British colonial-influenced buildings of Kuching. It carries into the food as well: the town's signature dish is kompia, a traditional Foochow bread stuffed with meat.
What to see in Sibu
Sibu Central Market
Sibu Central Market, on Jalan Channel opposite the Express Boat Passenger Terminal, is what the Sarawak Tourism Board calls Malaysia's largest indoor market. It was established in 1996, bringing together a former wet market and the native Lembangan market, and its stalls spread over two floors. Traders sell local and imported produce, wild durian and rambutan, fresh meat and seafood, and handicrafts and jungle produce, particularly from Iban vendors, while the food stalls serve kampua noodles and Sarawak laksa.
The tourism board notes that the market's Iban, Chinese and Malay vendors reflect the town's mix. As published by the board in September 2026, the market opens daily from 6:00am to 11:00pm.
Sibu Heritage Centre
The Sibu Heritage Centre covers the town's history, with its focus on the early Chinese settlers, the Foochow community and what they contributed to Sibu. It is about 2 km from the town centre and about 20 km from Sibu Airport. As published by the Sarawak Tourism Board in September 2026, it opens from 9:00am to 5:00pm daily.
Temples, the waterfront and the Sibu Gateway
The tourism board's list of sights names the Tua Pek Kong Temple among the town's Chinese temples, the Sibu Esplanade on the waterfront, and the swan, which is the town's emblem.
The Sibu Gateway, on Jalan Kampung Nyabor, is a monument with illuminated fountains and an open-air stage. Within it, Lin's Garden holds a swan statue guarded by sculptures of the Chinese zodiac.
When to go to Sibu
The Malaysian Meteorological Department puts the northeast monsoon, the country's main rainy season, from November to March, and it brings heavy rain to Sarawak. The southwest monsoon, from late May to September, is relatively drier across most of the country.
Sibu Municipal Council has held the Borneo Cultural Festival each year since 2005, but not always in the same month. The 2024 festival ran from 8 to 17 August and the 2026 festival from 5 to 14 September, both at Dataran Tun Tuanku Bujang, and in 2026 the Sarawak State Library's Malay and Melanau pavilion held exhibitions, traditional music and drumming, weaving demonstrations, calligraphy and traditional games. Check the dates before booking a trip around the festival.
The Sibu International Powerboat Race ran from 24 to 26 April 2026 at the Pulau Li Hua Waterfront on the Rajang. Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said it could become a major annual event, so look for the next dates before planning around it.
Sarawak has its own state public holidays, dated in the Prime Minister's Department schedules for 2026 and 2027:
- Gawai Dayak, Sarawak only: 1 and 2 June in both years
- Sarawak Independence Day, Sarawak only: 22 July in both years
- The Sarawak Governor's Birthday, Sarawak only: 10 October 2026 and 9 October 2027
- Good Friday, a holiday in Sarawak and Sabah: 3 April 2026 and 26 March 2027
Flying to Sibu
Flights land at Sibu Airport (SBW), run by Malaysia Airports. Terminal facilities and the transfer into town are on the Sibu Airport page.
Fog disrupted a Kuching to Sibu flight on 25 July 2026: it could not land in Sibu because of low cloud and fog and, after two landing attempts, returned to Kuching. Allow for it if a same-day plan depends on landing on time.
Arriving from Peninsular Malaysia
Section 66 of the Immigration Act 1959/63 restricts Malaysian citizens' right of entry into East Malaysia and makes them subject to holding a pass or permit to enter and be in Sabah or Sarawak. So a flight from Kuala Lumpur or Johor Bahru ends at an immigration counter in Sibu's arrival hall.
According to the federal Immigration Department, Malaysians from West Malaysia can get a Document in Lieu of Internal Travel Document at those counters on their identity card (MyKad), or a birth or adoption certificate for a child under 12, with no payment required. It is valid for a single journey and gives a Social or Business Visit Pass of up to three months. A stay of more than three months needs a Restricted Travel Document, and the Immigration Department lists an office in Sibu among those that issue it.
Sarawak's arrangements are not Sabah's: the exemption endorsement under Section 66 is issued only by the Sabah State Immigration Department, for federal civil servants serving in Sabah and their dependants. For a domestic flight out of Sarawak, the Immigration Department asks for an identity document such as a passport, MyKad or Restricted Travel Document, a valid pass and a boarding pass. For entry to Malaysia itself, see the Malaysia travel guide.
Direct flights recorded from Sibu
Direct domestic flights recorded from Sibu go to these places, with the airlines recorded on each:
| Destination | Airlines recorded |
|---|---|
| Kuala Lumpur | AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air Malaysia |
| Kuching | AirAsia |
| Johor Bahru | AirAsia |
| Miri | AirBorneo |
| Bintulu | AirBorneo |
| Mukah | AirBorneo |
AirBorneo took over all services previously operated by MASwings on 1 January 2026, so older references to MASwings flights from Sibu are out of date.
Guides to places at the other end: Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Johor Bahru, Miri and Bintulu.
Getting around Sibu
On the Sarawak Ministry of Transport's 2022 stage-bus list, the Sibu routes run from Sibu Bus Terminal to Lanang, Kampung Bahagia, Sibu Jaya, Mukah, Belawai and other points, operated by the Lanang Road Bus, Teku Road Bus, Rejang Transport and Sungai Merah companies. On 9 May 2026 a Sarawak state minister named Sibu among the cities next in line for BAS.MY stage-bus services, without giving a date.
Getting from Sibu to Kapit
The Sarawak Tourism Board presents Sibu as the base for reaching the rural areas and longhouses along the Rajang. The Sibu to Kapit express boat ended for good on 14 January 2023, a little over two years after the Kanowit-Kapit road opened on 4 October 2020 and passengers moved to the road. Older guides that describe boarding a boat in Sibu for Kapit are out of date.
As of September 2026, Kapit Bus Express runs bus and shuttle-van services on the road from Sibu to Song and Kapit, and its Sibu counter opens from 5:00am to 7:00pm. The operator's schedule page gives counter hours rather than departure times, so ask at the counter before you plan the trip.
Questions about visiting Sibu
Can you still take the express boat from Sibu to Kapit?
No. The Sibu to Kapit express boat ended for good on 14 January 2023, and the trip is now made by road, where Kapit Bus Express runs bus and shuttle-van services between the two towns.
Do Malaysians from the Peninsula pass immigration when they fly to Sibu?
Yes, on a flight from Kuala Lumpur or Johor Bahru. Section 66 of the Immigration Act 1959/63 makes Malaysian citizens subject to holding a pass or permit to enter Sabah or Sarawak, so the arrival goes through an immigration counter in the arrival hall. The Document in Lieu of Internal Travel Document, available at those counters, gives a Social or Business Visit Pass of up to three months.
What food is Sibu known for?
Kompia, a traditional Foochow bread stuffed with meat, is the town's signature dish. The food stalls at Sibu Central Market serve kampua noodles and Sarawak laksa.
When is the Borneo Cultural Festival in Sibu?
The month changes from year to year. The 2026 festival ran from 5 to 14 September and the 2024 festival from 8 to 17 August, both at Dataran Tun Tuanku Bujang, so check the next dates before booking.