Bintulu destination guide
Bintulu is a town on the central coast of Sarawak. The Sarawak Tourism Board describes it as an industrial hub since the discovery of offshore natural gas reserves in the 1960s, and now a vital centre for Malaysia's oil and gas industries. Beyond the industry, the town has a zoological and botanical park, markets and a waterfront, and two national parks lie in the surrounding Bintulu Division.
Two things catch visitors out. As of September 2026, the operator of Similajau National Park states that no visitors are allowed into the park while repair and maintenance work goes on. And a flight from Kuala Lumpur ends at an immigration counter in Bintulu, as set out under Flying to Bintulu below.
Bintulu's oil and gas industry
Bintulu hosts the Petronas liquefied natural gas complex at Tanjung Kidurong, on the town's outskirts.
According to the Regional Corridor Development Authority, the government body that plans the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy, a Sarawak Petrochemical Hub is proposed 15 km north-east of Bintulu town, near the Petronas complex. It describes a methanol plant there as under development, and names ammonia and hydrogen production among the possible further projects.
What to see in Bintulu
Taman Tumbina
Taman Tumbina is the town's zoological and botanical park: 57 hectares, opened in 1991, according to the Sarawak Tourism Board. Its operator lists ostrich riding, bird feeding, arapaima (giant fish) feeding, jungle trekking and tree planting among its activities.
As of September 2026, the park's own site gives its hours as 9:00am to 4:30pm daily. The tourism board's page gives a 5:00pm close, so plan around the earlier time.
Kidurong Tower and Tanjung Batu Beach
Kidurong Tower is a small observation tower at Tanjung Kidurong with views over Bintulu's oil and gas facilities. The Sarawak Tourism Board suggests going after dark, to see the flame-offs from the refineries and processing facilities.
Tanjung Batu Beach is, in the tourism board's words, a popular recreational and picnic spot for locals and visitors alike. Vendors sell food and drinks by the beach, and fresh coconut juice is a popular choice there.
The town centre and waterfront
The Council Negeri Monument commemorates the first meeting of Sarawak's Legislative Assembly, held in 1867 under Charles Brooke. A centenary stone was put up in 1967, and a clock tower and fountain were added in 1987, according to the Bintulu Development Authority.
Pasar Utama and Tamu Bintulu are side-by-side markets selling fruit, seafood, vegetables, belacan (shrimp paste) and cincaluk, with local delicacies and souvenirs on the upper floors. A separate Pasar Malam (night market) runs daily with street food and other goods.
The authority's list also names two places of worship. Masjid Assyakirin, the Bintulu Mosque, has a man-made cascading waterfall with fountains, and the Kuan Yin Tong Temple, at Km 2, Jalan Sultan Iskandar, has a rock-garden courtyard, a man-made waterfall and dragon fencing.
The Bintulu Promenade is a 120-acre waterfront park near the Kemena River delta, and the Bintulu Esplanade is a waterfront community space used for events. The authority also lists a golf course with views of the South China Sea and a Jungle Trekking Park about four kilometres from the town centre.
National parks near Bintulu
Similajau National Park
Similajau National Park is a coastal park about 30 kilometres north-east of Bintulu, according to the Sarawak Forestry Corporation. The Sarawak Forest Department's record shows it gazetted on 1 December 1976 and extended on 17 February 2000 and 24 October 2013, to about 22,120 hectares across the three declarations.
The corporation's page describes trails including the View Point Trail and the Turtle Beach and Golden Beach routes, birds such as hornbills and sea eagles, and estuarine crocodiles along the park's waterways. It also lists guided jungle treks and coastal and river cruises.
As of September 2026, the same page states that access to the park is temporarily restricted and no visitors are allowed to enter, because of repair and maintenance work. The notice gives no reopening date, so check the Sarawak Forestry Corporation's page for the park before planning a trip around it.
Bukit Tiban National Park
Bukit Tiban National Park, also in Bintulu Division, covers 8,000 hectares and was gazetted with effect from 17 February 2000, according to the Sarawak Forest Department. The Sarawak Tourism Board lists it among Bintulu's attractions.
Side trips from Bintulu
The Bintulu Development Authority names these trips beyond the town:
- Bejiam River Waterfall, a recreational site about 65 km along the Bintulu-Miri Road
- Kuala Nyalau, a beach with coral-reef remnants and a waterfall, one to two hours' drive from Bintulu
- Tatau, described by the authority as rich in seafood, with river cruising, and the starting point for the longboat trip to Wong Sunang Waterfall
- Sebauh, a small district and a trading centre for the surrounding area
When to go to Bintulu
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.
The Sarawak Tourism Board recommends visiting between December and February for cooler weather. Those months fall inside the northeast monsoon, so expect rain on a trip timed for the cooler weather.
The Borneo International Kite Festival held its 19th edition from 22 to 26 July 2026 at the Old Bintulu Airport site, with giant kite displays, lit kite performances at night, cultural activities and a trade expo. A parade through Bintulu's streets came before the official opening on 23 July. Check the next edition's dates with the Bintulu Development Authority before planning a trip 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 Bintulu
Flights land at Bintulu Airport (BTU), run by Malaysia Airports. The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia's aeronautical information publication, in its edition effective 11 August 2026, puts the airport 9 km from Bintulu Mosque in town and 20 km by road. Terminal facilities and the transfer into town are on the Bintulu Airport page.
Sarawak's Public Works Department is building a 4.1 km dual carriageway from Jepak Roundabout to the Bintulu Airport Roundabout, due for completion by October 2027. Sarawak's Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development said in April 2026 that it should cut the drive from town from nearly 30 minutes to about 10.
Arriving from Kuala Lumpur
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 ends at an immigration counter in Bintulu Airport'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 its Bintulu Immigration Office 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 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 Bintulu
Direct domestic flights recorded from Bintulu go to these places, with the airlines recorded on each:
| Destination | Airlines recorded |
|---|---|
| Kuala Lumpur | AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air Malaysia |
| Kuching | AirAsia |
| Miri | AirBorneo |
| Sibu | AirBorneo |
Guides to places at the other end: Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Miri and Sibu.
Getting around Bintulu
The aeronautical information publication lists taxi, e-hailing and car hire at Bintulu Airport. In a statement on 9 May 2026, the Transport Minister named Bintulu, alongside Sibu and Miri, as a city for the next expansion of BAS.MY stage-bus services after their rollout in Kuching, with no timeline given for Bintulu.
Questions about visiting Bintulu
Is Similajau National Park near Bintulu open to visitors?
As of September 2026, the Sarawak Forestry Corporation's page for the park states that access is temporarily restricted and no visitors are allowed to enter, because of repair and maintenance work. The notice gives no reopening date, so check with the corporation before you go.
Do Malaysians from the Peninsula pass immigration when they fly to Bintulu?
Yes, on a flight from Kuala Lumpur. 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.
When is Taman Tumbina in Bintulu open?
As of September 2026, the park's own site gives its hours as 9:00am to 4:30pm daily. The Sarawak Tourism Board's page gives a 5:00pm close, so plan around the earlier time.
When was the Borneo International Kite Festival in Bintulu?
The 2026 festival, its 19th edition, ran from 22 to 26 July at the Old Bintulu Airport site, with the official opening on 23 July. Check the next edition's dates before booking a trip around it.