Mukah Airport at a Glance

Mukah Airport is the small domestic airport serving the coastal town of Mukah in Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. It is the quickest way into the Mukah Division, a stretch of the central Sarawak coast known as the heartland of the Melanau people. Instead of a long road trip from Kuching or Miri, a flight puts you on the ground in Mukah in about an hour.

The airport you land at today is new. It opened on 17 June 2021 and took over every function of the old Mukah STOLport, a short take-off and landing strip that had served the town since the 1960s. The old strip could only handle very small aircraft. The new airport has a larger terminal, a longer runway, an air traffic control tower and its own fire station, all built on a site well away from the town centre.

It is run by Malaysia Airports, the operator of most public airports in the country, and is owned by the Government of Malaysia.

MKM Airport Code and Other Names

If your booking shows MKM, you are flying to or from Mukah. MKM is the IATA code used on tickets and baggage tags. The ICAO code, used by pilots and air traffic control, is WBGK.

In Malay the airport is called Lapangan Terbang Mukah, and locals often simply say "Mukah airport" or "airport Mukah". Searches for "MKM Malaysia" or "Mukah airport Sarawak" all point to the same place. There is only one airport in Mukah, so you cannot land at the wrong one.

Flights From Mukah Airport

Mukah Airport handles domestic flights only. There are no customs or immigration facilities, so international travellers will first enter Malaysia at a larger airport, usually Kuching International Airport, and connect from there.

Scheduled passenger flights are operated by AirBorneo, the Sarawak state-owned airline that runs the rural air services network across the state. The two main routes are:

• Kuching to Mukah and Mukah to Kuching: the link with Sarawak's capital, and the most useful route for connections to Peninsular Malaysia and abroad. The flight takes about an hour.
• Miri to Mukah and Mukah to Miri: the link with northern Sarawak, also about an hour in the air.

Because this is a regional service using turboprop aircraft, the number of flights and seats is limited. That makes the Mukah Airport flight schedule an important thing to check early, especially around festivals and public holidays when local families travel home.

Checking the Mukah flight schedule

Timetables on rural routes can change from season to season. The simplest way to see the current Mukah flight schedule is to search your dates on Traveloka, where the available Kuching and Miri flights appear side by side. If you are travelling on to Peninsular Malaysia, leave a comfortable gap between your Mukah flight and any connection in Kuching.

Where Is Mukah Airport? Location and Distance

Mukah Airport lies about 6 to 7 kilometres from Mukah town centre. The site covers a large area of land, which leaves room for the airport to grow in the future. By road the trip into town is a short drive, so it is easy to reach your hotel soon after landing.

The town itself sits at the mouth of the Batang Mukah river, facing the South China Sea. It is roughly 157 kilometres by road from Sibu, the nearest large city, so flying saves a long drive.

Getting Between Mukah Airport and Town

Ground transport at Mukah Airport is simple. There is no train in this part of Sarawak and no dedicated airport express bus, so most people travel by car.

• Taxi or van: Taxis and local vans serve the airport, and the trip to the town centre is quick. The airport has bays set aside for taxis. Taxis are the main way around Mukah, as local public transport is limited.
• Hotel pick-up: If you are arriving on a late flight or with a lot of luggage, ask your hotel in advance whether it can arrange a pick-up.

Travelling onward by road

If you want to continue beyond Mukah, long-distance express buses connect the town with Sibu and Bintulu. They leave from Mukah's bus terminal in town rather than from the airport, so you will need a taxi from the airport first. The road journey to Sibu takes several hours, which is one reason many travellers prefer to fly into Mukah directly.

Mukah Airport Terminal and Facilities

The terminal at Mukah Airport is modern and compact. Built to replace the cramped STOLport building, it can hold around 200 passengers at a time, several times more than the old strip. Everything is on a small scale, so you can walk from the entrance to check-in and the departure hall in a minute or two.

Facilities are basic, as you would expect at a regional airport, with a passenger waiting area inside the terminal. For a wider choice of food, shopping and other services, you will need to head into Mukah town.

The runway is 1.5 kilometres long. That is designed for turboprop aircraft and helicopters rather than large jets, which is why flights here use smaller planes.

Tips for Flying Through Mukah Airport (MKM)

• Arrive in good time. Even though the terminal is small, aim to arrive about 90 minutes before a domestic departure. Check-in on regional routes can close earlier than at big airports.
• Pack light. Turboprop flights have limited overhead space and baggage capacity. Check your baggage allowance on your booking before you travel, especially if you are carrying boxes or local produce.
• Book early for festivals. Flights fill up around the Kaul festival in April and public holidays such as Hari Raya, Chinese New Year and Christmas.
• Plan connections in Kuching. If you are flying on to the peninsula or abroad, allow a generous connection time in Kuching in case of delays.

Things to Do in Mukah, Sarawak

Mukah is a relaxed fishing town and the administrative centre of the Mukah Division. It is best known as the home of the Melanau people, whose culture, food and festivals make the town a rewarding stop for curious travellers.

• Kaul Festival. Held each April, this Melanau thanksgiving festival honours the spirits of the sea. The town fills with beach celebrations and traditional rituals.
• Lamin Dana at Kampung Tellian. In this stilt village just outside the centre, a traditional Melanau tall house has been turned into a living museum showing local arts, crafts and home cooking.
• Melanau food. Try umai, a raw fish salad dressed with lime and onion and often eaten with sago pellets. Sago is the traditional staple of the Melanau, and you can learn how it is processed around Mukah.
• The coast. Mukah faces the South China Sea, and the beach is a pleasant spot for a sunset walk.

The wider area is also part of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), so you will meet business travellers as well as visitors on flights to Mukah.

Planning a trip to Borneo's Melanau heartland? Compare Mukah flights and set a Price Alert on Traveloka.