Kapit is a town and the capital of Kapit District on the south bank of the Rajang River. The district comprises around 15,595.6 square kilometres and as of 2002 and this city has a population of 60,200. It is a vibrant commercial and social center for the middle Rajang River catering to the longhouse communities and timber camps. It is acts as a base for exploring nearby longhouses or for arranging trips to the Upper Rejang and Balleh Rivers. Kapit Division consists of three districts which are Kapit, Song and Belaga and two sub-districts which are Nanga Merit and Sungai Asap and 86% of the land area is held in forest reserve.

Rajah Charles Brooke founded Fort Kapit in 1880 as a garrison town mainly to prevent the Iban from migrating and attacking Orang Ulu settlements. The fort was later renamed Fort Sylvia, after the wife of Rajah Vyner Brooke, Rani Sylvia Brooke but the town retained the name of Kapit. Hoklo (Hokkien) was settled as Chinese immigrants in 1880, additional Hakka Chinese immigrants arrived in 1906, and Fuzhou Chinese in 1919. The Chinese grew rubber and pepper and traded treated rubber sheet and forest products. In 1941, Kapit only had two rows of 37 shophouses during Japanese era.

Ethnically, the population of Kapit Division was 68.7% Iban, 19.1% Orang Ulu, 7% Chinese, 3.4% Malay, 1.3% Melanau, and 0.3% Bidayuh, and 0.1% "other". The community here communicate using Malay with Sarawak dialect and Chinese as well as English.

How to Get There

From Kuala International Airport, you can reach Sibu Airport by using available flights such as Malaysia Airlines and Malindo Air which takes around 2 hours. To reach Kapit, you can take the express boat from Sibu Express Terminal. The boat ride takes up to an estimated duration of 2 hours. The express boats leave Sibu every half hourly. There are economy classes tickets and first class tickets with different prices and rates available for visitors.

Tourist Attractions

Fort Sylvia

It is one historical monument that is named after the wife of the legend Rajah Charles Vyner Brooke, the second White Raja of Sarawak. The fort was built in the year of 1880 and housed the District Office and District Court House in 1960's. Currently, it acts as a museum under the operation of Tun Jugah Foundation. There are quite a number of exhibits displayed in the museum including cannons, documents and artifacts that are related to the past era.

Kapit Museum

The museum is located in the Civic Centre building in Kapit town and there are multiple exhibits and artifacts displayed that relate to the history of different ethnic and cultures of the people in Kapit throughout the years. The exhibits inside offer an introduction to the traditional lifestyles of the indigenous groups of the Batang Rejang and include colonial-era photographs as well as the peace jar presented during the historical 1924 peace making ceremony between previously warring Iban, Kayan and Kenyah groups.

Hock Leong Tieng Temple

To understand more about the Chinese beliefs and cultures, you can visit the famous Hock Leong Tieng Temple. It is the one and only Chinese temple standing in the town and known as the Tua Pek Kong Temple by the locals and was built back in the year of 1898 by the early Chinese settlers. The main purpose of the construction of the temple is to act as the people's guardian and as a place where they can worship and make offerings.

Teresang Market

The best shopping experience can be obtained by visitors is in a place named Pasar Teresang or Teresang Market. It is opened since dawn and is located in walking distance from the passenger express terminal. There are lots of fruits and vegetables as well as fresh jungle produce too. These jungle produce are hard to find in West Malaysia. Local ingredients that are used by them in the everyday life can be found there too such as 'tubu', 'riang' and 'rompo'.

Visitors are advised to buy tickets direct to Kapit because there is another ticket that transit at Song which takes longer time. Besides that, there is a luggage storage at terminal and halal restaurant for visitors which is called Islamic Nyonya Café.

Hotels

Hotel Meligai Kapit

The hotel is about 30-minute drive from Fort Sylvia and within a 45-minute drive away is Rumah Bundong. This hotel offers complimentary WiFi access in rooms and public areas and a free one-way transfer service to Wharf Kapit (Express Boat Terminal), which is a 5-minute drive away. There are 46 rooms and each room offers air conditioning, a wardrobe and a TV. The en suite bathroom comes with a spray bidet, along with bath or shower facilities. Other than that, guests can head to the 24-hour front desk for assistance with luggage storage, laundry service and fax/photocopying services as well as free parking.

Greenland Inn

This inn offers affordable yet comfortable stay for visitors. This place has around 15 rooms with well- equipped amenities such as television, phone, mini fridge and complimentary toiletries. It is located nearby Fort Sylvia and also nearby dining options.