Bario is a town located in Sarawak state in Malaysia. It consists of about a dozen villages and each has its own church. This town also has an altitude of about 3,500 feet above sea level in the north-eastern corner of Sarawak which features the famous Bario Highland, a Kelabit territory, one of the minority Orang Ulu tribes of Sarawak. Bario means ‘Wind’ in Kelabit language and widely known as the ‘land of a hundred handshakes’ due to the friendliness and great hospitality from the local community in Bario.

Spread over a beautiful valley, Bario also features organic food such as its renowned local rice which is called Bario rice and pineapple. Also, Kampung Bario Asal is a must-visit longhouse where one can see the ancient timbers of the unique kitchen darkened by the constant smoke of generations of cooking fires. Since late 2017, Bario has had 24-hour electricity courtesy of a new solar-energy farm. One of their annual events is the internationally known Bario Food Festival also known as ‘Pesta Nukenen’, held in July each year. During this time of the year, travellers can find themselves extending their stays in Bario by days, weeks or more.

Airports in Bario

1. Bario Airport

This airport is an airport in Bario, a town in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It serves the town and operated by Malaysia Airports. The airport has approximately 2,228 yearly aircraft movements and passengers of more than 20,000 annually. Besides that, the main airline operating here is Malaysia Airlines and it connects to Ba'kelalan, Long Lellang, Long Seridan, Marudi, Miri.

How to Get Cheap Flights to Bario?

Traveloka is the best travel internet site for travelers to find the low-priced flights to Bario.The simple step needed is to enter the information in the search box and the application will be recommended the ultimate trip according to your budget. It also compares flight prices given by trusted airlines to help you to get the best deal. To get your preferred price range, you can use Traveloka’s price alert feature to be notified of flights to get the best flight price to Bario.

When is the Best Time to Fly to Bario?

The best time to fly to Bario is during drier months of the year which are from April to September. However, rainfall can occur at any time. The temperature in Sarawak hovers between 27-32°C year-round with frequent rains. Visitors who are planning to hike the rainforest trails, or watch for wildlife should be aware that they are encouraged to carry out activities in hot weather with minimal rainfall.

Bario Food Festival is a three-day event that celebrates the cultural and culinary heritage and traditions of the Kelabits. It is organized on the last weekend of July every year. This food festival attracts numerous visitors and it has become the peak time of the year.

What are the Top 3 Things to Do in Bario?

1. Belanum- The Floating House-Stay-The lake the size of Singapore formed as a result of the Bakun dam has become another tourism destination within Sarawak. The floating house-stay is locally known as ‘Jelatong' and it has a swimming place and natural massage experience to soothe the weary body after a long hike up the river. The cold mountain water and warm lake water creates a unique dipping experience and there is barbeque to enjoy time together with family and friends.

2. Similajau National Park-The 8,996-hectare park is a kerangas or heath forest and mixed dipterocarp forest that provide a variety of diverse habitats for a wide range of fascinating species. Similajau is home to 24 species of mammals including long-tailed macaques, gibbons, banded langurs, shrews, mouse deer, barking deer, squirrels, wild boar, porcupine, and civet cats. It is also an excellent place for birdwatching and there are over 185 species of birds recorded here. Similajau is also home to two crocodile species and feeds on small mammals, lizards, turtles, fish and water birds.

3. Miri Handicraft Market-The Miri Handicraft Centre is also located at a junction along Jalan Brooke and near the Meritz Hotel and is open from 10 am to 5 pm daily. It acts as one-stop center where you can find the local and ethnic handicraft in Miri city. There are about 12 shops that offer unique handicraft and most of them operated by the local Kelabit, Penan and Orang Ulu people. Besides that, the market also features local delicacies which are unique to international tourists.