Limbang Voyage Tips and guide

Limbang is a small town in northern-most part of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is the capital of the division of the same name.

While it has the pleasant atmosphere of an isolated Sarawak interior administrative centre, Limbang does not have that much to offer the traveller. However, you may find yourself here if travelling overland from Sabah to Sarawak or vice-versa. Limbang is also one start of the Headhunter's Trail to Mulu National Park.

Understand

Limbang is geographically peculiar as it is sandwiched between two parts of Brunei. This situation was created in 1890 when the White Rajahs of Sarawak forced the Sultan of Brunei to cede the Limbang district. Till today, the Sultanate continues a not-much-heard-of territorial claim over Limbang. Because of the undeveloped interior of the district, most transportation links between Limbang and the rest of Sarawak have to go through Brunei.

Get in

By plane

Limbang's airport (LMN) lies about 5 km from town on the road to Pandaruan and Temburong.

MASWings links Limbang with the Sarawakian towns of Miri and Lawas, where there are onward flights to Kota Kinabalu, thus providing the opportunity to fly over expensive Brunei if travelling between Sabah and Sarawak.

From Lawas: Flights operate on Mondays and Wednesdays. The flights originate in Miri.
From Miri: There are two daily flights between Miri and Limbang using the new MASWings' ATR aircraft.
From Kota Kinabalu: Two flights weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays with the Twin Otter.

By bus

From Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei: You can catch the KK to Bandar bus which passes through Limbang. There are some coffee shops on the main road which the bus uses as angents and can sell tickets. The bus also stops outside these shops.
From Miri: There are no direct buses between Miri and Limbang. From Limbang, you will have to catch a bus to the Tedungan border checkpoint and then catch another bus to Bandar Seri Begawan before making your way to Miri. See above for details to get to Tedungan, and the Bandar Seri Begawan and Brunei pages for connections to Miri.
From Nanga Medamit: Several buses a daily make their way to Nanga Medamit, the start of the Headhunters' Trail to Gunung Mulu National Park.
From Temburong, Brunei: Regular buses make their way from the bus terminal to Pandaruan where you can catch a ferry across the river to Puni in the Temburong district of Brunei. You will have to take taxis for your onward journey from Puni to Bangar, the administrative centre for Temburong, 5km away. You can get your Malaysian exit stamp just before boarding the ferry (or get an entry stamp just after getting off the ferry if coming from Brunei).

By road

Limbang's network of roads link it to the main part of Brunei (where its capital Bandar Seri Begawan is located) to the west, and to its Temburong district to the east. Travelling anywhere beyond Brunei, e.g. to Miri, Kuching or Kota Kinabalu by land will require you go through Brunei.

You will most likely find yourself in Limbang if you are travelling overland from Sarawak to Sabah. See Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by land.

From Tedungan (for Bandar Seri Begawan): A relatively good road links Limbang with the Tedungan (known as Kuala Lurah on the Brunei side) border checkpoint, where good roads go all the way to Bandar Seri Begawan. See the "Get in" section of the Brunei page for directions to get to Kuala Lurah. Tedungan is about 43 km from Limbang. Both Brunei and Malaysian immigration procedures can be done at the border. From Limbang, head south along the Limbang River. Take a right turn after the KM10 point and travel another 13 km before taking another right turn (going straight will lead you to Nanga Medamit). The road road ends right at the border checkpoint. Queues can be quite long at the checkpoint, especially during weekends when Bruneians travel en masse to Limbang for some fun. Do the reverse if coming from Brunei. You will have to follow this route if you are heading to Miri or other parts of Sarawak. See the "Get in" section directions from Bandar Seri Begawan to Miri.
From Temburong: A road goes from Limbang for about 15 km to Pandaruan where the Pandaruan River forms the border between Malaysia and Brunei's Temburong district. You can take a ferry across to Puni on the Brunei side of the border. There is a vehicular ferry (RM8 or B$4 one way) as well as passenger boats. Puni is about 5 km from Bangar, the administrative centre of Temburong district. Because of the Malaysian immigration checkpoint at Pandaruan, travellers do not have to get their Malaysian exit stamp at the immigration office at Limbang Wharf before proceeding to Pandaruan. The Pandaruan checkpoint is open between 6AM and 10PM. The Brunei immigration checkpoint at Puni is about 600 m away from the ferry landing point, operating from a wooden one-storey building on the right side of the road if coming from the ferry. You will have to come this way if you are heading to Lawas or Sabah. See the "Temburong | Get in" section for onward directions.
From Gunung Mulu National Park: This virtually requires you to do the Headhunters' Trail which starts of Nanga Medamit. See Gunung Mulu National Park page for details.

By boat

From Labuan: The Royal Limbang No.1 (Tel : +6085-213749) runs daily in both directions, departing from Limbang at 08:00 and 08:30. From Labuan, ferries depart at 12:30 and 14:00. Tickets cost RM20 one-way. Journey time about 2½ hours. Ferries depart from the Customs jetty in town.

Get around

See

Do

Buy

Eat

Drink

The Tedungan area at the Brunei border is home to numerous bars and nightclubs catering to Bruneians looking to have a good night out as these are banned in Brunei.

Sleep

Purnama Hotel, Limbang Plaza, Jalan Buangsiol. Tel : +60 85–2167000. Fax : +60 85-216711
Royal Park Hotel, Lot 1089 & 1090, Jalan Buangsiol. Tel : +60 85–212155. Fax : +60 85-212233
Prime Hotel, Lot 112, Jalan Buangsiol. Tel : +60 85–213833. Fax : +60 85-217999
Centre Point Hotel, Lot 1587 & 1588, Jalan Buangsiol. Tel : +60 85–213699. Fax : +60 85-217637
Mesra Hotel, Lot 787 & 788, Bank Street. Tel : +60 85–213351. Fax : +60 85-212153
Jia Lun Hotel, Lot 1116, Jalan Buangsiol. Tel : +60 85–215060. Fax : +60 85-215048
Muhibbah Inn, Lot 790 - 792, Bank Street. Tel : +60 85–212482. Fax : +60 85-212153
Metro Inn, Lot 781 & 782, Jalan Bangkita. Tel : +60 85–211133. Fax : +60 85-211051
Mariner Inn, Lot 1371 - 1373, Jalan Buangsiol. Tel : +60 85–212922, 212923, 212925, 212926. Fax : +60 85-215898
Hota Inn, Lot 1453, Jalan Buangsiol. Tel : +60 85–212733. Fax : +60 85-212788

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