Photography by Jillian Mitchell

The charismatic chief Bansing of Murat Longhouse in Sarawak is an icon of Iban culture having been invited to dance in both Europe and Asia. Nestled away in dense jungle along the shores of the Skrang River the longhouse is currently home to 26 families whose front doors all connect to a long communal balcony living area. A new longhouse is currently under construction and will likely take another 2 years to complete as longhouse residents are only able to work on the building once they have attended to their other daily duties. Despite being an estimated minimum age of 75 the chief is still quite a performer with his traditional dancing and hunting demonstrations.

Bario in the highlands of Sarawak is the traditional homeland of the Kelabit people. These days tradition seems to be slowly dying out with only a few of the older population retaining their elongated ears which were once the height of fashion and beauty in this remote tribe.

Sarawak is an enchanting city with an exotic mixture of cultures and history. Decorative Chinese temples, colourful old shophouses and beautifully restored neo-classical architecture from the British colonial times are just a few of the features.

Local markets filled with all types of colourful produce and people are a captivating feature of Sarawak.

Nanga Sumpa Longhouse is located in the upper reaches of the Batang River near the Kalimantan border. Despite being closely associated with an ecotourism project for more than 10 years the Iban people of the Nanga Sumpa Longhouse have managed to maintain many of their traditional practices and way of life.

Sarawak Cultural Village located just outside Kuching is a great introduction to the customs and culture of the major ethnic tribes of Sarawak. The jewel in the crown for the centre is the cultural dance performance performed twice daily.

The fascinating but endangered wild man of the forest makes for compelling viewing. Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre provides a home for confiscated and surrendered animals to be re-integrated into the wild just 45 minutes from Kuching.