Top Miri Attractions

view of Miri skyline in 2026

Welcome to my Top Miri Attractions page (updated July 2026).

Miri is the second largest city in Sarawak with a population over 350,000 but until oil was first drilled in 1910 it was little more than a fishing village. The town developed rapidly following the discovery of oil and it became the administrative centre for northern Sarawak by 1929. 

I first came to Miri around 30 years ago. The city has expanded and developed greatly since then with more tower blocks, better hotels and new shopping precincts like Miri Times Square.

However it is probably still fair to say that there is not a huge amount for tourists to see in the city itself and most visitors pass through rapidly on their way to Mulu Caves or Niah Caves, but there are a few sights in town for those who are not in a hurry. Here are my suggested top Miri attractions. Most can be covered on foot if you are staying near the city centre.

1. Handicraft Heritage Centre

This building on the corner of Jalan Merbau and Jalan Brooke contains a number of shops selling local handicraft products. Borneo, in my opinion, has the best handicrafts in Malaysia and this is a good place to buy them. Unlike many other parts of Malaysia, where souvenir items are imported from China, most of the items sold here are made locally or are from nearby Kalimantan.

2. Sarawak Handicraft

Nearby on Jalan Merbau is another handicraft shop, Sarawak Handicraft, which sells a good range of tribal art and souvenirs.

3. Petroleum Museum

On Canada Hill overlooking the city centre is the site of The Grand Old Lady, Malaysia’s first oil well, and the Petroleum Museum. See my review here.

4. Tua Pek Kong Chinese Temple

This hundred year old temple dates back to Miri’s earliest days and is dedicated to a deity who is credited with curing an epidemic which was ravaging the town in those days. It was one of the few buildings to survive the Allied bombing of the town in WWII. Like many Malaysian Chinese temples this one has had a major upgrade in recent years, for example with the addition of a pair of enormous golden dragons snaking themselves around the perimeter of the temple compound.

golden dragons at Tua Pek Kong temple, Miri

5. Shopping & Dining

There are a few modern malls in the newer parts of town as well as more traditional shopping streets offering all manner of goods. Visitors from Brunei, which is a short drive away, like to shop in Miri to enjoy lower prices than back home and to enjoy goods and services which are unobtainable in Brunei. 

Miri Times Square is a stylish new shopping and entertainment district. It is still filling up with tenants but already there is a good range of restaurants, shops and offices here.

Wireless Walk is a popular strip of food stalls and eating establishments serving a variety of favourites from satay to nasi goring to ice cream. Opens late in the evenings.

A stretch of an older shopping street called Persiaran Kabor has been covered over, Japanese style, and given the nickname Old Man Street. Here you can find the premises of the Miri Chinese Chess Association and you might spot some uncles having a game in the street .

Bintang Megamall
men playing Chinese chess'Old Man Street'

6. Miri City Fan

This is a landscaped park with a musical fountain, Islamic Garden, health Garden, Chinese Garden and more, surrounded by facilities such as a public swimming pool, library and civic centre.

7. Taman Bunga

Another smaller park contains a topiary and bonsai garden, ornamental garden, conifer garden, succulents, orchids and a pond.

8. Beaches

There are a number of good beaches near Miri. You can read my review here.

coco cabana and Brighton CoveView of Brighton Cove taken from the Miri Marriott Resort with, in the background, the Coco Cabana building (closed down) and another seahorse statue.

9. Miri Animal Wonderland

I have not been to this place but it is said to house over 1,000 crocs plus a number of other creatures.

10. Miri Waterfront

Miri Waterfront is a nice place to relax, take selfies, watch the sunset and see the oil rig supply ships returning to port for the night. The official mascot of Miri is the seahorse and you can find one of the town's many seahorse statues here.

seahorse statue at sunset

11. Tamu Muhibbah

Tamu MuhibbahTamu Muhibbah market is well worth a visit for its wide range of fruits, vegetables, native products and handicrafts.

ginger flowers, turmeric and other items on sale at the market

12. World War 2 Memorial Park

World War 2 Memorial Park is a small garden at the St. Columba's Church Cemetery commemorating 28 civilians of various nationalities who are executed nearby by Japanese forces in 1945. The memorial comprises a marble monument inscribed in English and Chinese and a plinth bearing the Latin word Pax (peace).

memorial with chinese inscription

13. Piasau Nature Reserve

At Piasau Nature Reserve you can enjoy a jungle and beach hike and maybe catch a glimpse of their resident hornbills.

Nearby

Here are some of the nearby attractions:

Niah Caves is usually ranked as the second best cave complex in Malaysia after Mulu Caves. It is also rated as the best place to go in the Miri area of northern Sarawak, besides Mulu. See my review here.

  • Mulu Caves

Here is Milou in Mulu. Review coming soon.

This pristine forest reserve is easily accessible from Miri and there are a number of trails ranging from easy to challenging. See details here.

How to Get to the Top Miri Attractions

I have marked the exact locations of the top Miri attractions on this map (click on the View Larger Map symbol in the top right corner to expand):

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AUTHOR BIO

the author

David (the one on the left) is the writer behind Malaysia Traveller, sharing first-hand travel advice from over five decades of living and travelling across Asia and the Middle East. Based in Malaysia since 2009 and now in Kuching, he has published over 790 pages on this website, personally visited every place he covers, and uses only his own photos. Readers can learn more on his About Me page. He also shares updates on Facebook and YouTube. He loves uncovering overlooked places that even some Malaysians have never visited.