Things to See In Simanggang
Sri Aman, Sarawak

Welcome to my review of Things to See In Simanggang*.

The town of Simanggang is about half way between Kuching and Sibu (roughly two and a half hours drive from each) and as such, is a convenient pitstop for travellers between those two cities. Having said that, it is a quarter of an hour's drive from the nearest junction on the Pan Borneo Highway and that additional detour might put some travellers off.

A new bridge called Batang Lupar Bridge 2 is nearing completion on the edge of the town. This , together with connecting access roads, should significantly cut the travel time between Kuching and Sibu. Whether or not this results in increased visitors to Simanggang we will have to wait and see.

For those who do make the effort to stop off in Simanggang what is there to see?

the former resident of Simanggang's residence, now a museum

Rumah Sri Aman

Rumah Sri Aman is a museum in an historic former Government Rest House in Simanggang. Here you can learn some of the history and characteristics of this interesting part of Sarawak.

Fort Alice

Sri Aman Heritage Museum Fort Alice (Kubu Alice in Malay) is a heritage museum in Simanggang, Sarawak. Completed in 1864, the fort underwent a major restoration and was reopened as a museum in 2015.

Taman Panorama Benak

Next door to Fort Alice is a viewing platform overlooking the Batang Lupar River and is a good place to watch the tidal bore phenomenon known locally as the benak where incoming tides are funnelled into the river's mouth and surge upstream, creating 2-3 metre high waves. I thought I had timed my visit to coincide with the new moon when waves are at their highest but sadly I must have miscalculated and we failed to see anything.

English author W . Somerset Maugham visited Simanggang in 1921 and he wrote about a perilous encounter with a tidal bore in his short story The Yellow Streak.

Simanggang Waterfront

Close by is the town's river front which has been landscaped and furnished with a few attractions for a photoshoot such as this crocodile sculpture. ...

and an I Love Simanggang sign...

and a three fish statue.

chinese temple and dragon and guanyin statues

There is also a Chinese temple with with a large Guanyin statue.

Apart from that there are the usual rows of shophouses, eating establishments and a few hotels.

No doubt there are other good things to see in Simanggang and I may add to this list in due course. Here are some nearby attractions:

Batang Lupar Bridge 2

This giant 870 metre long suspension bridge across the Batang Lupar River is nearing completion and scheduled to open in August 2026. This photo was taken from Simanggang Waterfront in June 2026. Like its big sister bridge Batang Lupar Bridge 1, it is likely to become a tourist attraction in its own right and a popular place to stop for selfies (if allowed).

Mount Hosanna Chapel

Half an hour's drive from Simanggang town is Mount Hosanna Chapel, a hilltop Catholic place of worship with an unusual candle design.

wooden suspension bridge supported by concrete pillars

Engkilili

Half an hour's drive in the opposite direction is the small village of Engkilili which has small suspension bridge of some age with wooden planks and is only suitable for pedestrian and motorbike traffic. We ate at this village and enjoyed looking at the old-school shophouses (the sort where the owner's family still live upstairs and use the shop as their living room for watching TV, reading the newspaper, napping or doing homework).

Batu Nabau

Just outside Engkilili is Batu Nabau, an unusual rock formation which resembles a giant snake. Nabau is the Iban word for big snake and locals believe that a snake deity is present there and they bring offerings to it for good luck. It is not easy to find.

Location of Things to See In Simanggang

Most of the places mentioned in this review can be found on this map.

*Maybe, like me, you are wondering why this town appears to have two names - Sri Aman and Simanggang. Both names refer to the same place. It is the capital of the Sri Aman Division in Sarawak. The original name was Simanggang but it was changed to Sri Aman in 1974 to commemorate the peace agreement between the government and communist terrorists. The town's name reverted back to Simanggang in 2019 at the request of the local population.

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AUTHOR BIO

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 760 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.