So the journey continues. For it to make sense, you probably need to read Part 1. I've included timings again, just in case anyone wants to follow the same route. (And for this section, this account from 2011 is also still useful.) I wondered if it would make a difference that we were doing our ferry crossings on a Saturday this time, whereas the previous ones had been on a weekday. But it didn't seem to.

Yesterday (Saturday), we left Sarikei at about 7.30. We should have left earlier. We made the rookie mistake of waiting for the hotel breakfast. Only wait for the hotel breakfast if you're a) not in a hurry, and/or b) it's a really outstanding offering.

It was mildly foggy when we set out, which added a little additional atmosphere to the views of handsome churches and pleasantly wooded countryside. As you approach Sibu, you drive along avenues of trees (while beyond the road, veritable armies of creeper-goons start to mass).


Yesterday's route started with a huge dogleg. To get up to the ferries and the coast road to Mukah, you have to go east to Sibu, and then west again. It's the rivers, you see... For whatever reason, no-one has put in bridges or ferries that would avoid the detour. 


It's an hour's journey from Sarikei to Sibu, and the latter is an extensive city, so it takes a while to get through. Again, you go round in a massive circle to get over the bends in the river. 

But we were free of Sibu's clutches by 0855, and bowling along a good road, whose most prominent feature was gigantic water pipes: 


For ages you've got Tanjung Manis on the signs, as well as your destination, and you're thinking, "How can this be? Tanjung Manis is way back west of Sarikei..." But, eventually, after the Serdeng river, you strike off, and leave the TMers to go their own way. It's 0940 by now. 



Our first bit of watery transport for the day was the Batang Paloh ferry, which takes you onto Pulau Bruit. 

We started to queue at 0951, and it was drizzling a bit by now. Five minutes later we're on board, and two minutes after that, under way. And there's on-board food! You can get all kinds of snacks, but we settled for a packet of tasty, crunchy, fishy stuff that cost MYR 2. You shouldn't hang around to make your purchases, though. We were driving off by 1012.








Beyond this point, Google Maps has no clue for quite a while... You're on your own. Luckily, the route is straightforward, and well signposted.

It was sunny again by the time we were setting off. This is another "bouncy" road. Every now and then, you see pineapple plots. There's lots of wet, wet land. 

At 1036 we pass the works for the new bridge. So our next ferry is going to bite the dust as well...


But for the moment, to get off Pulau Bruit again, you need the Muara Lassa ferry. You pull up to the landing stage. More crocodile warnings... You definitely wouldn't want to fall off one of these vessels...

We started queuing at 1040, and again we were on board just a couple of minutes later. The big petrol tanker ahead of us was not so lucky. He had to wait for the next ferry. As, in fact, did his friend, who'd driven on, but was asked to reverse off again. We had a bit of a hot wait at that point. We climbed out, and sat on the benches. But we were eventually under way at 1058. Because of the strong current, it took a while to cross this stretch of water, and we weren't driving off until 1134.




By 1150 we were pulling into Daro. There are plenty of lunch opportunities here, and it's a picturesque place for a stroll.






By 1250 we were on the road again.

Rain... Heavy in places, but not too troublesome... Lots of nipa palm. In fact, lots of foliage... I wonder how many bananas/coconuts/nipa/oil palm we have passed on this journey...

I probably also ought to point out that long sections of yesterday's route had no internet coverage. 

At 1350 we started to queue for our next ferry, over the Batang Igan. We were on board at 1400, and moving off three minutes later, so again, the wait was minimal. And it's another boat with a snack shop! But still full of Daro laksa, we didn't indulge. This ferry doesn't have a great distance to cover, and even though we dawdled a bit en route waiting for the sister-ferry to load and get away, we were still driving off at 1417.





Rain... Pretty set in by now.


Oya is very attractive. It has an exuberant shark, plus pretty houses with lots of pot plants. And it has a beach, where we rolled up for a walk at 1455. Amazing marine colours: dark grey and yellow.






The always-threatening rain stopped us spending too much time on the beach, and 1530 saw us waiting for seafood at the Selera Hujung Kampung (yes, I know it's not that long since lunch, but travelling makes you hungry...) We really liked the umai, a tangy marinated fish dish. The asam pedas ikan bawal (pomfret in a hot-sour soup) was also tasty, but jeez, how can many BONES can a fish have...?


Off again at 1615, and we arrived in Mukah, in the pouring rain, at 1640. Total distance for this leg: 295 km.

We stayed at the Kingwood, which is really quite nice.

And just down the road there's a little bar that plays execrable Christmas music, but has cold beers and friendly staff.


Today (Sunday), after a seriously enormous Kingwood breakfast (served -- covid-era-appropriately -- to our table), we did a bit of a recce of Mukah. It's pretty. All these towns have been pretty. All would merit return visits.

Here, there's a big river, a bustling market, a Tua Pek Kong temple, the remnants of an old sago factory, and various picturesque kampung areas. 


















On a return trip, we would head for Tellian village, but this time we went off to the beach -- and the beachside site of the Mukah Kaul Festival  (a "kaul" is a traditional gathering hosted by the Melanau people living in the coastal area). A whole lot of painting has been going on (indeed, is still going on), as the local people (we were told) are making a bid for the Malaysia Book of Records. They're doing an awesome job. The paintings are fresh and vibrant, and full of energy.






At 1045, we set off on our final leg -- to Bintulu.



But there are just one or two general things to note before I cover those last few kilometres:

1. Swiftlet houses are UBIQUITOUS. Seriously, how flexible can this market be? And I really wonder why they are permitted in residential areas or anywhere near food premises...

2. The Rajang delta is peat country, and many of the waterways you see are thick and dark, and make you think of whisky.

3. This region still believes in manned petrol stations. It's so refreshing -- and surely quicker? -- to have someone fill your tank for you, and take your money...

Anyway, we stopped for lunch in Balingian at 1220. The venerable shophouses and rafts of sago logs in the river kept us occupied for a bit.






Then, one of the riverside kopitiams provided lunch. After ordering, and having the usual bit of basa-basi about who we are and where we come from, I asked the lady what the things were on the plate on the table. Maybe sago biscuits, I thought (sago-obsessed by then). "Cakes," she said, with an incredulous, "I-thought-you-lived-here" kind of intonation. "Chinese cakes," she expanded.

Not sago, but nice, actually. Almondy. Not too sweet. Different from what we get in Kuching.

"These are Malay cakes," the lady added, bringing another plate. Oh no... Char-grilled rice in banana leaves... How can anyone go past that...? So delicious.

Anyway, two cakes, two noodle mains, two cups of tea: MYR 12.50 (GBP 2.30).

And then -- back on the road. Once we'd hit the outskirts of Bintulu, we did a supermarket shop, and were rolling up to our lodgings (the Jinhold Apartment Hotel) at 1530.




Today's distance: 162 km.

Total, end-to-end kilometrage from Kuching to Bintulu, not counting the side-trip to Bintangor: 727 km (a bit more than our estimated 650 km, and twice the distance the crow would fly)...

But we're very happy with our journey.

Merits a bottle of wine (and the Whittaker's chocolate the supermarket very fortuitously offered).

Just one more ferry to go now...