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An Enticing Iban Lunch in Sarawak Our thoughtful tour guide Bob had planned a traditional Iban lunch for us. The problem was, it was not even cooked yet. And I was already starving! Fortunately, our lunch venue was merely a 10-minute boat ride from the longhouse, at a place in Sungai Abok, known as Padang by the locals. Upon reaching Padang, Bob and two other boatmen quickly unloaded the cooking utensils and food to the open-air ‘kitchen’ while we headed to a shed, and some to the toilet. The facilities were very basic and actually look rather dilapidated. Perhaps, it was to give visitors the back-to-nature feel. They were built specifically to offer lunch to tourists who visit the Iban longhouse. After about 40 minutes, lunch was finally ready. Any longer, I would have passed out. One by one the dishes were placed on a tall table in the shed. Bob surprised us with various traditional dishes. It was truly a back to nature type of lunch as there were no plates nor forks and spoons. Instead we were given big, broad leaves which according to Bob, can only be found in Borneo. The simple dishes cooked with simple ingredients surprisingly had rich flavour. The manok pansoh (chicken in bamboo) was quite tasty. And so was the grilled tilapia that went well with the bamboo rice. Menu of the day also included grilled eggplant and pumpkin. Then again, I believed they scored a few more points due to our hunger. Although I have been told that multi-tasking is a norm for many tour guides in Sarawak, Bob really amazed me with his skills. Not only a good storyteller and guide, I must say he also makes a decent chef. After having a scrumptious meal, it’s time to hit the road or lake again, to return to the Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort. SARAWAK – BACKGROUND: Situated on the north-western coast of Borneo, Sarawak, also known as land of the hornbills, shares its boundaries with Kalimantan in the south and Brunei and Sabah in the north. It is Malaysia’s largest state, covering an area of 124,450 sq km. It is divided into eleven Divisions with the city of Kuching as its capital. Sarawak is best known for its natural and cultural wonders. The hornbill, a protected bird, is the state emblem. Two-thirds of its land is rainforest and its population of about 1.8 million is made up of 27 ethnic groups, which include the Iban, Chinese, Malay, Bidayuh, Melanau and Orang Ulu. Kuching boasts many international-class hotels and resorts such as Hilton Kuching, Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites, Damai Puri Resort & Spa, Riverside Majestic Hotel and Borneo Highlands Resort. (Tourism Malaysia)   "Fired Travel Agent Reveals How To Get Dirt Cheap Airfare Tickets!" The secrets exposed here will exceed your wildest of expectations. Manipulate airline companies' ticket pricing computer systems to give you $1,000's of discounts on your ticket. Earn free vouchers for airfare tickets just from making a phone call and without ever even flying at all! The KEY to traveling for cheap, and how to use this knowledge to get the biggest bargains!My Airfare Secrets »
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