Kapit

Kapit is a town of some tens of thousands on the middle Rajang that for most of its history could be reached only by river, and the express boats from Sibu, long low fibreglass tubes with airline seats and loud films, are still the classic way in and out, though a road from Sibu now reaches it too. Fort Sylvia stands on the bank, built by Charles Brooke in 1880 to control the movement of Iban war parties further upriver and now a museum on the Rajang and its peoples. The town is a supply centre for longhouse communities on the tributaries, so the shops and the market reflect that: chainsaws, outboards, salt, and jungle produce coming the other way. Travel above Kapit towards Belaga needs a permit from the district office, a Brooke-era arrangement that persists.

History

In 1880, under Rajah Charles Brooke, Fort Kapit was built to stop the Iban moving up-river against the Orang Ulu settlements, and that year Hokkien Chinese settled around the fort, later joined by Hakka (Wikipedia, Kapit).

The main sights

• A river town - for most of its history everything arrived and left by river.
• Fort Sylvia - the 1880 Brooke fort on the bank, now a museum.
• Express boats on the Rajang - the two to three hour run up from Sibu.
• A longhouse supply town - shops and market serving the tributaries.

When to go

All year; low water can disrupt boats in dry spells. Two days.

Things to know

Boat schedules are limited and dictate the visit. A permit is needed to go further upriver. Accommodation is basic. There is little laid on for visitors; the interest is the river life.

Nearby

Belaga is further upriver, permit permitting; Sibu is downstream.

Key facts