Miri City Self Exploration Day Trip
Duration : 08 hours SIC Frequency : Daily Meal : Nil
Departure Time : Hotel in Jerudong – 7.30 am / Hotel in Bandar – 7.00 am
Description :
* Visa may be required to enter Malaysia and also for Brunei re-entry upon completion of this tour for some nationalities
Miri Resort City – The First Oil Town of Malaysia
Miri Resort City is the gateway to northern Sarawak and located only around two
hours drive from Brunei. This is a town that oil built. Before the discovery of
oil, Miri consisted of a few strangling huts by a black river. Local residence
were aware of the special nature of the greasy sludge that oozed from the ground
here and there; with due caution it could be used as lighting fuel. Dr. Charles
Hose, a “Rajah’s Servant” organized the drilling of an exploratory well on top
of a hill on August 10 1910. Within four months, oil was strucked at a depth of
123 metres. The first oil well on the hilltop overlooking Miri City name “ Grand
Old Lady” remained productive until 1972. By 1971, the Miri oil boom was
in full spate. Foreign labours flocked in from places like Singapore, India and
Hong Kong, augmented by local brawn and muscle. Expatriate staff arrived from
England and Holland. The small town gradually grew. By 1921 it had 40 shop
houses, one English school and one Chinese school. Production of oil reached
over 65,000 tons in 1992. During World War I, Miri supplied 267,000 tons of oil
to the British Navy.
In the 60’s, oil exploration moved offshore. When production reached 95,000
barrels a day, Petronas which is the national oil company of Malaysia made
Lutong Town the hub of oil production activities in Miri. Today, Miri is a
prosperous city with a population of more than 300,000 which comprises of Malay,
Chinese, Iban, Orang Ulu, Melanau, Bidayuh, Penan with quite a sprinkling of
expatriates happily living in harmony.
Miri is also known as Northen Gateway to Sarawak. Your excursion starts with pick up from your hotel and go on a scenic overland drive to Miri. You will be passing the town of Tutong, Seria Oiltown and Kuala Belait town before crossing the border at Sungai Tujuh Immigration post. The overland journey will take around two hours depending on the conditions of traffic. On arrival Miri, you will be dropped off at one of the shopping mall. The rest of the day is at you own leisure to explore Miri on your own before pick up at 5.00 pm at the place of drop off. Overland transfer back to your hotel in Brunei.
