Fishing Spots ＞ Borneo
★Empurau/Mahseer/carp(Empurau/Semah/Kelah)
4 captains listed · freshwater category. A spot in Ulu Sarawak (Baram/Belaga) (Borneo) targeting ★Empurau/Mahseer/carp(Empurau/Semah/Kelah). Check the tide, captains and recent catches, then contact them directly via public social accounts. Access, climate and lodging are in the details below.
There are two main gateways to the upper Sarawak interior (where Empurau, Semah and Toman dwell). The Baram River (toward Marudi) is reached from Miri (MYY), while the Belaga area via the Rajang River is entered from Bintulu (BTU) or Kapit. Express boats or 4WD vehicles are the standard means into the core river reaches, and the further upstream you go, the more a local guide and chartered boat become essential.
| From | Route | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miri (MYY) | By road (about 42 km) to Marudi, or by express boat (services resumed in 2022) up the Baram River from the nearby Kuala Baram jetty | About 1.5 hours to Marudi (by road) | Marudi lies about 100 km upstream from the mouth of the Baram River. The road is partly single-lane with unpaved sections. MASwings (Twin Otter) small aircraft also serve Miri to Marudi. Ulu Baram further upstream requires a chartered boat plus a guide. |
| Bintulu (BTU) | By road to Belaga via the Bintulu-Bakun Highway (paved road) | About 2.5 to 3 hours | Road is the most reliable way to reach Belaga village. Fishing spots further up the Rajang/Balui from Belaga require a chartered longboat plus a local guide. |
| Kapit | By express boat on the Rajang River to Belaga (174 km) | About 6 to 7 hours upstream, about 5 hours downstream | Operating on an alternating-day schedule (as of 2024): departing Kapit around 10:00 and arriving Belaga around 15:00, departing Belaga around 7:00 and arriving Kapit around 12:00. In the dry season low water levels often cause suspensions and cancellations, so a road alternative should be considered. Kapit itself is reached by express boat from Sibu. |
Coordinates: 2.7, 113.78（Open in Google Maps）
★Empurau/Mahseer/carp(Empurau/Semah/Kelah)
For upstream stream fish such as Empurau (genus Tor), no official "best season" for fishing has been clearly established, but the spawning runs are said to occur during Landas (the high-water period of the northeast monsoon), and breeding takes place seasonally about three times a year. On the other hand, river access (express boat operation) tends to be suspended or made difficult by low water levels in the dry season, so the transitional periods that avoid both the dangerous high-water peak of midwinter (December to January) and extreme drought (roughly February to April or August to October) are realistically easier to travel in. The specific opening and peak months depend on local guides and boat-operation conditions, so checking in advance is essential.
○ in season: Jan, Dec
See what else is in season now →
Push deep into the clear headwaters of the Baram and Balui in interior Sarawak to chase empurau (Tor tambroides), Malaysia's most prized freshwater fish, along with its mahseer cousin the semah. They live only in a handful of rivers around Kapit and Hulu Rajang, so catch-and-release is the rule to protect the stock. On Bakun Lake the targets are empurau, semah, and sebarau, with many unexplored tributaries still waiting.
Full how-to & tackle on each species page：Mahseer/carp
*Photos are not re-hosted; we link to each social account (R8). Auto-updated with the latest posts.
The Sarawak interior has a tropical rainforest climate, hot and humid year-round. Seasonal variation in temperature is small, and rainfall divides the seasons. From around November to February the northeast monsoon (NE monsoon, locally called Landas) brings more rain, with December to January being the wettest. The table below uses the monthly normals of Ba Kelalan (an inland highland observation point) as representative values for the Sarawak interior (lowland riverside areas tend to be slightly warmer than this).
| Month | Avg ℃ | High ℃ | Low ℃ | Clothing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27.8 | 30.4 | 23.9 | Light, breathable clothing plus essential rain gear (heavy rain from the northeast monsoon) | |
| 27.7 | 30.2 | 23.6 | Light clothing plus rain gear (more rain before the monsoon ends) | |
| 28.5 | 31.5 | 23.7 | Light clothing, rain gear for sudden showers | |
| 29.2 | 32.6 | 24.1 | Thin long sleeves for sun and insect protection plus a foldable rain jacket | |
| 29.8 | 33.3 | 24.4 | Light, breathable clothing, hat and sun protection | |
| 29.6 | 33.5 | 24.1 | Light clothing; a relatively dry period but rain gear for sudden downpours | |
| 29.5 | 33.5 | 23.8 | Light clothing; the driest period, hot during the day, sun protection | |
| 30.0 | 34.2 | 24.2 | Light clothing; the hottest time of year, stay hydrated and protect against the sun | |
| 29.7 | 33.5 | 24.3 | Light clothing plus rain gear (rainfall tends to increase heading into the wet season) | |
| 29.2 | 32.9 | 24.1 | Light clothing plus rain gear | |
| 28.7 | 32.2 | 24.0 | Light clothing plus solid rain gear (many rainy days during the northeast monsoon) | |
| 28.2 | 31.3 | 23.9 | Light clothing plus essential rain gear (the wettest period of the year) |
| Class | Property | Price (approx) | Highlights | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-end | The Regency Pelagus Resort（Kapit） | Around RM200 onward as a guide (meals included, confirm in advance) | About 1 hour by boat from Kapit, the only resort along the Rajang River. Has a pool and rooms with a balcony overlooking the river. A base for the Pelagus rapids and longhouse visits. Electronic payment is unreliable, so cash is a must. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| High-end | Hotel Meligai Kapit（Kumang Suite） | From RM350 (Suite King) | The best-equipped hotel in Kapit town. Suites have a mountain view, with 4 meeting rooms and a cafeteria. Standard rooms start from around RM85 to 100. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| High-end | Hotel Meligai Kapit（Suite Queen/Twin） | From RM250 | Suites of 47 to 86 sq m. City or mountain view. A relatively new and clean option in the town center. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Standard | Greenland Inn（Kapit） | RM120 (Standard) | A clean, well-regarded mid-range inn in Kapit town. Air conditioning and a private bathroom. Good reviews. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Standard | Daphne's Homestay（Belaga / Sungai Dangan） | From RM60 per room (private room with bath) | An Orang Ulu style homestay with 10 rooms in total. 2 rooms with a large bed plus private bath, and 8 twin rooms. Contact: Daphne Ida 011-14090908 etc. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Standard | Marudi Hotel（Marudi / Baram） | Around RM80 as a guide (confirm in advance) | No.3 Queen Square, in the center of Marudi town. Wi-Fi, restaurant and room service available. Basic but clean rooms. One of the few lodgings in Marudi. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Budget | Homestay U&I（Belaga / Uma Belor） | Guide: inquire (homestay with meals included) | A family-run homestay inside the Kayan longhouse "Uma Belor." Said to be one of the longest longhouses in Sarawak. An authentic longhouse-living experience. Contact: Daisy +60128582241. Tripadvisor rating 4/5. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Budget | Belaga B&B / Daniel Levoh's Guest House（Belaga町） | RM20 to 35 (B&B has 5 rooms at RM25-35, Daniel's is RM20 per bed) | Budget lodging in Belaga town. Daniel Levoh's Guest House offers English support and is handy for arranging tours into the interior. The B&B has an attached cafe. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Budget | Belaga Hotel / Hock Chiang Inn（Belaga Bazaar） | RM30 to 45 | Long-established budget inns at Belaga Bazaar. Belaga Hotel (14 Belaga Bazaar, RM40, Chinese supported) and Hock Chiang Inn (the first shop from the jetty, air-conditioned twin around RM30). | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Name | Cuisine | Budget | Highlights | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open Air Night Market（Kapit 公共広場裏） | Street stalls and local food | RM5 to 15 | A stall street one block behind the square. The Chinese stalls beside the Methodist church are well regarded, with staples like "Nasi + Ayam + Sayur + Sup" and Nasi Kampur. Around 17:30 to 22:00. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Malindo Cafe（Kapit / Harmony Mall） | Malay-style local set meals | RM8 to 20 | Unusually for the town, it serves somewhat spicy dishes. A wide variety of pre-cooked dishes of above-average quality. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Shukri Corner（Belaga） | Local eatery (Malay-style) | RM5 to 15 | A standby eatery in Belaga about 200 m from the jetty. Cheap, tasty food and drinks. Eateries in Belaga are generally similar in price and quality. | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
* A “seasonal posting trend” based on public social posts we track (3 accounts, period 2023-02–2026-07, 15 posts). Not actual catch statistics—posting frequency ≠ real catch; treat as a reference indicator with biases (popular-account skew, etc.). Sources are the linked posts.
Nearby spots easy to combine into one trip (straight-line distance). See the map above for locations.