Damai Beach

Sarawak boast itself with many natural wonders in its own backyard, many untouched, undeveloped and still practically a virgin. It makes her wonders very different from the Phuket, Bondi Beach, Sao Paolo & Miami which are all exploited. Sarawak goes by the name Land of the Hornbills, nest to one of the bird species, the Hornbill.

Beaches in Sarawak are vast becoming tourists destination with concrete jungles taking over to dominate the seafront. Though i think its good to mobilise the advantage we have to generate revenue for the state and country, it is also a lost to locals who recognise the beach and sea as passing their time. One of those places which have been around for years now is Damai Beach Resort, some 30km from the heart of Kuching.




The beach stretches to around 3-4 km and hotel rooms account to around 400, which does not even equal the gigantic figure West Malaysia has reaching the thousands. The idea is to keep it small, so that we can protect the environment that we "borrow", at the same time, enjoy it as a holiday destination.



Damai Beach Resort is operated by Holiday Inn Group and if i'm not mistaken the manager of that resort is a German. Damai Beach Resort has facilities to cater for golfers at the Golf Club, kids at the Kiddies Club, multiple pools, a gym and a jet-skiing shop.



My family and i use to visit Damai once every 2 years, sometimes 3, depending and its certainly like a summer home for most Kuchingnites because many people have opt to come back again. It's the closest beach, what can you expect. It's either a 1 hour drive here, or 3 hours to Borneo Highlands, which in contrast is a resort as it is located at the Borneo range which divides East Malaysia to Kalimantan, Indonesia asa natural border.




Damai Resort may not be as popular and highly developed with many tourists flocking to it, it is still doing a very good business in attracting people. Occupancy rate during holiday season amounts nearly 90% and booking can be a hassle.




I guess the objective of Damai is not quantity, but quality. It may not be able to hold thousands but it certainly does serve the hundreds thatare willing to come back. I read this news in the papers a few years back and it featured an interview about an Australia couple in their 50's who comes back to Damai every year because they love the quietness and scarcity of the place. They, and most of us frequent visitors there are able to enjoy the tranquility of the sound of waves, the chirping of the birds and the whistling of the wind.




It's certainly a popular place for locals to hold wedding functions, year end office trips, birthday celebrations and random occasions. Damai Resort is certainly a destination not to be miss when visiting Kuching, Sarawak, the Cat City and also the cleanest and healthiest city in Malaysia.



If you can't make up your mind where to go on your next holiday, come to Kuching. It's a whole new environment and place. Feel the difference its people bring. It's nothing like the peninsular. The food, the culture, the society and the surroundings.