Fremantle of Sarawak – Awat-Awat comes to life

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The Awat-Awat Waterfront project will transform the sleepy village into a tourism attraction.

KAMPUNG Awat-Awat in Lawas District is awakening from the quietude of a sleepy fishing village with a game-changing waterfront project and a slew of tourist attractions that could earn it the byname of the ‘Fremantle of Sarawak’.

A tourism gem in the making, this coastal enclave on stilts which borders Brunei, is ticking off the boxes – strategic location, river mouth village setting in the Bay of Brunei facing the South China Sea, Tahai (smoked fish), and fresh sea produce hub plus the latest addition – a spanking new waterfront and bridge across the river.

Awat-Awat waterfront designers took a leaf from the concept of the Fremantle Waterfront in Western Australia albeit placing strong emphasis on retaining the salient features of the traditional floating fishing village as well as the connection to the Bay of Brunei and the South China Sea beyond.

(From left) Awang Tengah and Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg on the new bridge.

The waterfront project is a holistic approach to develop the village as part of the Awat-Awat-Sundar Rural Growth Centre (RGC) development masterplan, tapping into the strength and location of this coastal community to boost the rural economy.

Phase One of the RM22.6 million waterfront project has been completed with concrete landing sites for boats, a central market with retail outlets, food and beverage facilities, beautiful landscaping on the riverbank, and the stilted water village on the opposite side.

Across river, this modern landscape is connected to the traditional village by a new concrete arch bridge across Sungai Awat Awat (for pedestrians and motorcycles only).

Returning fishing motorboats on the village waterway.

The bridge links these two different worlds, projecting an ambience of good facilities in a traditional setting, embraced by nature on all sides.

Here, visitors are drawn by the best of culture, adventure, and nature complemented by the warm traditional hospitality of the villagers, while the waterfront project serves as the catalyst to transform the physical and economic landscape of this coastal settlement.

Awat-Awat is a charming allure of sunset, sea, humming fishing villages, lush mangrove forests, free flowing waterways, and seemingly endless rows of huge longhouses connected by a network of jetties for footpaths.

Visitors can even enjoy a cuppa at the village restaurants besides the long walkways and watch the sun setting on the horizon and fishing boats passing by under a maze of walkways on stilts.

 

The cottage industry includes the unique smoked fish known as Tahai.

Awang Tengah’s brainchild

The project to transform Awat-Awat is the brainchild of Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan. It will pave the way for the village to morph into an attractive tourist spot in northern Sarawak.

The connection of the waterfront to the jetty further down river and the greening of the landscape are scheduled for the next development phase as the village gears up for tourism.

The locale of Kampung Awat-Awat is a big coastal settlement made up of four villages – Kampung Ujong, Kampung Tengah, Kampung Masjid, and Kampung Bangsal – and home of the unique smoked fish Ikan Tahai industry and other products from the sea and mangrove swamps.

The nearly 200 houses, all on stilts about three metres above the water, are linked by an artery of wooden walkways of about 2km long, where children can play and visitors can start out to explore this village.

The waterfront will be a tourist draw and a money-spinner for the local fishing community. The blueprint, which includes retail outlets for local products such as Tahai and its derivatives, salted fish and others, will benefit the local community in terms of tourism spin-offs.

 

Fresh seafood aplenty at Awat-Awat.

Fond memories

Things are looking up for this century-old fishing village with strong ties to the people of Brunei.

Awang Tengah used to spend his school holidays here, doing what the villagers do for a living.

“I’ve many fond memories of my time here. We would bathe in the salty water and one kind man, known as Ajak, would unfailingly bring me a kettle of clean water to rinse myself,” he recalled.

He would frequently walk unannounced into a kitchen to share meals with the villagers.

“Such warm hospitality is inherent in the local people which I know so well,” he said.

Awang Tengah said the littoral community needs basic infrastructure and facilities, especially roads, which the government strives to provide to realise the potential of the respective locations.

“Previously, Awat-Awat was like an island, and the villagers had to rely on the river and the sea to get to Lawas Town,” he added.

From a day’s journey by sea to reach Lawas Town, Awat-Awat is now only half an hour’s drive from town and the waterfront project will fuel its socioeconomic transformation.

 

A boat ride is the traditional way to cross the river in Awat-Awat.

Bright future

The future of Awat-Awat looks bright with a potentially thriving cottage industry, tourism-related activities such as international power boat race in Brunei Bay, fresh seafood restaurants, recreational fishing, homestay programme and a host of attractions.

Youths run along the wooden walkway of a village.

Nature tourism products include mangrove forests, inhabited by proboscis monkeys, dugongs in Bay of Brunei, sea cucumbers and other products from Mother Nature in addition to tourism-related events which can be hosted there.

The Awat-Awat Fishermen Sports Carnival from Oct 20-22 last year was a big success with the response far exceeding expectations of the organisers.

Next door, the longest Asean bridge in Brunei is expected to be completed next year. The authorities and the villagers are hoping to draw many visitors on transit or to sample the attractions in Lawas District, including those in Awat-Awat.

Indeed, the villages, the rivers and the sea in Awat-Awat are set for bigger things to come.