Current Time in Miri, Malaysia

Miri lies on the northern coast of Sarawak, the Malaysian state that occupies the northwest of the island of Borneo, close to the border with Brunei. The city stands where a river meets the South China Sea, with sandy beaches and coral reefs offshore and, inland, a rising landscape of oil palm plantations, limestone hills and the dense rainforest of the interior. The equatorial climate is hot and humid throughout the year, with the heaviest rain arriving in the northeast monsoon between November and February.

With a population of around three hundred and fifty thousand, Miri is the second largest city in Sarawak. It is the state's oil town, the resort city of Malaysia by official designation, and above all the gateway to some of the most extraordinary natural landscapes in Southeast Asia.

The story of modern Miri began in 1910, when the first oil well in Malaysia was drilled on the hill above the town. Affectionately called the Grand Old Lady, the wooden derrick still stands on Canada Hill beside a petroleum museum, looking down over the city it created. Oil brought roads, schools, a harbour and workers from across Borneo and beyond, turning a small fishing and trading settlement into a modern city. The industry remains important, with offshore fields and service companies based here, though tourism, timber, agriculture and commerce now share the load.

Miri is the natural base for visiting Gunung Mulu National Park, a World Heritage site reached by a short flight, where visitors walk through the immense Deer Cave, watch millions of bats stream out at dusk, climb to the razor sharp limestone pinnacles or take guided expeditions into some of the largest cave chambers on earth. Closer to the city, Niah National Park protects a vast cave system where archaeologists found human remains dating back tens of thousands of years, among the oldest in Southeast Asia, along with ancient rock paintings and boat shaped coffins. Lambir Hills National Park, with its waterfalls and one of the richest forests ever surveyed for tree diversity, is only half an hour away, and the coral reefs offshore are protected as a marine park popular with divers.

The city itself has a relaxed, friendly atmosphere and an exceptionally mixed population of Chinese, Malay, Iban, Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Lun Bawang and other communities, reflected in temples, mosques, churches and longhouse connections upriver. The Tamu Muhibbah market sells jungle produce brought down from the highlands, including the famous Bario rice and mountain salt, and the food scene ranges from seafood and laksa to the Sarawak specialities of kolo mee and umai. An international jazz festival held each year has become one of the best known music events in Borneo.

An airport connects Miri to Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and interior airstrips, and highways run to Brunei and along the coast. A branch campus of an Australian university brings international students.

Miri appeals for its beaches, sunsets, caves and easy access to the wild heart of Borneo.