Kanowit is a small town and the capital of a district of the same name. It is located within the Sibu Division, Sarawak, east Malaysia. Situated on the mouth of Kanowit River at the bank of Rajang River, it is approximately 174 kilometers from the coast of South China Sea. The main ethnic groups are Iban, Chinese, Malay, and Melanau.
Kanowit has been established as early as the mid 19th century. Rajah James Brooke built a fort here, called Fort Emma, in 1859. The fort is still standing, although not open to the public. It is in a state of neglect and in need of conservation, but is still quite impressive.
Today Kanowit wore the appearance of a town little changed from the early 20th century. There are three streets lined with shophouses owned mostly by Chinese traders. There is a waterfront, a couple of primary schools, and a supermarket serving the needs of the locals.
Things to See & Do
* Fort Emma
* Riverside walk
* Jungle Trek
* Rattan Workshops
General information
Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency - Ringgit (RM) (MYR)
Language – Bahasa Malaysia, English
Land Area – 2,253.5 km²
Population – 30,000 approx
Electricity –Time - GMT plus eight hours
International Country Telephone Code – +60
Port Location – Cruises to Kanowit depart from the port at Sibu.
Travel Links - It will take 45 minutes to get there by land transport and about an hour boat ride from Sibu.