Bintulu : Profile

Location

This small harbour is a good stop-off point for vessels travelling between Sabah and Kuching in Sarawak. It is a large commercial port but the harbour police make yachts very welcome.

There are two dredged channels (N channel & S channel). Both are very well buoyed, and all the marks are lit.

Clearance

This is a Port of Entry.

Call Bintulu Port Control on approach to request permission to enter the harbour.

The harbour police meet all yachts and direct them to a small anchorage at the very end of the harbour, just upstream of the Police and Customs boats. The holding is good and there is no swell here.

They do not require you to check in or out as long as you have checked out of Labuan and intend checking in at Kuching. Formalities, if required, will be completed on board. Officials are reported to be very friendly.

Contact Port Control for permission to depart. They will give you instructions as to which channel to use based on shipping movements.

Last updated August 2010.

Docking

The Habour Police will direct you to where to anchor and will guide and assist you if required. The anchorage is so small it pays to drop your anchor in the middle and stern tie to the large wharf to avoid possible grounding on the beach behind.

The Harbour Police allow you to use their pontoon for your dinghy. They will watch your boat for you if you wish to make an inland trip but do ask that you lock it and secure items on deck - no guarantees.

Although Harbour Police patrol the harbour daily, theft can be a problem here. A padlock on all valuable, removable equipment deters the thieves.

This is the best place to make the inland trip to the Niah Caves.

Last updated August 2010.

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