Kampung Semadang — home to the Bidayuh community and potential tourist destination

KUCHING: A stretch of Sungai Semadang, from Kampung Semadang to Kampung Danu in the upper reaches, is gaining popularity as the ideal place for water sports and outdoor activities such as hiking.

The two villages, about 40km from here along Jalan Puncak Borneo, are home to the Bidayuh community and have similarities in terms of tourism products – clear rivers with plenty of fish, beautiful caves and forested areas.

Kampung Semadang chief Samson Mangang said there was much potential to develop this village as a popular tourist destination.

“For example, kayaking is already a popular tourism product that attracts both local and foreign tourists, especially during the weekends,” he said.

He also said that exploring caves was another activity as there were four or five caves around the village.

Samson said his village and Kampung Danu participated in the Tagang System of fish conservation in certain stretches of Sungai Semadang where fishing is prohibited.

Fishing at the stretches is allowed only once a year.

The annual Semadang River Tagang@ Fishing Festival, which was initiated in 2015, is an occasion when fishing is allowed, and the event attracts thousands of visitors.

The Bengoh Cultural Carnival and Padawan Raft Safari are other annual events that also draw the crowds.

Samson said the homestay business had also picked up in the two villages. There are four homestay facilities in Kampung Semadang and one in Kampung Danu which have hosted hundreds of local and foreign tourists.

Elaborating on the Tagang System, he said it has been the most successful fish conservation project.

It was introduced to the villagers by the Sarawak Agriculture Department in 2007.

“Sungai Semadang is deemed ideal for the system as it is home to several high-value fish species,” said Samson, adding that the river gets replenished with fish every year to provide plentiful supply of protein for the villagers.

“Harvesting is done responsibly. All the small fish and those of breeding size are released back into the water to ensure their survival,” he said.

The Tagang System ensures that the villagers look after the stretch of water closest to them.

They are indeed the guardians and protectors of the river as they also don’t allow anyone to fish or cast nets in the waters.

Samson said other activities are also held during the Semadang River Tagang@ Fishing Festival, such as the Miss Tagang Beauty Pageant, kayak races and a cooking competition. — Bernama