To Gelhong Or Not To Gelhorn?

To Gelhongkran, a name of a town located in the province of Sarawak in East Malaysia is a common shortened version of the local name, To Gelhong. It is also commonly known as Hang Sarawak or just simply Hang. The name Two Gelhong can be traced back to early Chinese records that mention the town of Gelhong in its early years as one of the major trading centers along the coasts of Borneo. In the early days, this town was also known as Hong Kong of the east coast of Borneo. For more than a century, To Gelhong has continued to be an important trade center and cultural centre of Sarawak. Today, it is one of the most beautiful places to visit while in Sarawak.

To Gelhong has a remarkable mixture of East and West influences. A well-known landmark in To Gelhong is the peninsular town of Panjang. This peninsular town is considered one of the most beautiful places to holiday in all of East Malaysia. Here you can explore serene natural surroundings, enjoy a wide range of shopping opportunities at bargain prices, experience the exotic and rare delicacies of East Asia and at the same time get to explore some of the best places hotel hongkong.

Tourist destinations in To Gelhong are dominated by two prominent attractions namely the Peninsular Park and the Peninsular Waterfront. With the opening up of these two tourist spots to Gelhong locals, they have been able to develop the tourist industry here tremendously. Besides, many high-end hotels and restaurants have also come up in the area to cater to the needs of the discerning tourist.

The most important attraction in To Gelhong is the critically endangered To Gelhong National Park situated in Sungai Rakyat County. This park offers a great deal of attractions for tourists and it is one of the few places in Malaysia that permit full exploration of wildlife. Two of the most popular wildlife parks in Malaysia are located in Sungai Rakyat County and in Memilik. This park also known as Memilik Pura is the only place in Malaysia where you can get the seal of the legendary animal-astronaut MCA-6. This seal has become the mascot and representative of this particular park. The remaining species in the park include reptiles, mammals, birds, amphibians, and various forms of insects.

Apart from this, To Gelhong also has its very own little piece of culture. Known as Tunkantara Negara or plainly Tunkantara, it is the traditional capital of the Gelhorn people who own this whole area (the Gelhorn language is derived from Tokelagin). You will find many beautiful old historic buildings here like the school house, the administration building, the clinic, the tailor’s shop, and many more. In fact, even some of the Gelhorn locals were forced to relocate by the Malaysian government because they did not use the Gelhorn language. Even the language of the Malaysian people is different from Gelhorn, hence, it is now called Tunkantara Sungai Rakyat.

One of the most popular attractions in To Gelhong is to visit the tombs of great historical figures here like Suet Pindada (a former Chief minister of Sarawak), Prabong Teh (a prominent Buddhist philosopher and author), Dr. Sukok Rhee (a well-known educator and thinker), and others. These are some of the highlights of total online, which you can see in different sites that offer information about Malaysia and its people. This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any Ezine, newsletter, blog or website.