The journey home through Sarawak’s gateways

PETALING JAYA: Every year, Hari Gawai brings a wave of homecomings across Sarawak. As families return to celebrate the harvest festival, airports become more than transport hubs – they become places of reunion, where journeys home begin and visitors receive their first glimpse of the state’s culture and hospitality.

Traditionally celebrated by Dayak communities, Gawai is a time of thanksgiving, renewal and togetherness. For many Sarawakians living away from home, it is an opportunity to reconnect with family, community, and the traditions passed down through generations.

In the days leading up to Gawai, airports across Kuching, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu often carry a different kind of energy. From being mere places of movement – where people arrive, depart and continue their journeys – they become the points of connection where homecomings start to feel real, and where visitors receive their first impression of Sarawak.

Arrival halls become spaces of reunion, filled with families waiting for loved ones they may not have seen for months. Suitcases carry not only clothes but gifts and stories.

For some, the airport marks the final stretch of a journey home. For others, it is the beginning of their first cultural experience in the Land of the Hornbills.

Kuching International Airport serves as the main gateway into the capital. Sibu Airport opens the way into central Sarawak, where riverine life, community spirit and longhouse traditions offer a deeper view of the cultural landscape.

Miri Airport connects travellers to the northern part of the state, while Bintulu Airport serves as a connector to the central region and communities beyond the usual tourist routes.

For many travellers, the journey does not end at these four locations: some continue on smaller aircraft bound for rural STOLports, flying onward to places such as Bario, Bakelalan, Long Seridan and Marudi.

These short flights carry especially significant meaning during Gawai, linking families across cities, towns, highlands, river settlements and remote villages.

Ultimately, these airports are more than points on a travel map – they are gateways into different sides of Sarawak. Some travellers are coming home, some are visiting loved ones, and some are beginning a new cultural experience.

During Gawai, these journeys become part of a larger story shaped by memory and belonging.

As Visit Malaysia 2026 spotlights Malaysia’s diverse destinations and cultures, Gawai reminds us why cultural travel matters. It’s not only about visiting destinations; it is also about understanding people, listening to stories, and appreciating traditions.

In the days after the festival, Sarawak slowly settles back into a quieter rhythm. Longhouse gatherings become memories, families return to different cities, and airports once again fill with passengers heading back to work, study and daily routines.

Yet something remains. Gawai leaves behind a reminder of what continues to make the state distinctive: its strong sense of community, deep cultural identity, and the way tradition remains part of everyday life.

Many travellers are left with a lasting impression through the sincerity of Sarawak’s communities and the continuity that remains long after the celebration ends.

Indeed, the road to Gawai is not only about reaching a destination. It is about coming home, being welcomed in, and experiencing the heart of Sarawak from the moment the journey begins.