 Miri Resort City - The First Oil Town of Malaysia
Miri Resort City is the gateway to northern Sarawak and located only around two hours drive from Brunei.
This is a town that oil built. Before the discovery of oil, Miri consisted of a few strangling huts by a black river. Local residence were aware of the special nature of the greasy sludge that oozed from the ground here and there; with due caution it could be used as lighting fuel.
Dr. Charles Hose, a “Rajah’s Servant” organized the drilling of an exploratory well on top of a hill on 10 August 1910. Within four months, oil was strucked at a depth of 123 metres. The first oil well on the hilltop overlooking Miri City name “ Grand Old Lady” remained productive until 1972.
By 1971, the Miri oil boom was in full spate. Foreign labours flocked in from places like Singapore, India and Hong Kong, augmented by local brawn and muscle. Expatriate staff arrived from England and Holland.
The small town gradually grew. By 1921 it had 40 shop houses, one English school and one Chinese school.
Production of oil reached over 65,000 tons in 1992. During World War I, Miri supplied 267,000 tons of oil to the British Navy.
In the 60’s, oil exploration moved offshore. When production reached 95,000 barrels a day, Petronas which is the national oil company of Malaysia made Lutong Town the hub of oil production activities in Miri.
Today, Miri is a prosperous city with a population of more than 300,000 which comprises of Malay, Chinese, Iban, Orang Ulu, Melanau, Bidayuh, Penan with quite a sprinkling of expatriates happily living in harmony. Miri is also known as Northen Gateway to Sarawak.
Your excursion starts with pick up from your hotel and go on a scenic overland drive to Miri. You will be passing the town of Tutong, Seria Oil town and Kuala Belait town before crossing the border at Sungai Tujuh Immigration post. The overland journey will take around two hours depending on the conditions of traffic.
On arrival Miri, you will be dropped off at one of the shopping mall.
The rest of the day is at your own leisure to explore Miri on your own before pick up at 5.00 pm at the place of drop off. Overland transfer back to your hotel in Brunei.
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