A 23-door longhouse in Samalaju was completely destroyed in a fire on Sunday evening. [image: 1785719114352-samalaju_longhouse_fire_20260802.jpg] Source: Bomba / DayakDaily A longhouse at Rumah Padang Batu 37, along Jalan Bintulu-Miri in Samalaju, was razed by fire on Aug 2. The Fire and Rescue Department said it received the emergency call at 4.31pm. Firefighters from the Samalaju station were sent to the scene. When the operations commander arrived, the non-permanent longhouse, measuring about 200 ft by 400 ft, was already fully engulfed. No casualties reported All 125 occupants were reported safe. No victims were involved in the fire. Firefighters brought the blaze under control and carried out overhaul works at the site. Location: Rumah Padang Batu 37, Jalan Bintulu-Miri, Samalaju Details: 23-door longhouse destroyed; 125 occupants safe. Source: DayakDaily What do you think?

A fire gutted 62 doors of a 55-year-old longhouse in Simpang Nu, Batu Niah. [image: 1785557146689-longhouse_20260801.jpg] Source: Sarawak Tribune The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department said Rumah Panjang Changgai, built in 1971, had 76 doors in total. The non-permanent longhouse had been unoccupied since 2023. No injuries or deaths were reported. Firefighting operation Bomba received the emergency call at 6.24pm on Friday, July 31. Firefighters from Batu Niah, assisted by Lopeng personnel, were sent to the scene. When they arrived, the affected section was already engulfed in flames. The fire was brought under control at 8.15pm, and the operation ended at 12.39am on Aug 1. A total of 19 firefighters, two Fire Rescue Tenders and one Emergency Medical Rescue Services vehicle were involved. Location: Simpang Nu, Batu Niah Details: 62 of 76 longhouse doors destroyed; no casualties reported Source: Sarawak Tribune What do you think?

[image: 1783656355307-baram-longhouse-fire.jpg] Source: The Borneo Post / Bomba A longhouse fire in Baram left 10 residents homeless after five bilik were gutted early this morning. The fire happened at Rumah Hendry Gomes in Kampung Mission, Ulu Teru, Tinjar, Baram. The affected residents included three women and three children. What happened Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department said the distress call came in at about 2am. Firefighters from Lopeng and Lutong were sent to the scene, around 134km away. Because of hilly terrain, narrow roads and rocky access, the teams took more than four hours to reach the location. By the time they arrived, about 95% of the affected units had already been razed. Nearby residents helped fight the fire first using 36 fire extinguishers and buckets of water. No injuries were reported, and the displaced residents are staying with relatives. Initial findings suggest the fire may have been caused by faulty electrical wiring. Location: Kampung Mission, Ulu Teru, Tinjar, Baram Details: Five bilik razed; 10 residents affected; operation ended at 9.35am. Source: The Borneo Post Scary reminder for rural homes, especially wiring and access road issues. What do you think?

Annah Rais is the kind of place I would leave a whole morning for, not squeeze between two city cafés. The road from Kuching climbs past Batu Kitang into the hills, and the reason to keep going is not a staged “cultural village”: it is a living Bidayuh longhouse whose shared architecture still shapes how visitors move through the place. [image: 1781402587113-annah_rais_01.jpg] Source: Annah Rais Longhouse exterior The longhouse story is unusually easy to see. Annah Rais is described as more than two centuries old, while the awah—the long open corridor—works as the social spine between family rooms. That makes the building itself the exhibit: a raised timber community, not a row of separate museum rooms. The nearby river, forest and hill road explain why this is best treated as a settlement connected to its landscape. [image: 1781402587354-annah_rais_02.jpg] Source: The central corridor (awah) I would arrive in daylight, walk slowly, and ask before entering private areas or photographing residents. Day visits can be brief, but a homestay or arranged meal turns the route into a longer cultural exchange; tuak, bamboo-cooked food, craft demonstrations and short nature walks may depend on the host and the day. Nobody should arrive expecting a guaranteed performance or a theme-park timetable. [image: 1781402587545-annah_rais_03.jpg] Source: Inside the longhouse Allow roughly 1–1.5 hours from central Kuching by car, longer if rain slows the hill roads, and arrange the return journey before going. Fees, homestay packages, guides and which activities are available can change, so confirm with the community or current listing. Wear shoes for uneven ground, bring repellent and keep a little flexibility for weather. The road distance is the price of reaching a place where ordinary life is the point. [image: 1781402587755-annah_rais_04.jpg] Source: Scenery around the longhouse Travellers who want a respectful, community-based Bidayuh encounter will find more here than a quick photo stop. Those wanting a polished visitor centre, fixed show times or guaranteed food may be disappointed. I would come with time, quiet manners and no expectation that residents owe the camera a performance; that is what lets the longhouse remain a home rather than become another backdrop.