Technical Visits
About technical visits
Please register early! Technical visits will be cancelled if they do not reach the minimum number of paid participants by 13 March 2023.
Important date: 13 MARCH
Minimum and maximum numbers of participants are noted. If the visit for which you have registered does not meet the minimum number by 13 March, IAIA HQ will notify you and provide refund information or offer to transfer you to another visit. After 13 March, registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until 12 April or the visits reach the maximum number. Registrations will be processed in the order that payment is received.
Prices for technical visits are shown in US dollars. Participants must be pre-registered and pre-paid to participate. If you must cancel, the fee will be refunded, less an administration fee of 25% of the technical visit cost and contingent upon written notice of cancellation received by 12 April. After that time, no refunds will be issued.
Guests of registered delegates are welcome to register for technical visits at the same rate.
Tours depart from the conference venue unless otherwise noted. Plan to check in for the visit a minimum of 15 minutes prior to the noted departure time.
Liability statement: IAIA, the organizing committee, and the venue will not be responsible for medical expenses, accidents, losses or other unexpected damage to property belonging to conference participants, either during or as a result of the conference and during all tours and events. Participants are strongly advised to arrange their own insurance for health and accident, lost luggage and trip cancellation. Participants will be required to sign a liability release waiver upon check-in for the visits.
A | Semenggoh Wildlife Centre
Wildlife rehabilitation programs are essential for nature conservation. This is particularly important in Borneo where large-scale deforestation has been a longstanding concern. The Semenggoh Wildlife Centre is the largest orangutan rehabilitation sanctuary in Sarawak. It has a thriving population of healthy adolescent and young adult semi-wild orangutans that roam the forest but are trained to return to the centre during feeding times where they are fed by caretakers. Participants will be briefed by officials on the rehabilitation program as well as the Sarawak state’s overall wildlife conservation plan.
Saturday 6 May
Depart 08:00 | Return 12:00
Level of physical activity Moderate
Minimum-Maximum 10-40
Price $45
Price includes transportation, lunch, admission fee, and gratuity payment for briefing.S
Special notes Comfortable walking shoes and appropriate clothing for humid climate.
B | Sarawak Biodiversity Centre
The Sarawak Biodiversity Centre is a government-funded agency responsible for research and commercialization of the State’s biological resources, particularly those that have been utilized by Indigenous communities and to facilitate the documentation of traditional knowledge of Indigenous communities on the utilization of biological resources. The visit includes an Indigenous interpretive tour of the Laila Taib Ethnobotanical Garden where participants will discover enchanting fragrances from Sarawak’s indigenous herbs and plants, as well as their uses in food, medicine, and other applications. Participants will also attend a briefing on the centre’s research facilities and programs.
Saturday 6 May
Depart 13:30 | Return 18:30
Level of physical activity Low
Minimum-Maximum 10-40
Price $40
Price includes transportation, lunch, and gratuity payment for briefing.
Special notes Comfortable walking shoes and appropriate clothing for humid climate.
C | Borneo Cultures Museum
In a fast-changing world, cultural heritage conservation is critical for strengthening cultural resilience. By documenting and educating how cultures evolve over time, communities may be empowered to embrace uncertainties and adapt to new developments. Opened in 2022, the Borneo Cultures Museum is the latest addition to the Sarawak Museum Complex. It boasts a gleaming contemporary architecture and houses one of the largest and finest exhibits of cultural and natural heritage in the region. In this visit, participants will attend a briefing on the history of Sarawak Museum since its establishment in 1888 by Rajah Charles Brooke, as well as ongoing research and conservation programs. This will be followed by a tour of the museum’s exhibits.
Sunday 7 May
Depart 08:00 | Return 12:00
Level of physical activity Moderate
Minimum-Maximum 10-40
Price $65
Price includes transportation, lunch, admission fee, gratutity payment for briefing.
Special notes Comfortable walking shoes and appropriate clothing for humid climate.
D | Tanoti House & Textile Museum Sarawak
Tanoti is a congregation of Sarawakian women weavers and artisans dedicated towards the production, promotion, and proliferation of traditional hand-crafted fabrics. In this visit on community empowerment and heritage preservation initiatives, participants will tour the Tanoti House and observe how Songket Sarawak fabrics are weaved using traditional tools. They will also be briefed by the founder of Tanoti on its strategies in preserving the craft through the creation of more contemporary items in modern design using songket. Participants will then proceed to the Textile Museum Sarawak.
Sunday 7 May
Depart 13:30 | Return 18:30
Level of physical activity Moderate
Minimum-Maximum 10-40
Price $40
Price includes transportation, lunch, and gratutity payment for briefing.
Special notes Comfortable walking shoes and appropriate clothing for humid climate.
E | Darul Hana Urban Redevelopment Project
The Darul Hana Housing Project is a major urban renewal program initiated by the Sarawak state government that involves the resettlement of 12 traditional Malay villages to modern housing at Kuching city centre. The project is notable not only for its high cost but the extent of relocation and its potential social disruption. Participants will tour the villages and attend a briefing by the developer to learn how the project actors manage the socio-cultural impact of the resettlement.
Friday 12 May
Depart 08:00 | Return 12:00
Level of physical activity Low
Minimum-Maximum 10-40
Price $40
Price includes transportation, lunch, and gratuity payment for briefing.
Special notes Comfortable walking shoes and appropriate clothing for humid climate.
F | RevitaliZing Kuching’s urban public transportation
This tour offers insights on the planning and implementation of a sustainable public transportation system to strengthen urban resilience. The Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) is a government-initiated project to minimize and alleviate traffic congestion toward Kuching city centre by improving connectivity via an efficient and integrated public transportation system. The backbone of KUTS is the hydrogen-powered Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system, which will use articulated hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles that run on rubber tires along two 52.6km lines. The project is scheduled for completion by 2027. Participants will attend a briefing by the project owner, Sarawak Metro, and learn how it manages the environmental impact and generates positive economic and social spillover. This will be followed by a visit to the corporate office of Sarawak Energy Berhad for a presentation on Southeast Asia’s first integrated hydrogen production and refueling station, capable of producing 130kgs of hydrogen per day at close to 100 percent purity.
Friday 12 May
Depart 13:30 | Return 18:30
Level of physical activity Low
Minimum-Maximum 10-40
Price $40
Price includes transportation, lunch, and gratuity payment for briefing.
Special notes Comfortable walking shoes and appropriate clothing for humid climate.