2025 Miri Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in March)

Hey everyone, I have to share my amazing trip to Miri, Malaysia! 🌏A Little History and Culture: Miri is the second largest city in Sarawak, Malaysia. It prospered due to oil extraction, and oil culture permeates the city's development. The Petroleum Museum on the street is the best testament to this, bearing witness to Miri's glorious past. 🏞Itinerary Day 1: Miri Waterfront → Miri Night Market Start your day with a stroll along the Miri Waterfront, enjoying the city scenery and the gentle breeze. In the evening, dive into the Miri Night Market and indulge in a food feast. Day 2: Canada Hill → Taman Selera Food Court Spend the day at Canada Hill, stepping on the fine sand, watching the waves, and basking in the sun. In the evening, head to Taman Selera Food Court to sample various local snacks. Day 3: Niah National Park Niah National Park, with its spectacular caves and rich ecosystem, is a paradise for adventure lovers. Explore the caves with a guide and admire the ancient murals. 🍱Food Recommendations 🦐Butter Prawns: This dish is a "top hit" in Miri's culinary scene. The rich and creamy sauce coats the fresh, bouncy prawns. Every bite is a perfect blend of the sea and milky aroma. Be sure to pair it with rice; I could eat three bowls of rice with the sauce! 🍜Miri Kolo Mee: This local specialty features springy noodles, crispy pork lard, bean sprouts, char siu, and other toppings, all drizzled with a special sauce. After mixing it well, every bite is full of flavor and texture. 🏠Accommodation Experience I stayed at a three-star hotel in the city center. The location was excellent, with easy access to transportation, food, and shopping malls. The room was clean and tidy, with complete facilities, and the price was about MYR 200-300 per night. If you have a larger budget, you can also choose a resort hotel by the sea for a more relaxing vacation. 🚗Transportation For getting around the city, you can take a taxi or use Grab (a popular ride-hailing app in Southeast Asia). The prices are reasonable. If you want to visit surrounding attractions, you can rent a car for more freedom and convenience. 🛍Shopping and Entertainment Miri's shopping malls are great places to shop, offering everything from international brands to local specialties. If you enjoy nightlife, you can also visit the bars in the city center to experience Miri's vibrant nightlife. 💸Travel Budget For a week-long trip, excluding shopping, the cost is about CNY 3,000-5,000 per person. The main expenses are accommodation, food, and transportation. 🌞Best Time to Visit: November to February (dry season) is the best time to visit, with sunny weather ideal for travel. ❌Tips to Avoid Pitfalls: Remember to bargain when shopping at the night market. When exploring Niah National Park, be sure to hire a professional guide and do not venture into dangerous areas alone. Miri is truly a city full of surprises, with delicious food, beautiful scenery, and rich culture. Plan your trip now!

#cafestory A locally inspired café offering all-day dining with a focus on comforting, homemade dishes made with care and using local, artisanal ingredients. Excellent gelato & coffee & pastry qualities with amazing variety, outworldly taste, stunning presentation and spectacular ambience, with friendly service by staff. Love their Fior Di Latte. Highly recommended!

#buffets We had their buffet lunch during the weekend and loved the food and service. Nice ambience and cozy, crowded with people because it's the weekend. Prawns are fresh and delicious. The lamb shank was yummy. The lunch buffet is RM65 nett, with this price, I think it's value for your money. The food is excellent with lots of different varieties and with amazing service.The amazing experience all servers are polite and humble at all times during our interaction.

#100waysoftravel Bon Bon - My favourite cafe in Miri! The food and cake are good as always. Their pastries were amazing as you can really taste the high-quality ingredients used. Famous for their pastries but their main course is nice too.Food was presented simply & beautifully. The ambience is cozy and welcoming, making it a perfect spot to relax. Good place to catch up and business meet up. I highly recommend stopping by!

#hiddengems Oppa Korean Fried Chicken in Miri offers an impressive variety of dishes and quick, efficient service. The dishes are served piping hot, ensuring a fresh and delicious experience. Their menu features a wide selection of drinks, catering to both alcoholic and non-alcoholic preferences. The seafood pancake is a standout, with a perfect blend of flavors and a crispy texture that makes it a must-try. Equally impressive is the honey mustard chicken, which combines tender, juicy chicken with a delightful honey mustard sauce. Both dishes are highly recommended. Whether you're a fan of Korean cuisine or just looking for a great place to eat, Oppa Korean Fried Chicken in Miri is definitely worth a visit.

#hiddengems A hidden coffee sanctuary with good coffee and food. Amazing coffee and delicious food! The moment you enter this cafe, you are greeted with the aroma of delicious coffee. They have a very interesting variety of coffee methods on request too, espresso, nitro, moka, pour over. They even roast their own coffee beans in the cafe! Coffee lover should pay a visit here. Good ambience too.

#hiddengems The homemade fish cake mee is superb! I love the spicy and sour fish cake bee hoon! The cafe is always full. But the customers are always very understanding. They will quickly go off after finishing their food so that other people can have a chance to eat their delicious noodles. Everyone is also very patient to wait for their delicious food. If you're visiting Miri, definitely worth going to have breakfast here! Highly recommended!

#malaysiatrip A pleasant walk or drive up the hill takes you to the Grand Old Lady. It is Miri's first drilled oil well which took place in the year of 1910 by Shell Company. It is one of Miri's many main places of attraction and also act as an important monument in the eyes of the local's and definitely, the world's. There is a museum named the Petroleum Museum situated just next to The Grand Old Lady. The Grand Old Lady stands majestically on Canada Hill and makes for a good photo.

#hiddengems One of the places to visit during a hot sunny day! There's a variety of ice desserts drinks here, and they do serve rojak. Very fast service. The drinks and rojak are superb. Authentic and tastes good. Tasted up to my expectation , not too sweet yet generous amount of ice yet maintaining the taste. One of the best cucur (fritters) in Miri. I like the taste of both the savoury dishes. Highly recommended!

#weekendgetaways Canada Hill is a limestone ridge overlooking the town and offering excellent views of Miri and the surrounding area. Would recommend 3 visits - Morning sunrise, midday for clear view, night for City lights.It is 5 minutes drive from Miri City centre. If you need a place for a short hike in Miri, or a place for daily hikes to maintain fitness, then look no further. Access is free here. Highly recommended!

#hiddengems Nasi kukus was superb with its roasted chicken although it was a little bit spicy. The counter guy was also friendly. The ingredients used in the making of this particular dish is mouthwatering. The price is also affordable and the food is definitely worth your money. One of my best finds in Miri. If you haven’t checked these guys out, you need to! Highly recommended!

#hiddengems Definitely a go to place when you visit Miri. They serve one of the best cakes made locally, rum raisin cheesecake and other cakes. The cheesecakes are very rich and delicious. We ordered their hot food, biryani rice with lamb. It was so yummy and delicious. They have good tasting lattes. Very beautiful and relaxing cafe. Perfect for brunch or casual meetings.

#beachlife Lutong Beach is a trendy beach, great for family outings in the later afternoon for sunset. There are also some small food stalls nearby as well, selling light snacks, drinks and bbq. Wide open beach with plenty of activities to watch at. Be a little cautious as the tides can be quite violent with waves crashing up against the beach. Great place for lepaking and a lot of choices of foods.

#hiddengems Bon Bon - Truly one of the best cakes and pastries in Miri. Very impressed by both the selection and flavours of the cakes and pastries - you can really taste the high-quality ingredients used and the level of sweetness is perfect - it's not too sweet at all. Buttery, flaky, delicious pastries! Cake mostly need to pre order and buns get sold out very fast. Highly recommended!

#malaysiatrip #awesomepic #vianasjourney 🌟 Hotel looks a bit old but giving classic and charming vibes. Lobby and hallway smells really nice because of the diffusers set around the area 🌟 Other available services; saloon & spa, long hours package is available. 🌟 Most importantly; pool is spacious with pool bar always available everytime I visited. Staff will bring towels once you seated and will ask for room number. 🌟 Price on pool bar; can be pricey but I love the vibes, service and the choices they have so I am happy with everything. 🌟 plenty of pool chairs with umbrellas. Kids’ pool also available nearby with connecting slide.

#hiddengems Komplek Islam Miri is a beautiful building located in the heart of Miri. Its impressive golden domes are visible from far away, making it a striking part of the city's skyline. This grand building is conveniently located at the Miri 101 Commercial Centre, with the Boulevard Commercial Centre nearby. This central location makes it easy for visitors to find and access. When you get closer, the golden domes shine brightly in the sun, creating a stunning view. The detailed design and craftsmanship of the building are amazing to see, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of Islamic architecture. The unique and majestic architecture provides a beautiful backdrop for photos.

#familytrips2024 🌟 Specialty; Authentic Chinese Food 🌟 Personal recommendation dishes; dim sum, custard roll, Sarawakian kolo mee 🌟 Tips; It can be crowded in the morning between 7am to 9am but waiting time is doable. 🌟 Service is quick

#familytrips2024 #awesomepic #vianasjourney Grand Old Lady or also known as Miri Oil Well is one of the historal landmark in the city. The museum shared informations of the background/ history of oil and gas journey in Miri (museum was close when I visited this time though, do check the opening time carefully). Apart from the museum, many locals visit here to watch the sun set, jogging, hiking and even photography. Small stalls available around mostly selling light snacks. It’s pretty cool spending time here in the evening, it is windy and relaxing. Go, and give it a try.

#familytrips2024 #deliciousfood #awesomepic Although they claimed themselves cafe but I think this place is more suitable to be called restaurant & bar. It is a big area, both indoor and outdoor seating are available. Usually customers sit outside to enjoy varieties of food with drinks and usually those inside interested in mostly drinking as the bar is available inside. This place famous among local and even internationals, you will see plenty of people visiting this restaurant especially on friday evening or saturday evening. But even if it is too crowded, we have never had any difficulty getting a table after waiting less than 10 minutes. Take note that their kitchen close at 10pm so food are not available to order after that but feel free to enjoy drinks until 1.30am.

#hiddengems #vianasjourney #awesomepic This is the kind of breakfast that I would like to have every week. Many unique choices of dim sum and we while family enjoyed all of it. It is super affordable compare to many restaurants I have visited before which makes it doable for big family. Apart from the dim sum, other famous local dishes such kolok mee, and chi chong fun are also available. It can be a little bit crowded and have to wait a little for table, but staff are very effient with our orders that we can immediately eating right after getting a table. Definitely recommend this place for local chinese breakfast or even long day meal/ snacks as they even open for 24 hours. Take note that this restaurant serve non halal food. Here are the address; 2020 Cafe Jalan Pelita Utama Corner Jalan Pelita 2, Pelita Comersial Centre, 98000, Miri Sarawak

#familytrips2024 #vianasjourney #awesomepic I especially enjoy staying here knowing that I wanna spending some time chilling at nearby cafes or restaurant during the night. Plenty of stalls are actually open nearby, especially on Wireless Walk Miri and there is also a nearby cafe which famous among local and foreigners which called Ming Cafe that have quite late closing time. Back to the hotel, it is one of the oldest hotel, that is why the interior design and even some furniture are quite old. But regardless, it is still a decent place to stay with spacious area in the room.

#familytrips2024 #vianasjourney #awesomepic It’s called Mciti Suites located near to Miri Bulatan Park, this apartment consist of two rooms. One is masterbedroom with it’s private toilet and shower, wardrobe and equipped with air condition. The other room is two single bed with study table in the middle. Wardrobe is spacious, equipped with air condition as well. As for the living room, the sofa can fit more than 4 people, kitchen equipped with oven, microwave, induction & gas stove. Refrigerator was big, has both freezer and fridge. Plates, bowl and cutleries was provided. Rice cooker can be request upon arrival and the staff will send it to your room. There’s a rm200 deposit has to be collected and return after check out. Overall stay was decent but I hope it can be repaint as there were plenty of dark spots on the wall. Sink could be more cleaner and I didn’t get the chance to inform the staff personally that the hot water wasn’t available on the second shower. Anyway, still a good place to stay with big family.

#familytrips2024 The classic Ayam Penyet Ria is found across Malaysia. Although it has many franchises, each outlet differs slightly from the others. The best ayam penyet in Miri. Waits can be very long during lunch hour. Authentic Indonesian food and you could really feel it in the dishes (also in the hospitality by the Indonesian staff)! They serve nasi ayam penyet, nasi iga, beef ribs with tofu, tempe, boiled vegetables and you will not regret. I was very satisfied with their food and customer service. It’s a very popular place during the weekend . Our dream destination is to go to Hong Kong for my family trip as Hong Kong is paradise for food lovers, offering a wide variety of culinary delights. My family will enjoy it very much.

#beachlife #familytrip2024 #awesomepic We had a lovely time visiting Luak Esplande Beach. We managed to get a gazebo and starting to set our picnic under it. There were no fee required to enter and set a picnic area here. It seems like, first come first served basis applied to the limited gazebo and barbecue area. Although, I also noticed some visitors brought their own barbecue equipment and canopy, so that’s something you could look further into (of the rules). Beach area is pretty decent, and seems clean. Definitely another beach that I would visit again when visiting Miri.

#familytrips2024 #deliciousfood #awesomepic #vianasjourney Finally found a premium restaurant with good qualities. From nice ambience, excellent setting of interior, great service and most importantly, delicious food. Every element in the restaurant is just go together with each other. I would definitely recommend this place especially for special occasions. I had small dinner with sister to celebrate her birthday and the staff was willingly to bring the cake with background music to our table. I had the smoked duck for appetizer and spare ribs for main course. Although price was a bit pricey but I must say, it worth it.

#familytrips2024 #thingstodo #awesomepic With a really warm weather outside, do consider this place for some activities with your family or friends. Although some equipment such the seating sofa looks old but it seems like they take a good care of it. Price wise is fair, although I would definitely advice you to bring your own socks if you decided to play the bowling. Apart from bawling, table pool and basketball game are available as well. Another tips; if you decided to go on public holiday, please make a reservation beforehand as it tends to be crowded and you might not have spot to play. Details can be found on last slide.

#hiddengems Cafe hunting time. QAVAH by js- Great ambiance, friendly staff. We had this bagel sandwich with egg & cheese, They warm up the bagel which makes the Sandwich very crunchy. Good to order if you're looking for light/medium food. We ordered their salad as well and it's yummy with some nuts added on. Absolutely love this place. It's my new favourite spot to grab coffee and cafe food in Miri now. My next time coming back will try their cakes and pantries.

#malaysiatripLovely spot for sunsets. Horse rock nice but a good 15min walk down the beach. Access to beach is also a bit hazardous. Went on a Thursday and the food stalls seemed closed. (We bought KFC along w us so no issues) We had a rented car .. doing lambir in the morning. About 45mins south from Miri. This is the place where u can watch epic rock forming the shape of horse head...it seems like a horse drinking water...its magical...but the water is not suitable for a swim...n dun forget to try the tusan ice cream...vanilla coconut flavored ice cream...put inside a coconut shell...topped wit choc cookies crumbs