Bakelalan Airport [Review]

David Hogan Jr 28/08/2018

Bakelalan Airport [Review]

This is a review of the Bakelalan Airport in Sarawak, especially for anyone planning to visit this beautiful highland in northern Sarawak, on the island of Borneo.

Bakelalan is one of two main highland towns that offer the best of Malaysian Ecotourism and rural tourism, which is purely community-driven by the local Lun Bawang people.

Review of the Bakelalan Airport in Sarawak

bakelalan-airport-photo Bakelalan Airport [Review]

Arriving at the Bakelalan Airport.

First, you should note that only MasWings, a subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines, flies to Bakelalan, and no other airlines serve this route.

They use the DCH Twin Otter turboprop plane, which can only seat up to 16 passengers per flight and takes about an hour from Miri Airport.

The Bakelalan airport is one of the smallest airports in Malaysia and is straightforward, unlike what you are commonly used to.

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The arrival hall at the airport.

The Bakelalan airport code is BKM and is located just by the main village of Bakelalan, which is at an altitude of 884 meters or 2,900 feet above sea level.

Here is my personal and unique experience at the Bakelalan airport when I last visited several years ago.

The airport sits at the edge of Bakelalan village, meaning you can just walk to your homestay from the airport when you land here.

Yes, the airport is so small; it is made of mainly wood and has only three sections. A combined arrival and departure room, a ticket counter, and a control tower on the top.

Important Information About Flying to Bakelalan

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Me sitting in the Twin Otter plane bound for Bakelalan.

First-timers will need to know that if you leave Miri for Bakelalan, diversions or other factors may require the flight to turn back.

For example, just before your flight arrives and there is a storm or strong winds, the flight may return to Miri, and your flight will be re-timed for the next available flight.

If you have a confirmed flight ticket and on that day, if it storms terribly, your flight may be pushed to the next available day. Yes, I am not kidding about this, as it once almost happened to me.

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The MasWings flight is about to land in Bakelalan.

I have heard of situations where passengers could already see Bakelalan from their plane window but had to return to Miri because of the strong winds, and the flight could not land.

Another case I heard is that on the flight out of Bakelalan, the passengers could not fly on that day due to a heavy storm, and the fight from Miri or Lawas could not leave.

How Many Flights Are There to Bakelalan?

bakelalan-aerial-view Bakelalan Airport [Review]

Aerial view of Bakelalan while flying in the Twin Otter plane.

There are only three flights to Bakelalan a week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. This means you must plan your flight in and out according to the flight schedules.

Another thing to note is that most of the flights will get fully booked due to the locals travelling around. This is also because each flight can only accommodate up to 15 passengers per flight.

If you are planning to visit here, I recommend you book at least a couple of months in advance as, at times, last-minute bookings may not offer any seats.

During school or other significant holidays in Sarawak, the flight is usually fully booked by the locals who travel back home.

Only three airports service the Bakelalan route: Miri, Lawas and Bario. Miri is the international airport for Northern Sarawak, while the other two are smaller village airports.

ba-kelalan-airport Bakelalan Airport [Review]

The emergency response unit at Bakelalan Airport.

Bakelalan Flight Information

Three flights a week is crucial for your booking if you want to visit this unique highland village. The best option is a direct flight from Miri to Bakelalan.

Miri to Lawas, then to Bakelalan (Mon, Wed, Sat) – Depart: 10.35 AM, Arrive: 12.10 PM.

The above flight stops in Lawas for a very short transit before continuing to Bakelalan. There is no direct Miri to the Bakelalan flight.

baggage-weighing-bakelalan-airport Bakelalan Airport [Review]

Luggage has to be weighed before checking in, including the passenger.

What If I Cannot Book A Flight?

This is a common question asked by visitors who try and book at the last minute. There may be only one of two seats available in most cases, or you have to keep trying until you get it.

This applies to those travelling in pairs or groups of three or more, and as I mentioned earlier, it is best to book well ahead if you want to visit this beautiful place.

Some visitors manage to fly in but cannot fly out; hence they will have to take the local 4WD transport out of Bakelalan and back to Lawas or Limbang.

The price varies and is usually above RM100 per person, depending on if there is a trip going on that day. Usually, it will be with other locals using this service too.

If you plan to charter the entire 4WD, the price may be three to four times higher. This is only done if you really need to catch a connecting flight or other urgent matters.

Other Ways To Travel To Bakelalan

If all fails, there is still the good old way of taking a 4WD from Miri or any other city around here.

No buses or trains travel to Bakelalan, and you need to book a 4WD from those who regularly operate the service.

If you are driving across the border, you must have your passport to enter Brunei before exiting again.

Most people fly to Lawas or Limbang and then start their journey to Bakelalan from there.

From Miri – 8-Hour Drive (Cross Border)
From Limbang – 5-Hour Drive
From Lawas – 4-Hour Drive
From Kota Kinabalu – 7-Hour Drive (Cross Border)
From Bandar Seri Begawan – 7-Hour Drive (Cross Border)

For this experience, you will need to engage a specialized tour company that operates these routes, which you can find in Miri.

I worked with one of the reputable companies in Sarawak, and my journey started from Lawas.

bakelalan-airport-landing-strip Bakelalan Airport [Review]

A trek up the lookout point shows part of the Bakelalan Airport landing strip.

What to Do in Bakelalan?

If you are already planning to come here, you must have some sort of itinerary planned out for you unless you are taking a tour package to Bakelalan.

For those thinking of visiting this unique destination in Sarawak, you need to know what you can do in Bakelalan, as I have written about this place.

No proper hotels or modern-day shops are available here, only homestays and family-run grocery shops, local cafes and restaurants.

Things are laid back here, and activities include trekking, learning about the local culture and absorbing the laidback life here.

Bird watching in Bakelalan is one of the special activities, as a couple of endemic birds in Sarawak are found in the area. This needs to be specially arranged rather than a commercial activity.

I have also written a comprehensive article on what to do in Bakelalan, and if you are planning to visit here, you should read that article to get a heads-up.

Bakelalan Airport in Sarawak

Airport Code: BKM

Aircraft: DCH-6 Twin Otter

Airlines: MasWings

Operator: Malaysia Airports