Song is a small river station between Kanowit and Kapit. It is the capital of the Song District in Kapit Division, located in Sarawak, East Malaysia. It is situated by the banks of the Katibas River, a tributary of the Rajang River. It is an important stopover for river traffic going up the Rajang. Visitors can make a boat trip from Song up the Katibas river to visit long houses and the opportunity to trek part of the way back to Song.
The history of Song goes back to the early part of the 19th century. In those early days, Song was a settlement where Malay traders came upriver to trade with the Melanaus who would come down from the forest with forest products such as rattan. The forest products were taken downriver to the port in Sibu for export.
The Industrial Revolution in Europe created a demand for raw material, and this propelled the growth of Song, from a settlement into a small village. Song was under Japanese Occupation from Christmas Eve of 1941 until September of 1945. Allied bombings destroyed much of the buildings in the village including the district office. This compelled the district officer Abang Tunku Haji Wan Mat to relocate the administration of Song to the estuary of the Katibas River. The Song Fort was built there in 1947 and the Song Administrative Office was relocated in it the following year.
Things to See & Do
* Long Houses
* Song Fort
* Katibas river
General information
Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency - Ringgit (RM) (MYR)
Language – Bahasa Malaysia, English
Land Area – 3,935.2 km²
Population – 20,046 approx
Electricity – 2 vertical Square pins and one perpendicular below British style
Time - GMT plus eight hours
International Country Telephone Code – +60
Port Location – Cruises along the to Song depart from the port at Sibu.
Travel Links –Song is only accessible by boat from Sibu (3 hours), or light aircraft.