Bau District is one of the districts in the Kuching Division. Bau District covers an area of 884.4 sq km (21.1% of the Kuching Division area).
Most of the population (about 65, 276 people – based on 2020 data provided by Bau District Office) in this area is Bidayuh (68%), 17% Chinese, 8% Malay and 7% other races.
The main economic activities in this area more focused on agriculture. Apart from that, the residents also involved in business and quarrying activities as well as working in the public and private sectors.
Residents in this district enjoy 100% treated water and electricity supply.
Bau District known as the Gold-Town of Sarawak.
Before the era of the gold miners, around 1700, Bau settled in by the Bidayuh and Malays. Around 1800, Chinese gold miners from Sambas, Indonesia start settling in Bau.
Bau’s original name was ‘Ulu Sarawak’ while Bau Town itself known as Mau San or Mau Hill. For the Hakka, Pekan Bau known as Shak Lung Mung meaning Dragon Hill Gate.
In the old days, the Sarawak river was the main mode of transportation to Bau District which took a day by boat ride to reach Kuching.
Today with good infrastructure facilities, the entire village in this district can be accessed by road.
Bau has high potential areas for development in the agriculture and tourism sectors.
The Chinese in the Bau district are actively cultivating agricultural farms, while the Bumiputera population is in the subsistence agriculture sector and oil palm plantation programs under agencies such as SALCRA, MPOB and PELITA.
The Bau district has the potential emerging as an ecotourism destination – new gold for Bau – to foreign and domestic tourists.
Bau district has its uniqueness and beauty fit as a tourist destination such as the Tasik Biru, caves, mountains, food and handicraft products.
Several projects planned in Bau over the next 10 years under the “Greater Bau” or “Bau Raya” initiatives including the construction of the Bau Gold Mine Museum and Park as well as the much-awaited Tasik Biru Resort City.
The Gold Mining Museum and Bau Park will transform this district into a golden heritage town in Sarawak and will be the catalyst for Bau tourism sector development, especially the components related to nature, culture, and ecotourism.
The construction of the Tasik Biru Resort City project consisting of hotels, chalets and floating restaurants, cable chairs across the lake, the promenade around the lake and the park for the public will complete the museum project development plan.
This project will offer a unique holiday gateway and be able to attract more tourists as well as create more job opportunities.
The Greater Bau launched by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg on 31 December 2020 not only for the Bau town development alone, but also for entire Bau district development.
This Greater Bau master plan covers Kampung Lidah Tanah (under Batu Kitang area), Serikin, Jagoi and Singai (under Tasik Biru region), Siniawan, Tondong, Buso, Krokong, Pangkalan Tebang and Gumbang (under Serembu district).
With the development planned and carried out, Bau will be an attractive town to attract tourists to Sarawak.
