Markets and shopping centres
City Point
Cheap shoes and DVDs are one of the big attractions here. The one and only cineplex in Bintulu and also the oldest cineplex in Malaysia! is also situated here. You can catch a glimpse of old machine where movies were played during the old days of Bintulu cineplex.
Parkcity Mall
Buy branded products, splurge with beautiful hair makeover or eat nice honey waffle here!
Everwin
Three-storey shopping centre for your favourite clothes, or buy school uniforms, shoes, pants, curtains, cushion covers, undergarments and almost everything in the name of 'fabric' can be found here.
Sing Kwong Supermarket
Buy everyday necessities here.They have 2 huge locations in Bintulu which is by far, alot cheaper than Farley. They do also retail alot of Australian products and impose on freshness of thier quality goods. If your looking for something special or a better deal, just head right away to Singkwong.
Farley Bintulu
Retail supermarket with wide array of basic necessities . Located near to the outstation bus terminal
Pasar Utama & Pasar Tamu Bintulu
If you love Belachan and Cincaluk, or traditional shoppers at wet markets, head yourself straight to the heart of Bintulu town for a tour at Pasar Utama & Pasar Tamu Bintulu.
Ngiu Kee Deparmental Store
Buy your daily needs here. Nothing much can be found here.
There are various shopping places in Bintulu. You can choose any of them based on your needs and lifestyle.
MDS Supermarket (Jalan Abang Galau & Medan Jaya)
Buy normal basic needs here. Nothing special here.
Monegain
A neighborhood supermarket to cater people from the surrounding area of Mile 1 to Mile 2 1/2 for basic needs.Behind Li Hua Hotel
There are some items you must buy when you are Bintulu. Here are those most essential items that you must buy when you visit Bintulu:
working
Bintulu is not a main tourist attraction. People say, you can spend money in Singapore, but you got to earn it in Bintulu! Bintulu is the place where the biggest integrated gas processing plant in the world and the first Shell Middle Distillate Synthesis SMDS in the world located, and also thriving industries taking place, from fertilizers ASEAN fertilizers plant is situated here to shipping, petrochemicals, palm oil processing & plantations as well as timber industries. World-renowned companies like Shell and Petronas made their home in Bintulu.
Don't forget, Bintulu is a core development area of Sarawak corridor SCORE. It will house bigger and more energy-intensive industries like aluminium smelting plant. It is also linked to the biggest hydroelectic dam in Malaysia, Bakun. More and more investors are interested in taking part of SCORE. An estimated 30,000 boost of jobs will flood Bintulu soon.
nightlife entertainment
Due to the sizeable expat population here thanks to its oil & gas industry, Bintulu is not lacking in night life entertainment. There are numerous bars, pubs, clubs & karaokes here for the working class to relax and enjoy themselves after a hectic day.
Unfortunately, the oil & gas boom era also brought in the vice of prostitution into the city. Although illegal, this vice, allegedly controlled by triad gangs, can still be found at some nightlife spots in Bintulu.
studying
Bintulu is a place where several academic institution located. It has a branch campus Malaysian-renowned universiti, Universiti Putra Malaysia. It has also Sedamai College private institution. GGIFA Gulf Golden International Flying Academy, an academy for aspiring pilots, is based next to Bintulu Airport. Soon to be opened in Bintulu is ADTEC Advanced Technology College, a college offering diploma by Ministry of Human Resource Malaysia, and also IKM Institut Kemahiran Mara, a college specifically for disadvantaged Bumiputeras who wish to undergo hard skills.
cincaluk (fermented shrimp paste)
This salty shrimpy 'juice' is not to be consumed by a people who hate stinky food. It was made from fermented shrimp dipped in vinegar and salt with some other additives. Cincaluk in Bintulu is considered to be 'pure' and original due to the fact that there was no added colouring or preservatives in the making of this cincaluk.
terendak (melanauh headgear)
If you notice in Bintulu, there are a lot of recreational parks or even the Pasar Tamu and Wisma Bintulu roof are in the shape of terendak, or Melanau headgear. It is normally used to protect oneself under the sun. Head on to local handicrafts store in Bintulu to get your very own Terendak.
tutop (food cover)
Tutop, or "tudung saji" in Malay, is also in a shape of Terendak. The difference is just its purpose and the size of it. You can get your own Tutop at local market or handicrafts/souvenir shop.
belachan (shrimp paste)
Belachan in Bintulu is the most popular food ingredients in Sarawak. Most Sarawakians, especially Malay, cook their traditional cuisines using Bintulu Belachan. It is made from sun-dried shrimp, mixed with salt solution. It is a main ingredient for Midin Belachan, Mee Hoon Belachan, Laksa Sarawak and Nasi Goreng Belachan.
sagu products
Sagu is an extract of a trunk of Sagu tree. Traditionally, it was made by hard-pressing the trunk to extract its juice and the juice will be sun-dried to make a sagu flour. The sagu flour then can be made into different type of local delicacies like Tebaloi, Biji Sagu, Linut and Sagu biscuits. Most of sagu products are a 'dry product', so don't be afraid to take one if you are in the long journey to go home.
golfing at bintulu golf course
It's annual event of Piala TYT makes this golf course a must for visitors who love to play golf. It has the splendid sceneries of pine trees along the rocky beach of Tanjung Batu. Don't miss the hole while doing that putter!
fishing
Fishing is one of the popular hobbies in Bintulu. People can opt for fishing at the rivermouth of Kemena river, or at the sea for seafood, or if you are looking for freshwater food, you can go fishing at Tubau river, Tatau river upriver area or Jelalong river. However, beware of crocodiles and shallow water, your boat might hit those big trunks or rocks at the riverbed and it might spoil your mood for fishing.