Sarawak has a bewildering diversity of culture. Every tribe still has talented exponents of traditional decorative arts, from weaving, to woodcarving to tattooing. And a longhouse is more than a traditional form of shelter or a distinctly unique Bornean form of communal living; it is a museum, displaying the vibrant culture and the vital creative impulse and aesthetic artistic skills of 27 different and distinct indigenous ethnic groups. Their cultural ingenuity is their identity.

Longhouse is like a gallery with exhibits ranging from antique brass work, exquisite woven fabrics, carving of tropical hardwoods, beadwork, ceramics, rattan weaving and basketry. Every town and marketplace in Sarawak offers curios of a unique Sarawak style, culture and craftsmanship. Shoppers should spend their time browsing through the Kedai (marketplace) to search for genuine antiques and souvenirs. Sarawak's natural beauty is legendary. So are its arts and crafts - literally - for these unique designs are often based on age-old legends.

Inspired by the beauty and bounty of their homeland - be it the effortless flight of a hornbill, the graceful curvature of a jungle fern or the mysteries of a dream each ethnic group, in every longhouse, has a craftsman or woman who beautifies everyday utensils with the most intricate and refined of ancient decorative arts.