New Year's Day: if you find yourself in one of the resort towns on the beach, there will definitely be some celebrating. Kuching is probably the best spot to party in the new year though celebrations don’t compete with February’s Chinese New Year.

Chinese New Year: the Chinese make up a fair portion of Sarawak’s community, so their new year is a big deal. Lion dances parade through Kuching warding off evil spirits and firecrackers pop through the night.

Pesta Benak (Tidal Bore Carnival): this fun cultural festival takes place in the town of Sri Aman. Its objective is to promote the town’s heritage and encourage tourism through food fairs, cultural performances and friendly competitions. It’s a great chance to get intimate with a Sarawak community.

Hari Raya Haji: this important holiday marking the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca is an interesting event to witness. Sarawak’s Islamic communities hold thanksgiving prayers at the mosques, and families sacrifice an animal for a huge feast. If you are around during this event, try and pay a visit to a mosque.

Kaul: Melanau fishing villages mark the beginning of their fishing season during Kaul. This festival is both a ritual of purification and thanksgiving, as the Melanau hope for a good fishing season. A main highlight is the tibau competition, held to see how many men and women can swing together at the end of a rope.

Baleh Kapit River Safari: this fun and exciting river race runs along Malaysia’s longest river, the Rejang, to the frontier town of Kapit. Iban hospitality is on display with some serious partying the night before the race. Only natural manmade rafts are allowed, making for some thrills when they hit the rapids.

Miri Jazz Festival: every genre of jazz imaginable converges on the resort town of Miri for a week of good times. This popular international festival draws talented musicians from all corners of the globe for a series of outdoor concerts in an intimate setting.

Gawai: this important cultural event is a harvest festival, religious ritual, New Year celebration and family reunion rolled into one. All the lowland tribes of Sarawak become beehives of activity as people return home for this holiday. Expect plenty of good times and some great cultural exposure if you visit a longhouse during Gawai.

Rainforest World Music Festival: Sarawak’s most popular festival brings musicians from all over the globe to represent myriad musical styles. For three days, music fills the night air and workshops teach enthusiasts. Events take place at the Cultural Centre in Datai, so make your hotel reservations early.

Borneo Cultural Festival: for a month, the town of Sibu comes alive with the presence of Sarawak’s indigenous groups. This unique cultural convention attracts representatives from all over the region to showcase their song and dance talents. The Sibu Town square is where all the colourful action takes place.

Sarawak Festival: Kuching hosts this major event which is akin to a citywide carnival. Parades of colourful floats and endless processions of Chinese-inspired lanterns make this a great festival to experience. Drama competitions and other cultural performances round off the week.

Sematan Festival: this seaside town puts on a carnival for three days to promote itself. Food stalls line the streets, where crab dishes are the specialty. Nearby attractions such as Gunung Gading and Tanjung Datu National Park are highlighted, along with the town’s amazing beaches.

Sarawak Regatta: the Sarawak River is the site for this fun but competitive boat race. Warring tribes line the Kuching waterfront to beat drums for their team as each tribe tries to outpace the other in whatever form of boat they traditionally use.

Mooncake Festival: Chinese around the world celebrate peace and prosperity each year during the Mooncake Festival. Kuching’s Carpenter street is the place to experience this major event. The street is closed to cars and hawkers so that dancers and musicians can perform to the crowds.